Range Report Shooter(ballistics): A tour of the full version

[Rafael]

I intend to do a few of these to let people get a look at the current full version of Shooter. This is the ballistics program written for the Android mobile device platform.

Here is the first installment:
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<span style="text-decoration: underline"><span style="font-weight: bold">Data entry screen:</span></span>
At the top of the screen is a banner showing the profiles you selected for the session. My profile names are rather long so they over-fill the field....yours can be much shorter. This will remind you which profile you are using. (This screen is larger than the devices display; I spliced the pictures to give it to you in one view. Normally you scroll to see the full screen.)

<span style="font-weight: bold">Target:</span>
Distance: You can enter distance in yards or meters. The default unit is determined in the settings menu. If you touch the field a keyboard pops up.
If you hit the "Calc" button, the range tool pops up. More on that later.

Angle: Same operation as distance, touch for keyboard input. The "Get" button brings up the Angle tool. More on that later.

<span style="font-weight: bold">Atmoshperic Conditions:</span>
Pressure Input Type: This drop down menu lets you select one of three choices:
Station
By altitude
By altitude and corrected Sea Level Pressure

The light text below Pressure Input Type shows that the program used GPS to locate a nearby station and has completed the fields in this section, as shown. These can also be entered manually via the pop-up keyboard. Automatic weather can be disabled in the settings menu.
The fields have default unit settings: choices made in the Settings menu. You can see this one is set to Feet, Farenheidt, inHg, MPH, wind angle in hands of the clock(Degrees of wind bearing is the other choice, relative to shot direction with either choice).

<span style="font-weight: bold">Spin Drift:</span>
The option to enable or disable and pertinent data based on weapon and bullet/velocity data entered in profiles and atmospheric conditions.
This can be enabled or disabled by default in the settings menu.

<span style="font-weight: bold">Coriolis Effect:</span>
The option to enable or disable.
More on profiles later.
This can be enabled or disabled by default in the settings menu. If GPS is on and operating, the current latitude appears automatically. Azimuth of shot can be altered via pop-up keyboard, or by touching the "Get" button which invokes the Azimuth tool. More on that later.

<span style="font-weight: bold">Compute Solution:</span>
This button will open up a small window in the foreground of this screen showing the solution data......... or take you to the HUD(Heads Up Display) screen. The choice between the two is made in the settings menu.

<span style="font-weight: bold">Trajectory Table:</span>
This button takes you to a separate screen showing a full table; range step size is user selectable in settings. More on that later.


(Settings menu, Profiles, Trajectory Table, and HUD will be covered in other installments.)

 

[High Binder]

Re: Shooter(Ballistics): A tour of the full version

Looks cool but I'll need you to send me android so I can make sure.

 

[Rafael]

Re: Shooter(Ballistics): A tour of the full version

<span style="text-decoration: underline"><span style="font-weight: bold">HUD screen:</span></span>
At the top of the screen is a banner showing the profiles you selected for the session. My profile names are rather long so they over-fill the field....yours can be much shorter. This will remind you which profile you are using.

<span style="font-weight: bold">Distance: </span>You can enter distance in yards or meters. The default unit is determined in the settings menu. If you touch the field a keyboard pops up. You can increase or decrease the values via the +/- buttons. Pressing and holding results in repetitive increment/decrement and is quite rapid.

The distance-to-target step-size for each press of the +/- buttons is selected by the user via the settings menu; from 1 yard/meter to 100 yards/meters.

<span style="font-weight: bold">Wind Speed:</span> Same operation as distance, touch for keyboard input.

<span style="font-weight: bold">Wind Angle:</span> Same operation as distance, touch for keyboard input.

At the lower end of the input section you will see that the shot angle and shot azimuth are noted. Azimuth is only required for calculation of Coriolis effect; it can be ignored if you have disabled this feature in settings or in the previous screen.

<span style="font-weight: bold">Corrections:</span>
This is your shot solution. Elevation and Windage units displayed in the larger font are given in your preferred angular unit; this preference is set in the weapon profile(IPHY, MOA, or Mil). "Clicks" results are a function of the preferred angular data based on the "value per click" preference entered in the weapon profile. Alternate data appears in smaller fonts; for ease of communication with others using alternate angular systems.

The arrows point up/down or left/right, noting adjustment direction from weapon zero-point.

An asterisk next to the preferred data means you entered a correction factor in the weapon profile; to account for weapon sights with adjustments values that do not conform precisely to one of the three choices. Preferred angular units and clicks are based on any correction factors entered in the profile. Alternate data do NOT have the correction factor applied to them.

The data at the bottom of the screen needs no explanation.

Manipulation and results in this screen are very quick, as I believe they should be.

<span style="font-weight: bold">Note:</span>
The corrections data section goes blank when any of the input data is altered, and remains blank until the new result is available. This happens very quickly. I was pleased to see this feature. Without it the possibility exists that a hurried user could make an adjustment and read the previous result before the new result was displayed.

 

[Rafael]

Re: Shooter(Ballistics): A tour of the full version

<span style="text-decoration: underline"><span style="font-weight: bold">HUD tool menu:</span></span>
If you press the hardware menu button at the bottom of the phone a menu will appear with the tool choices. These are the same tools available in the main screen, organized for rapid changes without cluttering the HUD.

Touch on the tool you wish to use and.......

 

[Rafael]

Re: Shooter(Ballistics): A tour of the full version

<span style="font-weight: bold">Range Calc:</span>
You can enter target size in inches, yards, feet, or meters. The default unit is determined in the weapon profile. You can still use other units from this tool by touching the units display and a drop-down menu will appear with the other choices. If you touch the field a keyboard pops up.

You can enter the apparent size of the target as viewed through your reticle. The default reticle unit is determined in the weapon profile. You can still use other units from this tool by touching the units display and a drop-down menu will appear with the other choices. If you touch the field a keyboard pops up.

When you have entered the correct target size and observed size and hit "Done", the tool closes and you are back at the normal HUD screen. The new solution will be calculated without further action from the user.

 

[Rafael]

Re: Shooter(Ballistics): A tour of the full version

<span style="font-weight: bold">Target Angle:</span>
Selecting the angle tool opens a window that will read the angle of plane of the phones face compared to horizontal. (The tool reads the state of the phones built-in inclinometer). Sight down the long plane of the phone with the target in view.

You can accept the current angle reading by hitting the "Hold" button. If you hit the "Timer" button, the phone will vibrate in short bursts for the first 4 seconds and one long burst one second after that. The reading will be accepted at the start of the long burst.

When you have gained the angle data via "Hold" or "Timer", the tool closes and you are back at the normal HUD screen. The new solution will be calculated without further action from the user.

 

[Rafael]

Re: Shooter(Ballistics): A tour of the full version

<span style="font-weight: bold">Target Azimuth: </span>
Selecting the azimuth tool opens a window that will read the direction the top of the phone is pointing towards with the phone laying flat as though it were laying on a table. (The tool reads the state of the phones built-in compass, in degrees).

You can accept the current azimuth by hitting the "Hold" button.
The tool will close and you are back at the normal HUD screen. The new solution will be calculated without further action from the user.

 

[Rafael]

Re: Shooter(Ballistics): A tour of the full version

When you have altered all the variables as needed you will see the HUD has taken each into account and displayed your final solution.
Of course, it alters the result every time a variable is changed.

Every item on this screen is current based on the adjustments and data entered.

You will return to this screen each time you have finished using a tool, but this particular screen-shot was taken after all three tools were used.....Range, Angle, Azimuth.

It is time to make the suggested adjustments and prepare for the shot.

 

[mm509]

Re: Shooter(Ballistics): A tour of the full version

Well Rafael, Thank you for this insight to the Full Version, I will be purchasing this upgrade. It is a small price to pay for such a useful tool, when compared to others like this.

 

[fudimo]

Re: Shooter(Ballistics): A tour of the full version

I just loaded the full version and I will use it today.

 

[Alan Griffith]

Re: Shooter(Ballistics): A tour of the full version

Do you think a Kestrel with Bluetooth will automaticaly relay weather data to Android/Shooter?

Alan

 

[Rafael]

Re: Shooter(Ballistics): A tour of the full version

GSSP;
You gotta hit Sean with that idea......though I think others have mentioned it. If it happens....I am thinking alot of non-bluetooth Kestrels will be available for cheap.

All;
Been meaning to get something in here about settings and profiles. Had alot going on the last few days. Will add to it in the coming week.

 

[Lindy]

Re: Shooter(Ballistics): A tour of the full version

While that could be done, given that pressure and relative humidity change pretty slowly, and temperature is very dependent on whether the Kestrel is located in direct sunlight, I wouldn't give much importance to that.

 

[CoryT]

Re: Shooter(Ballistics): A tour of the full version

I just started the testing for the BT feature in FFS. While it does work, I don't really know what it's for, except to say "look Ma, no hands!" The savings in data entry is overwhelmed by the setup. It will be supported in the next release, if only because people have asked for it and it is simple enough to implement.

 

[Lindy]

Re: Shooter(Ballistics): A tour of the full version

Giving people what they ask for is a good business strategy, even when what people think they want makes little sense, and when they get it, they will find that out.

 

[mouse07410]

Re: Shooter(Ballistics): A tour of the full version

Cory (and Lindy), I think you're forgetting that setup is usually done once - while data entry is a pretty repetitive process (including day after day

). Thus the saving to the users might be greater than you estimate now.

Or am I missing something obvious here?

 

[Lindy]

Re: Shooter(Ballistics): A tour of the full version

You only have to enter the data in the application when it changes. It doesn't change much.

 

[mouse07410]

Re: Shooter(Ballistics): A tour of the full version

Hmm, I can imagine that altitude won't change much - during the day. Pressure altitude may, but I agree - not by much, not within a likely shooting session. Barometric pressure - likewise.

But (hopefully

) I'd be shooting tomorrow, and day after tomorrow, and the next month, and... And probably not at the same place/range (and not at the same altitude/pressure). And I'd still need the calculator to ingest all that data. Not to mention that Kestrel-4500 has the capability to feed wind speed and direction - including crosswind and head/tailwind components! Which do change, often even within one session.

So having it all configured once, and letting the "system" to intake whatever it can by itself - would be an improvement for me. I think you were thinking in terms of a shooting session - while I was thinking in terms of a shooting season or more (maybe lifetime of the BB and Kestrel).

Would you agree with me?

 

[Lindy]

Re: Shooter(Ballistics): A tour of the full version

No, I don't agree with you.

The only thing you usually need to change during a day of shooting is the temperature. Unless a frontal passage is occurring, the atmospheric pressure tends to be relatively stable, and I generally leave the humidity at 50 percent in the software, unless I'm shooting beyond 1000 yards, which isn't often.

I don't think in terms of a shooting session. When I'm on the range, it's usually for 5 days at a time, or more.

And where is the Kestrel while it's feeding data to your ballistic software? On a tripod so it can feed you wind data? What happens when you have to move?

I practice reading the wind myself, so that I can adjust to changes in the wind while acquiring the target through the scope - and I don't have time to look at the PDA to see if the wind calculation is changed while shooting. If you do that, by the time you look at the solution, and get back on the scope it will have changed again.

I carry a windchart which looks like this, with windspeeds in the columns in mph, and distances in the rows. Cell data is windhold in mils. Much faster than a PDA.

The bluetooth Kestrel is a solution in search of a problem.

But I'm pleased for people to buy more gadgets. The economy needs a boost - but it'll get it without my money.

 

[mouse07410]

Re: Shooter(Ballistics): A tour of the full version

Lindy - I think I see your point now. But I can't read the wind yet - so Kestrel is a useful prop for now at least. Yes I keep it on a small tripod, so would carry it to the new place with me when I move. And as long as the gadgets are here anyway - might as well use them for extra convenience (like automatically feeding data to the ballistic PDA).

Though I acknowledge it is an extra dependency - which in itself isn't good. If/when I gain more experience (probably by correlating what the observable wind seems to me vs. what Kestrel is telling) - maybe your way would work as well for me.

Tnx!

 

[seankndy]

Re: Shooter(Ballistics): A tour of the full version

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: GSSP</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Do you think a Kestrel with Bluetooth will automaticaly relay weather data to Android/Shooter?

Alan </div></div>
I have contacted Kestrel and will likely be working with them soon to include support for this.

 

[BarrettHunter]

Re: Shooter(Ballistics): A tour of the full version

how come on the look angle the mills reading is the same for positive and negative degrees?

 

[flounderv2]

Re: Shooter(Ballistics): A tour of the full version

Im still waiting on the new Droid Evo4g to be released (6/17/10) and I will be buying shooter as soon as the phone connects. I cant wait. I will be honest, I am buying the phone just so I can get shooter..

Well, not just for shooter but you get the idea.

 

[mattmcg]

Re: Shooter(Ballistics): A tour of the full version

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Lindy</div><div class="ubbcode-body">

</div></div>

Lindy,

Do you adjust your windcharts for variations in Density Altitude at all? It would seem that on specific days, your chart may be light or heavy on windage depending upon the DA for your AO.

 

[mattmcg]

Re: Shooter(Ballistics): A tour of the full version

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: BarrettHunter</div><div class="ubbcode-body">how come on the look angle the mills reading is the same for positive and negative degrees? </div></div>

I think the reason is that Shooter is currently calculating the effective reduction in gravity for angled shots that pulls down from the line of sight in general (which is THE major variable effecting drop for angled shots). Thus + or - doesn't matter.

The elements that would calculate a variance when shooting up versus down would need to cover:
1. The addition or subtraction of gravitational acceleration/deceleration on the projectile itself with angled shots.
2. The differences in the Ballistic Coefficient with changes in air density gradient (shooting up into thinner air or shooting down into thicker air and its effect on aerodynamic efficiency).

Sean, please correct me if I'm wrong on this. I'm not exposed to the formulae that you're using at this point, only the results which is why I draw the above conclusions.... That said, the above two points are minutia that would nonetheless be interesting features in the program as well.

 

[Lindy]

Re: Shooter(Ballistics): A tour of the full version

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">It would seem that on specific days, your chart may be light or heavy on windage depending upon the DA for your AO.</div></div>

Quite right - and yes, I do, as a shading of the hold toward light or heavy, which I decide on based upon the percentage of my elevation hold at the specific DA versus the DA at which the wind holds were computed. My DA card indicates the wind hold for a 10 mph wind, which makes that computation simple.

 

[ranger1183]

Re: Shooter(Ballistics): A tour of the full version

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Lindy</div><div class="ubbcode-body">

</div></div>

Lindy, Is this wind chart projectile specific?

 

[Lindy]

Re: Shooter(Ballistics): A tour of the full version

It's not just projectile specific, but load specific. You can make your own using Excel and the data from a ballistic program for your load.

 

[ranger1183]

Re: Shooter(Ballistics): A tour of the full version

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Lindy</div><div class="ubbcode-body">It's not just projectile specific, but load specific. You can make your own using Excel and the data from a ballistic program for your load. </div></div>

Any chance you have a sample file you can send me that I can use to fill in my own data? I'm not Excel savy.

 

[Lindy]

Re: Shooter(Ballistics): A tour of the full version

If you're not familiar with Excel, the one I have would not be useful for you.

Some time this evening when I have time, I'll write up a set of instructions on how to build a spreadsheet to produce a windchart like that. I'll post them in a new topic, so as not to burden this one with extraneous information. I'll P.M. you with the link.

 

[ranger1183]

Re: Shooter(Ballistics): A tour of the full version

Lindy,

You are the Man! Many thanks!

 

[mattmcg]

Re: Shooter(Ballistics): A tour of the full version

I have a few data cards that might be helpful as well so I'll join in on your thread Lindy. My dope cards include DA adjustments for wind and lead (moving targets) as well as an overall summary of all drops, wind, lead on a single 3x5 card with extrapolation points.

Now back to the OP's topic!

 

[Lindy]

Re: Shooter(Ballistics): A tour of the full version

For anyone else who might wish to contribute to that separate thread, it's here:

http://www.snipershide.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1748889#Post1748889