Rob Boudrie

Well deserved, congrats!!! I enjoyed watching some of your coverage from the USSA building during the rain

Ask the Mythbusters

While we're on the subject, when is France going to rename the Rock of Gibralter to the DeGaulle Stone?

Paul Erhardt. They won't cover your event if they don't know it's happening - and Paul knows how to solve that little problem.

Scores were uploaded to the in-house and internet servers at 6:09 PM, and the posting period ended at 7:10 PM for the O/L10. I don't remember the exact time for the LPR. We did not check each score against what is printed on the yellow sheet. Once the data is in the Palm correctly, it transfers correctly to EzWinscore. The Palm software allowed the RO to write down the hit totals before the data was saved to the unit's database (something I expect will be changed at my request). As a result, we had to search the hard copy to account for any missing score sheets as, even in the absence of Palm failure, we could not assume that a missing score from the imported data did, in fact, mean that the shooter did not shoot the stage. We only had a few of these, but each score is important and we did not consider it acceptable to "not worry about it and wait for correction requests" - so we manually checked the yellow sheets in each case of a missing score (except when it was clear the shooter did not complete the match - DQs, and a large sequential block of missing stages). Since each competitor shot the match over three days, we were unable to complete this final check until the all the scores had been turned in to stats at the end of each match. Once the Palm software has been modified to preclude the reading of hit totals until the score has been saved to the handheld's database, the need to manually search for every missing score in the paper logs will disappear. I have worked conventional stats at large matches (but never a nationals) and I am certain that paper scoresheets delivered on the timetable, and condition (rain, rain and more rain) present at the 2008 Nationals would have created a very difficult situation in the back room. There are positive and negative aspects to both approaches, and paper is not as simple as "use paper sheets and the scores will appear on time".

The delay between updates on the last day was our fault in the back room, not the delivery of the scores from the ranges. We have identified the process issues which caused this delay so that any future use of the system at such a match will be back on the "hourly update" schedule. If you want to see ugly, try working a stats room during an extended heavy downpour when waterlogged carbonless scoresheets arrive in matches of hundreds. Carbonless paper seems to have very spongelike qualities, and absorbs water more readily than conventional paper.

What is your estimate as to the number of additional results stations we will need if we take an action that will increase the average time one is in use by a competitor from 5 minutes to 60?

A stray round in checked luggage can cause considerable difficulty if it is not in a factory box, and there is no spare hole in one of your factory boxes in which to put it. Written reports to the local PD, TSA and airline ... and an offer from the airline to "store the round until you return from the trip".

We were actually using two doodads for the first time at the Nationals - in addition to the Palm scoring, we set up a local server for use as a results station and had a leaderboard projected in the USSA building; 4 PCs for checking results in the building, two additional systems in the vendor tent and open WiFi at both locations. Other than the overalls posted at the awards ceremony, there were no "paper postings" of match scores (and no paper postings of stage finishes). USSA has their own computer guru (James Broom) so I arrived to a fully functional and ready for action results network using a server I pre-shipped - no last minute configuring of wireless nodes, running cables, etc. Another first was use of the web to support the one hour posting period. We posted results to the local results station and www.uspsa.org, at which point we posted the on hour deadline as well as the cell # of the stats chief (Joy Hyden). Competitors could check their results at the hotel (30 minutes from the range) and could phone in complaints within the hour. We also used the "announcements" feature of the result station to post listings of the various cell phones we found throughout the match. (note: When you find a cell phone, call a phone with caller ID to get the number and sometimes the name of the owner of the lost cell phone). I'll post the code for the results station to uspsa.org so anyone who feels comfortable setting up a linux box can create a similar results station for other big matches. I'll wait until USSA sends my server back so I can include the Apache and Bind configuration files as part of the tarball.

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Agreed. I will be taking this up with Peter Cunningham once I send him a report on how things went at the matches.

I've added a display of the total of Noshoots + Procedurals + Overtime shots to the displays in the clubhouse to make it to figure out how you're doing on this.

I didn't really see this as industry bashing since the poster mentioned he was being well taken care of, just expressed puzzlement as to why he had to send the entire bag back. If anything, the comment about the vendor was generally positive. My response explained why this practice is the norm at large retailers who resell products from multiple suppliers and, if this enlightenment was useful to the poster, an example of this forum serving one of its intended purposes of information sharing.

If you are still paying those prices, rather than switching to another vendor, it's proof that it would be a mistake to lower prices. Prices will come down when some major players decide to start taking market share with price.

I'm starting this thread to gather comments about how things go with the Palm scoring at the nationals- the existing thread consists of posts before the event, so I figured it would be a good idea to have a new one for comments from people see it in action.

The results station will list misses, procedurals and no-shoots separately (to the best of my recollection - the system is currently in transit to Tulsa).

No need. The per-competitor summary on www.uspsa.org or the results stations in the vendor tent will have this info.

I got my plate since it would be recognized by friends, but not scream "gun" to people who aren't. My wife got a phone call from the local PD one day saying they "saw my plate on the road, used it to get my phone number, and wanted to know where the matches are".

USPSA does a monthly upload on about the 12-13th of each month that contains *ALL* classifier scores they have received from clubs on or before the 10th of the month. Beyond that, it's up to your club.

Airline limits plus US State Department limitations - there are some countries where you just can't get a permit to export ammo to, or where there are onerous import requirements.

I hate manually sorting brass, and hate manually sorting dirty brass even more. Even though this gadget only groups by sets of calibers, it looks like I'll be able to pre-sort brass and end up with sets that don't next inside each other in the tumbler. I only wish Dillon had thought of this earlier.

That makes about as much sense as saying "They built an entire village for the Olympic team, and we can't even get the government in the host country to put one shooting range and a new hotel for the World Shoot."

The scouting program, with the exception of the police explorer program, absolutely prohibits the use of a handgun in any scouting activity - so his "eagle scout" background does not imply any familiarity with a defensive sidearm.

At least now you'll be able to say "I trust you'll find my papers to be in order" with confidence.

Would some mod please change the title to Dillon MiniGun and give credit where it is due