freETarget

[Azmodan]

https://free-e-target.com/

A new open source Electronic Scoring Target.
Requires a minimum investment, plus some DIY for the setup. Or, if you are an expert, download the schematics and software from github and build your own.
More information on the site.

[Gabe]

Can this be setup for 50/100M smallbore?

[Azmodan]

theoretically yes.
for now it;s 10m only.
but in the future, if this setup proves successful and useful, it can be upgraded to other ISSF target types.

[dulcmr-man]

I briefly reviewed the website and gained the impression that this device and its software are still in the beta testing phase. Please correct me if I'm wrong. I'm very interested in purchasing the electronics board and sensors. I THINK I can make a back stop myself, and download the software to my laptop. However, nothing on the website that I read indicated that this is a commercially viable product at this stage of its development.

Am I mistaken?

Dennis, aka Dulcmrman

[Azmodan]

yes, you are correct. it is in beta version. right now there are only a few engineering samples that will go out to early adopters.

however, it will never be a commercial product. it is an open source project, done by enthusiasts for enthusiasts. if you have the technical knowledge and capability, you can build your own without purchasing anything, just with the code on github.

[Chicken-Farmer]

Thank you so much for developing this software and hardware.

[Brazos]

Thank you so much for developing this software and hardware.

I too am watching this and appreciate what is being developed. This is out of my realm of knowledge but once it gets going I am in. I just need something for home use for my daughter and me and can’t spend $4000-$5000. This could turn out to be a great thing for a lot of people.

[Kyler]

I'm in too. I'm a woodworker so making the boxes is easy-peasy. I'll order the harness within a few weeks.

I've been studying the drawings and would like to offer some constructive feedback.

You don't show the depth and location of holes. For example, on the arduino base, you show a 5mm hole but not how deep it is or where it is located. On the sensor mount, you show location and size, but not depth (are they through holes?).

What is the purpose of the target face guides and the wedges you call "target face"?

This is a great start and look forward to making one fore myself.

[Azmodan]

the drawings were made by a third person involved in the project.
i think they are more like a visualization guide line - but yes, they are incomplete (work in progress). the sensor positioning in missing.

the guides on the target face are important to set the paper target - the system uses normal paper targets, not rolls like other ESTs. so the positioning of the target (and it's center) relative to the sensors behind is very important.

i, personally, have not yet used the system. i developed the software using a simulator. now i;m waiting for the electronic boards so i can setup the system at my home and test it.

I'm in too. I'm a woodworker so making the boxes is easy-peasy. I'll order the harness within a few weeks.

I've been studying the drawings and would like to offer some constructive feedback.

You don't show the depth and location of holes. For example, on the arduino base, you show a 5mm hole but not how deep it is or where it is located. On the sensor mount, you show location and size, but not depth (are they through holes?).

What is the purpose of the target face guides and the wedges you call "target face"?

This is a great start and look forward to making one fore myself.

[craigo]

interesting concept. If we can get entry level EST great even if its piecemeal lane by lane. For a stand alone shooter training / match spending a few hundred dollars would be in most shooters reach

For 50M here in New Zealand we use fan fold paper targets in a box holder (similar to a Gehmann) there are about 100 or so in the country designed and built by my clubmate Ross about 20 years ago, My club has 22 or so for a 20 lane range plus spares. They are driven off a car or truck battery depending on the range capacity as there is generally no mains power. These have proven to be robust / easy to set up as they are locked away in sheds etc. when not in use and relatively cheap to build at $300 NZ or so

what i would like to do is mount the sensor and control unit in these existing target holders. Again use a battery. If you want display monitors use a generator otherwise send it to a tablet.

For permanent ranges that have mains power send it a Raspberry Pi on each lane as a control PC for as each shooter they are cheap at $35 and broadcast it locally using WIFI throw in a small monitor. if you want a spectator display the RP can support 2 monitors.

I am sure in time someone would write a match control / results add on so we can run finals etc. / remove erroneous shots etc.

QUESTIONS
probably further down the track

1. how does it handle cross-fires? The suis Ascor (which I am certified for) the jury can discard the erroneous shot - rare in 10M common in 50M

2. and misses (ie strike the target box not the target)
A Sius Ascur indicates a strike outside the measuring area. Perhaps another sensor on the metal target face will pick up any strike that doesn't register?

Craig
ISSF Judge
(IT Network engineer)
New Zealand

[Azmodan]

there are a lot of requests for 50m smallbore setup. for now, we are focused on 10m until we have the process perfected. but there is no design limit to run this for 50m.
there is no provision at the moment for cross fire or box hit. the software would be easy to write. the electronic sensors...a bit more work :)

neither me or the electrical engineer have much experience with the commercial ESTs. can we contact you for technical details on Sius?

interesting concept. If we can get entry level EST great even if its piecemeal lane by lane. For a stand alone shooter training / match spending a few hundred dollars would be in most shooters reach

For 50M here in New Zealand we use fan fold paper targets in a box holder (similar to a Gehmann) there are about 100 or so in the country designed and built by my clubmate Ross about 20 years ago, My club has 22 or so for a 20 lane range plus spares. They are driven off a car or truck battery depending on the range capacity as there is generally no mains power. These have proven to be robust / easy to set up as they are locked away in sheds etc. when not in use and relatively cheap to build at $300 NZ or so

what i would like to do is mount the sensor and control unit in these existing target holders. Again use a battery. If you want display monitors use a generator otherwise send it to a tablet.

For permanent ranges that have mains power send it a Raspberry Pi on each lane as a control PC for as each shooter they are cheap at $35 and broadcast it locally using WIFI throw in a small monitor. if you want a spectator display the RP can support 2 monitors.

I am sure in time someone would write a match control / results add on so we can run finals etc. / remove erroneous shots etc.

QUESTIONS
probably further down the track

1. how does it handle cross-fires? The suis Ascor (which I am certified for) the jury can discard the erroneous shot - rare in 10M common in 50M

2. and misses (ie strike the target box not the target)
A Sius Ascur indicates a strike outside the measuring area. Perhaps another sensor on the metal target face will pick up any strike that doesn't register?

Craig
ISSF Judge
(IT Network engineer)
New Zealand

[Modena]

Hi Azmodan,

I have been following your work since you first popped up, but something that I may have missed, you say above that you use standard target faces/paper? If there is no roll, what happens (after only a couple of shots) when a hole has been shot through the middle, and from then on there is no hit on the paper?

[Azmodan]

hi
common question :)

the fact is that the sensors (microphones) pick up the sound wave of the pellet passing by, not the sound of the paper being ripped. the paper is there mostly for aiming purposes, providing a sound barrier and dispute management (in competitions).

so the system works without any paper.
the other issue is accuracy. testing on that is ongoing...

Hi Azmodan,

I have been following your work since you first popped up, but something that I may have missed, you say above that you use standard target faces/paper? If there is no roll, what happens (after only a couple of shots) when a hole has been shot through the middle, and from then on there is no hit on the paper?

[Allan_KCMO]

there are a lot of requests for 50m smallbore setup. for now, we are focused on 10m until we have the process perfected. but there is no design limit to run this for 50m.
there is no provision at the moment for cross fire or box hit. the software would be easy to write. the electronic sensors...a bit more work :)

neither me or the electrical engineer have much experience with the commercial ESTs. can we contact you for technical details on Sius?

interesting concept. If we can get entry level EST great even if its piecemeal lane by lane. For a stand alone shooter training / match spending a few hundred dollars would be in most shooters reach

For 50M here in New Zealand we use fan fold paper targets in a box holder (similar to a Gehmann) there are about 100 or so in the country designed and built by my clubmate Ross about 20 years ago, My club has 22 or so for a 20 lane range plus spares. They are driven off a car or truck battery depending on the range capacity as there is generally no mains power. These have proven to be robust / easy to set up as they are locked away in sheds etc. when not in use and relatively cheap to build at $300 NZ or so

what i would like to do is mount the sensor and control unit in these existing target holders. Again use a battery. If you want display monitors use a generator otherwise send it to a tablet.

For permanent ranges that have mains power send it a Raspberry Pi on each lane as a control PC for as each shooter they are cheap at $35 and broadcast it locally using WIFI throw in a small monitor. if you want a spectator display the RP can support 2 monitors.

I am sure in time someone would write a match control / results add on so we can run finals etc. / remove erroneous shots etc.

QUESTIONS
probably further down the track

1. how does it handle cross-fires? The suis Ascor (which I am certified for) the jury can discard the erroneous shot - rare in 10M common in 50M

2. and misses (ie strike the target box not the target)
A Sius Ascur indicates a strike outside the measuring area. Perhaps another sensor on the metal target face will pick up any strike that doesn't register?

Craig
ISSF Judge
(IT Network engineer)
New Zealand

Craig

The current implementation is an electronic module to collect the shots in the target holder. The electronics connect to the display PC using a long USB cable.

There is discussion about using WiFi, but for now the USB cable is cheap, provides power to the target holder, and is easy to install.

The first cut of the software does not handle cross fires, That is the sort of thing that can be added in once the basic functionality is working. Same goes for the misses.

[Modena]

hi
common question :)

the fact is that the sensors (microphones) pick up the sound wave of the pellet passing by, not the sound of the paper being ripped. the paper is there mostly for aiming purposes, providing a sound barrier and dispute management (in competitions).

so the system works without any paper.
the other issue is accuracy. testing on that is ongoing...

Hi Azmodan,

I have been following your work since you first popped up, but something that I may have missed, you say above that you use standard target faces/paper? If there is no roll, what happens (after only a couple of shots) when a hole has been shot through the middle, and from then on there is no hit on the paper?

Wow! How is the accuracy looking?

[Allan_KCMO]

After months of waiting, the first 20 sample boards have arrived.

These are made from production tooling but still prototypes that still need some work.

If you want to try them out, go to the free-e-target.com web site and hit contact us. I will be shipping the first three this week to Colombia, Germany, and the US. After that it will be 2 per week until all the bugs have been worked out.

[pdeal]

Nice work!

I was up on your web site reading the theory of operation. It appears from that (I did not read in super detail) that the system has the resolution to discern to a tenth of a scoring ring for pistol. How about for rifle? Seems like it might not have the resolution for a tenth of a point in air rifle is that so?

[Allan_KCMO]

In theory the timing circuit resolves to 0.125us, and since the speed of sound is 0.33mm/us at room temperature, the resolution is well under 1/10 of a point for a rifle.

[Azmodan]

The freETarget project has reached maturity. After 5 months of tests, all bugs seem to be resolved and accuracy is now nominal.
More information and contact details on: https://free-e-target.com/

[Claudiotco]

Beautiful work, I’ve sent you an email from your web with my address to get the electronics, waiting response.

This is a really amazing work, thanks for doing it!!!

Claudio Pérez
Chile