Everyone who submits a sample to Family Tree DNA is supposed to have a
backup email address. If you email their names to
info@... , they may be able to forward your email to the
backup email address. If you are part of a DNA surname group, the
group administrator can do that also.
Marsha Epstein
Los Angeles
Co-Administrator of the Epstein Surname DNA Project at FTDNA
Researching EPSTEIN, RABKIN, BERESKIN, BRISKIN >from Babruysk, Belarus,
WALDMAN, STIRLISKA and SVERDLOV >from Kornin, Ukraine and SALITRANIK

Dear Genners,
First of all I would like to thank all the DNA-Genners that kindly answered
my questions. I think I understand it all much better now.

Just a comment about FamilyTreeDNA: I did not write to them. I only wrote to
Jewishgen DNA group because i thought my question could be of common
interest for people who not understand the the technical details. I
complained about the people to whom I have very close match, but who not
answer my mails.

Best regards

Fred Zimmak Sweden/Stockholm

Hi Fred

The most likely reason is that three, or possibly all four, of the markers
that mismatched at 37 markers were in the 25-marker panel also--too far
apart for a match to show among that group of markers, where I believe 23 are
necessary to call a match.

But I am very surprised if Family Tree DNA did not answer your e-mails--I
have never had that happen. Did you address them to info@...?
Or were you referring to the people who matched you not answering?

Donn Devine
Wilmington Delaware, USA

Dear DNA Genners,

I would like to thank Mr. Epstein for clarifying my questions. I think I
understand it better now.

But I am still confused over some of my Y-DNA results. I have an example
where FamilyTreeDNA say that I have a very close match:
Exact 12 marker, for 37 marker 4 mutation 8 generation 88,83 percent and
67 marker 4 mutation 8 generation 95,08 percent. Why does he not appear in
the 25 marker test? I have a similar close match and he appears in all
marker tests and 12 and 25 with exact match. (Bad enough just those people
don't answers my mails.)

Best regards

Fred Zimmak Sweden/Stockholm

On Sun, 7 Nov 2010, Fred Zimmak <Fred.Zimmak@...> asked:

But I am still confused over some of my Y-DNA results....
Why does he not appear in the 25 marker test?

When they say 25 markers, they don't mean any 25 markers but
specifically the first 25 markers.

I have the same situation as you (I assume everyone does): people match on
the 37 but not the 25. The reason is that they don't match on the
first marker, but do on the subsequent ones.

Bob Kosovsky

At 02:56 PM 11/5/2010, you wrote:

Dear DNA Genners,

In spring in FamilyTreeDNA in I did the Y-DNA Y12 - Y67-test, MTDNA HRV1,
HRv2 and FGS-test and now the Familyfinder test.

I think I understand each individual result I get. But some question about
how to understand the totals of the tests:

1. When I have people in the 37- or 67-marker test with high probability
for connection. Why don't I see them in the 12- or 25 marker tests?

To take an extreme example --
If you are at a genetic distance of 2 on a 12 markers test, it is not
impressive.
If you are at a genetic distance of 2 on a 67 markers test, it is
pretty close.
In both cases the mutations are among the first 12 markers.
If the differences are equally spread among all levels, you generally
get the same predictions.

2. And when I have people in several of the different marker tests. Is it
more probability that we are connected?

The higher levels are usually better for predictions.

3. MTDNA-test. Do I understand it right that HRV1 is 1300 years ago, HRV2
900 years ago and FGS some hundred years ago? I have taken all those tests
also. But if it is so long time ago, what is the point. And when people
don't put their ancestors it is very difficult to find any eventually
relationship.

mtDNA tests are less useful for genealogical predictions. The 900 and
1300 are averages and almost none of us is the average. I usually
ignore HVR1. The usefulness of HVR2 depends on how unusual the match
is. If possible, write to all of your HVR2 matches and see if any of
them are >from where your ancestor is. The FGS is somewhat
genealogicaly better and much better than trying to return to the
19th Century to interview relatives. If you match on an unusual
combination, you have a better hint of a relatively recent relationship.

4. I also wonder the Familfinder results: should I not get any of the
persons that I had in the result >from Y-DNA and MTDNA?

First they have to participate ib FF. Then, FF is useful for very
few generations. However, if you get a close match to a stranger on
both FF and Y-DNA, it may merit further research. FF will be
improving how it deals with Ashkenazim. As more people participate
in it, you will get more people on your list, but figuring out how
you relate is hard work.

Itzhak Epstein New York, NY
<mailto:iegen@...>

Dear DNA Genners,

In spring in FamilyTreeDNA in I did the Y-DNA Y12 - Y67-test, MTDNA HRV1,
HRv2 and FGS-test and now the Familyfinder test.

I think I understand each individual result I get. But some question about
how to understand the totals of the tests:

1. When I have people in the 37- or 67-marker test with high probability
for connection. Why don't I see them in the 12- or 25 marker tests?

2. And when I have people in several of the different marker tests. Is it
more probability that we are connected?

3. MTDNA-test. Do I understand it right that HRV1 is 1300 years ago, HRV2
900 years ago and FGS some hundred years ago? I have taken all those tests
also. But if it is so long time ago, what is the point. And when people
don't put their ancestors it is very difficult to find any eventually
relationship.

4. I also wonder the Familfinder results: should I not get any of the
persons that I had in the result >from Y-DNA and MTDNA?

When you answer, consider that I am a person that don't understand so much
of the technical details of DNA.

Best regards

Fred Zimmak, Stockholm, Sweden