DNA: Tools and Tips

It has been a while since I revisited the progress on my DNA research. I haven't gotten much further. As always seems to happen, so many other things have taken up my time. But more about that later.

One of my preferred ways of finding out more about the uses of DNA in genealogical research is watching webinars, but there are some about the subject that are way above my knowledge level. A recent one I watched about Y-DNA was way over my head. I'll have to shop around for a more basic one, perhaps even watch the excellent, The YDNA Test Should be Your Favorite, by Diahan Southard on Legacy Family Tree Webinars again. You have to be a subscriber the site to see that one.

Another webinar on Legacy Family Tree Webinars, which should be free to view until February 20, explained the possibilities of using DNA Painter. Blaine Bettinger showed the uses of this tool in the webinar Reconstructing Your Genetic Family Tree. To use this tool, the DNA testing site where your match is needs to give you access to a chromosome browser so, unfortunately, Ancestry matches are out. But I can see useful possibilities even with matches who don't respond to emails as long as they have a family tree to compare with mine.

Actually, looking at the surname in the case of one of my closest matches on FTDNA, it looks like I have a good chance of figuring enough of their tree myself as they don't have a tree posted. Hmm, will let you know how I get on.