Is it worth paying the unlock fee on the FTDNA Site?

[Romilly]

Has anyone on here paid the $19 unlocking fee on the FTDNA Site at all?

I uploaded my DNA from Ancestry to that Site last year, and you can see your DNA Matches for free. However, if you want to see your Ethnicity Estimates, you have to pay the unlocking fee. I’m wondering if it’s worth it...

Has anyone on here done so, - and what are your thoughts?

Cheers, Romilly.

[davidft]

Does it describe in more detail what you get for the $19 fee?

Also you say you can see your DNA matches but in how much detail? For instance can you see the chromosome breakdown with each match? Can you contact the matches?

[Romilly]

Hi davidft,

The fee unlocks your Ethnicity Estimate, chromosome browser, family tree, and some other features which I’ve yet to find...!

I can see my DNA matches, some of whom I recognise from other Sites, and it gives you amount of cMs shared, family names, etc. Also email addresses, but as hardly anyone replies, that’s a bit of a dead loss...

I was hoping that someone on here might have already done it, and could give their opinion?

Romilly.

[davidft]

OK that makes sense.

The reason I asked the questions is I have full access (tested with them) so did not know what extras you would be getting.

Yes in my opinion it is worth paying the $19 fee for the extras you describe

[Liz_in_Sussex]

I find the chromosome browser very useful!

Liz

[Romilly]

Thanks both.

Yes, I find the chromosome browser on My Heritage useful, it’s a shame that Ancestry doesn’t have one.

I also tested with Living DNA, who keep saying that a Chromosome Browser will be coming soon:-)

Romilly.

[Mowsehowse]

I find the chromosome browser very useful! Liz 

I was searching for advice about the FTDNA chromosome browser, and found this post that said you find it very useful. I am hoping someone might be able to advise me on how best to exploit it.

Essentially, I am trying to help someone now aged 77, (adopted at birth,) locate the details of their natural parents.  I now have the maternal line sorted I believe.

Using the "in common" feature on FTDNA, I seem to have isolated 4 distinct clumping groups to 4 of the closest matches, that I suspect must be the paternal grandparent lines, but I don't know what my next step should be?

Does anyone feel able to advise me?

[Biggles50]

I did that, uploaded my Ancestry DNA and paid the fee.

1 match at 122 cM and a lot of others that I recognised from Ancestry and from Gedmatch.

Apart from making contact and talking on the phone a couple of times to my 122 cM match it has not really been useful.

I did take their yDNA test which was useful, for me at least.

[Romilly]

Mowsehowse,

Have you uploaded this person’s DNA to the My Heritage Site? They have a chromosome browser and lots of other DNA tools; which I’ve found useful.

You could also have a go at doing a WATO Chart, see:

https://dnapainter.com/tools/probability

Good luck! Romilly.