DIY. When mainstream media fails to cover what your interested in.

[Flibb]

This one could have gone into several forum categories but decided on GD.

During the Commonwealth games the number of events is massive, consequently coverage tends to focussed on some events, but others miss out to a greater or lesser extent. My interest is in the shooting events, specifically fullbore target shooting which is shot over three days, and at multiple ranges, in both pairs and individual matches. The pairs competition was shot first at these games, and the lack of coverage was noted by shooters around the world, lots of requests going out on Facebook for scores, an end of day update would have been nice, but nothing. At the end of the pairs event event the final standings took days to get a mention, and the awards ceremony hardly got a mention despite the home nations doing well.

Then up stepped the BBBC (Barry Buddon Broadsacting Corporation) named after the range where the events are being shot.
https://www.facebook.com/cwg2014shooting?fref=nf
They started off posting some photos and scores, quickly progressed on to video interviews and an explanations of what was going on, and then trumped it all with a live shot by shot score spreadsheet that can monitored from anywhere with an internet connection. The shooting community is concentrated on certain ranges around the world, so many of us have met and talked to the people shooting at the games, as you can imagine its nice to see how things are going, who is doing well, and what the conditions are like. The friends and families of the foreign shooters were especially grateful to be kept up to date, and to see photos and videos of there representatives.

Most of the stuff for the BBC was done on a tablet, if you dont like what the media is covering DIY.

Gold to Luckman Eng
Silver Paton Can
Bronze Patel Eng

[Flibb]

THE NON-SHOOTER'S GUIDE TO FULLBORE RIFLE

As with any sport, there is almost a foreign language of terms that shooters come to use. Since the readership is growing, we thought it helpful to explain what is going to happen tomorrow in the final ranges of the Individual event.

Course of fire - so far the individual stages of this match have been shot at what we would call short range (distances of 300, 500 and 600 yards) perhaps not short for those other competitors shooting for their medals in the 10m and 50m range inside a large tent behind the fullbore range!

On the first day, competitors shot 2 sighters and 7 shots to count at each range. The sighters are "convertible" which means that if they both hit the bull (or the second one does) the competitor may choose to "convert" it as a sounting shot; they may not take the first and discard the second though, all shots have to be consecutive. So with three ranges and a maximum score of 5 points per shot, the competitors shot out of 105. The decimal value indicates how many of those shots were inside the smaller ring (or V bull) and these never add up to make another point so the maximum score in the first stage would be 105.21

On the second day, the shooters repeat the process (at 300, 500 and 600y) but have 2 sighters and 10 counting shots so the maximum score is out of 150.30.

Going into the final day, the shooters take their scores from the first two days and are allocated details (1st or 2nd) and targets based on their position. They shoot 2 sighters and 15 rounds to count at 900 and then 1000 yards.

The shooting all takes place in the prone (or lying down) position, the rifles are allowed a maximum weight of 6kg (after note: this is the weight limit under UK rules but the CG event is governed by ICFRA rules which has no limit) and the shooters use a sling to help support the weight and keep them steady. They look through their sights which are basically apertures (or rings) and align the target in the middle squeezing the trigger as smoothly as possible to let the shot off. The trigger has to be able to lift a designated weight so whilst it is sensitive, it does require a careful squeeze.

Much of the skill of the sport is in judging the strength of the wind - this is done by viewing the angle (for direction) and strength of the wind showing on flags that are placed down the range. Additionally on warm days, a mirage (movement of the air) may be visible through the spotting scope that the shooters have alongside to see where their shots appear on the target.

So, going into the final stages of the competition tomorrow there is very little separating the top shooters and they will need to perform well to hold onto their positions. It really is a very open competition at this point and realistically any of the top 11 or even more are in with a chance of winning a medal.

Following a tradition that is over 100 years old in the sport, the winner will be "chaired" off the range. An explanation of this is given in a previous post along with some photos below.

Target information: following a request below, we have included the dimensions of the Bullseye and V-Bull for each range below to give you a feel for the level of accuracy these shooters are aiming for.

All dimensions are the diameter values.
300y Bull 130mm, VBull 65mm
500y Bull 260mm, VBull 130mm
600y Bull 290mm, VBull 145mm
900y Bull 510mm, VBull 225mm
1000y Bull 510mm, VBull 225mm (yes the same as 900y!)

Photos of the target, A4 paper at top to give scale.

[Zak33]

DIY coverage

SERIOUS SAM... DAKKY... where are you... you're supposed to be taking me to Bisley for the 1km range!!!!

[Saracen]

...

Most of the stuff for the BBC was done on a tablet, if you dont like what the media is covering DIY.

The way of the future, IMHO.

Whether it's desirable or not is another matter, but it is, IMHO, utterly inevitable.

It's technology that does it. HEXUS is an example. When I started writing for publications, that word meant (in my sphere, and at that time) magazines and newspapers. Now, it also means web publishing, and that can be anything from a multi-national to one bloke (or woman) in their bedroom, with a laptop.

Of course, some things are easier to DIY than others. I could write a cookery blog with no help from anybody, but if I wanted to cover, oh, G8 meetings, I've got to be able to get access to people involved, and that is next to impossible for any but heavyweight media organisations, and even then, far from easy.

Put it this way. I've received invitations, unsolicited at times, to meetings in Downing Street. On more than one occasion, with the (then) Chancellor. But even so, my chances of getting even 15 minutes with the PM? Minimal. At best. My chances of getting to the US President, even with a major newspaper commission behind me? Well, the best I ever managed was a polite response from the Whitehouse Press Office which, while pleasant, amounted, semantically, to "don't call us, we'll call you". Not that I expected anything more, but hey, don't ask, don't get, and you never know, I could have just struck the right note at the right time.

Anyway .... many types of media coverage require huge expense and substantial infrastructure, and aren't viable by "DIY" operations. On the other hand, DIY can offer a focus, style and even sometimes expertise, that BigMedia can't.

And, of course, almost everyone has a smartphone, and lots of people think they can be media stars. Most are wrong, of course, but some get it right, and find a niche, a market and an audience.

It's a bit like writing a book. Everybody thinks they can do it, lots give it a shot, some even finish, a few end up with a good book, a very few have it properly published and a tiny handful can do it over and again, and be superstar authors.

So it is with DIY publishing, and reporting. Anybody can give it a go these days, and a few are real gems. A lot, though, are truly dreadful.

The beauty, for us, the consumers of it, is that we can pick what we like, and ignore the rest.

[Flibb]

DIY coverage

SERIOUS SAM... DAKKY... where are you... you're supposed to be taking me to Bisley for the 1km range!!!!

I can just about get to 1000 yards with my Steyr, think the extra to 1Km would possibly push it too far. I tend to borrow a Sako TRG with more suitable barrel and scope.

[Moby-Dick]

A lot, though, are truly dreadful.

you've heard my podcast then

[Splash]

you've heard my podcast then

C'mon, must be about time to get another one out before VMworld...

[Moby-Dick]

Actually recording tonight

[Saracen]

you've heard my podcast then

LOL.

But ... sadly, nope.