It is not easy to understand FTDNA’s schizo policies toward the wonderful product they introduced --- the 68-111 panel of STR markers. I have found it a strong tool for finding new ancient clade divisions throughout much of haplogroup I. If someone had 37 STR markers and a budget-constrained amount to spend on haplotype expansion, I’d advise going for the 68-111 panel instead of 38-67 panel if you had that choice. The 38-67 panel is boring by comparison in its haplotype and clade distinquishing properties. But FTDNA seems to bury this 68-111 panel product beneath unnecessary difficulties. Why is not Ysearch expanded to include the 68-111 panel of STRs? Why can not the customer order the 68-111 set of markers without first buying the 38-67 panel of markers? But maybe some one can make our day (at least my day) and report that this latter policy has been eliminated? The other day someone did report that there is a way to partially circumvent FTDNA’s policy concerning these 68-111 STRs. Most of them can be purchased as singletons. I don’t know if there are any rules or conditions to do this selective buying. On the positive side, FTDNA has upgraded its data spreadsheets for its Projects to include the 68-111 panel. Those projects which do not use FTDNA’s spreadsheet might consider including this 68-111 panel as well. Until such time as we have something akin to full y chromosome snp tests over a clearly defined, fixed, set of nucleotide sites, extended haplotypes with as many STRs as possible provide us with the best clocks for adding the time dimension to the y tree. The 68-111 panel of STRs adds approximately 0.1 to the total mutation rate of haplotype STRs (that roughly means that every 10 generations on average on a line of descent, there will be a mutation within the 68-111 panel, itself). I decided the time has arrived to expand the Generations software to include the 68-111 panel of STRs for doing variance-based tmrca estimates; this should be done in the near future (after income tax forms are done and out of the way). If you scan the I1modalities file linked to below, you will see I now include the 68-111 STRs in the table of clade identifying STRs. I eventually plan to make such online tables for the rest of y haplogroup I. Presently I am trying to keep complete a full database of all 68-111 haplotype extensions reported out within haplogroup I. And then I use that database to detect any new clade structure in haplogroup I. So I recommend buying this panel if you are in haplogroup I; your information will not go to waste. And it would help if you suggested to FTDNA to treat this panel better with regard to Ysearch and its restrictions on purchase. - - - - Kenneth Nordtvedt See: "Tree for I1" "Tree and Map for haplogroup I" "The I1modalities" at http://knordtvedt.home.bresnan.net showing my working tree for YDNA haplogroup I. These files are periodically updated as new information is obtained.