mini McQueens

[Demonic69]

I get you now. I thought the range was around 60m outdoors, not sure where I got the number from though :-)
Any suggestions on a cheap trigger? Wireless doorbell maybe?

[TattooedGun]

You'll have line of sight...

What about a TV remote and an infra-red receiver...?

Although, you'd have to make sure nobody shoots the infra red receiver... :(

[TattooedGun]

On second thought, IR would be great if you're just using 1 on a range, but if you had multiples, chances are you'd cross the streams... and if Ghostbusters taught me anything...!

[Individual]

I get you now. I thought the range was around 60m outdoors, not sure where I got the number from though :-)
Any suggestions on a cheap trigger? Wireless doorbell maybe?

even better if the wireless doorbell plays the national anthem every time the huns head appears...

[Demonic69]

IR would be easy enough to implement and make sure no streams are crossed, not sure on the effective range though.
Not a bad idea individual, although I'm not a fan of our "national" anthem

[TattooedGun]

Door bell isn't bad, but I think it's going to need more than a "start button"...

Been thinking about ti a lot the last couple fo days and barebones minimum I'm thinking:

1. All out Toggle (Show all targets, make sure that all of the targets move freely and won't stick half way through a run - Ideally to be done whilst down at the target end of the range so any adjustments or corrections can be made - Just thinking user friendly, someone is bound to put a target in the wrong way round and get something stuck at some point... - not only a debugging tool, it gives shooters the option to count their scores from the firing point down a scope whilst other people may not have finished shooting)

2. Sighter out Toggle (Show sighter until button is pressed again - a sighter is going to need to be added on the target - the version from this video seems to have an A4 version on the left hand side of the target, also actuated...)

3. Run Program (10 apertures of 3 seconds, randomly selected target at a random interval of up to 10 seconds - the option should be put in for repeat targets so the same can be shown more than once - so that observant people won't be waiting for the only unshot target come the last target, and also so that it cannot so you only have 1 shot per target. However, it seems the one in the video only has 9 windows, which would mean 9 targets - 10 including sighter - for 10 apertures, you would HAVE to show one again...)

4. Stop/Reset (stop the script/program and return all targets to zero position)

~5. Pause (although may be redundant given the use of #4.)

Thoughts?

This is a bare minimum setup. Obviously we could come up with various competitions, shorter apertures, shorter wait periods...
To bring it to a decent entry level price point, and to get a system working in short order, I think these would be the bare minimum requirements of a remote system.

[bradaz11]

this would be my view on tatooed guns points

1 all out toggle. i agree this would be a useful feature, but why do you need the ability to do it remotely? i would rather just have a direct switch at the unit

2.sighter.. i wouldn't worry about actuating the sighter, maybe just have a point for something somewhere on it.... like just a fixed empty holder at the end. why waste a servo on a sighter?

3. run program... the whole point of this (as i understand it) is to be random. not a one shot on each target in a random order. so you might end up with one target being shot 3 times. and some not at all. to me that is fine. its random. maybe if you wanted the ability to do 10 targets in random order, then maybe a local switch which allows this. again, why does it need to be remote?

4. stop reset. yes, think this is good. but maybe an all in one button. press for start - pause - start. hold for target reset.

[Demonic69]

1) was aiming for 2 targets per servo to cut costs so either halfnhalf or more servos.
2) yep, could share a servo with the odd target or have it's own.
Yep to the rest too.
As far as controls you could either have a pre-programmed system. Button press, all out, 2nd press, all in, sighter out, 3rd press, run routine, 4th press pause/stop etc.
Or look at a more complicated control system.
Tbh most of those decisions could be left to the user once the build is mostly complete.
How would you guys expect to power it? 12v battery, mains, rechargeable?

[bradaz11]

power preference for me would be rc car type batteries. so 8.4 or 9.6v packs. or 7.2 lipos. but that is just me

[TattooedGun]

this would be my view on tatooed guns points

1 all out toggle. i agree this would be a useful feature, but why do you need the ability to do it remotely? i would rather just have a direct switch at the unit

As said, you can review your scores whilst you wait at the shooting end of the range if other people are still shooting... not all shooters may be using the same system at all times... maybe you'vbe got to sit at the other end of the range for 5 mins whilst someone shoots a card of a different discipline. - Flexibility.

2.sighter.. i wouldn't worry about actuating the sighter, maybe just have a point for something somewhere on it.... like just a fixed empty holder at the end. why waste a servo on a sighter?

Just being thorough, really...

3. run program... the whole point of this (as i understand it) is to be random. not a one shot on each target in a random order. so you might end up with one target being shot 3 times. and some not at all. to me that is fine. its random. maybe if you wanted the ability to do 10 targets in random order, then maybe a local switch which allows this. again, why does it need to be remote?

Of course it is to be random, I didn't know if it was to be a competition where you're shooting the same target a lot, if that's what comes up, or if you specifically want a random order and timing to be shown 10 individual targets. This is down to options, to do both. You could have a dipswitch down the other end, but why not have a remote that you can choose multiple options based on how you feel at the range, or how the controller/competition secretary feels. What if someone else decided and you didn't know shooting whether you'd get individual targets or possibility of mulitples...

4. stop reset. yes, think this is good. but maybe an all in one button. press for start - pause - start. hold for target reset.

Thinking in terms of coding, an interrupt for a pause might be difficult to code for, especially off one button, plus if you're going to pause, may aswell all out stop since the competition is not going to be within the realms of the format.

1) was aiming for 2 targets per servo to cut costs so either halfnhalf or more servos.
2) yep, could share a servo with the odd target or have it's own.
Yep to the rest too.
As far as controls you could either have a pre-programmed system. Button press, all out, 2nd press, all in, sighter out, 3rd press, run routine, 4th press pause/stop etc.
Or look at a more complicated control system.
Tbh most of those decisions could be left to the user once the build is mostly complete.
How would you guys expect to power it? 12v battery, mains, rechargeable?

With Servos so cheap: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1-2-8-10x-SG9 ... 5afb65ae87

£14 for 10, I don't see the point in being so frugal...

You could do it in that order, of course, I'm literally just thinking for flexibility. If you can have options from the firing point. or as I say, be able to put the targets all out at the end of the detail so you can see what you did whilst waiting, why not?

As for powering it... I'm not sure our range would have mains at the target end... I know theres lighting, but not sure theres power sockets.

Maybe a 7.2 2000mAh~ RC battery would be good enough to last a few sessions - no idea on the drain, but I can't imagine the drain would be too much on servos being used mostly 1 at a time... you don't have the big drain of a motor like n a remote control car, and I remember some of my cheap crappy ones used to last over 30 mins of heavy use...? Plus you can get "fast chargers" for RC car batteries...

Maybe a 12v car battery as an alternative, however I'm not sure I'd want that much acid at the end of a range...