The shooting sports are growing thanks to technology. Electronic Scoring Targets (ESTs) have made instant results possible, bringing with it engaged spectators and thrilling competitions. But this growth comes with added responsibilities; clubs big and small need a designated technical officer (TO) who knows how to operate their EST hardware and software.
Consider for a moment the responsibilities you have when buying a car. You first need to know how to drive it safely, turn it on, run the windshield wipers, use the turn signal. You need insurance. Every few hundred miles you need to recharge or refuel your vehicle. You need to periodically change the oil, clean out the air filter, and rotate the tires. If you do not do these things, and the car is damaged or stops running, the responsibility is on you.
Owning an EST system for your range has similar responsibilities. An EST range doesn’t run on magic; it functions well when an assigned TO knows how to operate the software to run a match, knows how to let athletes practice at will, and knows how to perform routine maintenance to keep the hardware running smoothly. Without a designated and educated TO, your EST range will quickly become inoperable.
Every local club with an EST range needs a designated TO. The role of the TO can be a separate person in your club or someone with overlapping responsibilities, such as the coach, range officer, or even an athlete.
Your TO should be someone comfortable with using technology. Perhaps more important, your TO needs to be someone who is willing and able to take the time necessary to learn how to correctly use your EST software and hardware. TO responsibilities can not be bestowed with the wave of a magic wand; they require time, practice, and patience to learn.
At some programs, the club may assign the TO responsibilities to a student. While this compliments a STEM education, care should be taken when selecting which, if any, student is qualified. A student TO can work, but likely will require adult mentoring. Furthermore, a student will eventually graduate, requiring the regular passing on of all this knowledge to a new TO.
TO’s have three main responsibilities:
EST Software is rather sophisticated. Here at Scopos, the EST software starts with Orion. Orion is both your match management software, as well as the entry point to controlling your EST range.
Scopos EST software additionally includes the Athena DoW100 athlete Monitors, MM100 spectator Displays, and MM200 Range Timers. It further includes interfacing with the Rezults website for online results, leaderboards, and score history.
As a daily example, your TO should be able to put your Athena range into practice mode, have your athletes log into their firing points to track their scores, and set the range timer for the time duration of your practice session.
EST ranges have daily, pre-competition, weekly, and monthly maintenance requirements.
For example, your TO should inspect each target before each relay. With Athena this means replacing the back aiming mask (always before a new competition relay), replacing the front aiming mask if needed, checking and replacing the paper roll, and checking and replacing the lead collection bag if filled.
Your TO should also be comfortable with checking for damaged SD cards in any of the targets, monitors, or displays, and well as running the Take Ownership process to restore a damaged SD card.
If you own an Athena for Clubs range, you may schedule an annual maintenance visit from qualified Scopos technicians.
What if you are in the middle of a match, and a competitor has to be moved to a different firing point? Your TO should know how to reassign that competitor to a new firing point, move their existing scores, and allow the competitor additional sighters if warranted.
What if one competitor cross fires onto a different competitor's target? Your TO should be able to bring up the shot timings to determine which shot was the cross fire, remove the cross fire from the receiving firing point, and assign a miss to the athlete who committed the cross fire.
What if one of your firing point target’s prone and kneeling height is off? Your TO should know how to get their tape measure out and calibrate the target lift. They should further know how to use the other calibration tools built into Orion for tape feed and camera calibration.
An EST system is a sophisticated tool that can help modernize your organization’s marksmanship program. But whether it is at a national range or a small local club, an EST system is only a tool, it is not magic. Each club needs a designated TO who knows the ins and outs of the system to yield its full potential.
