NHSA Newsletter

VOL. 11 (04) - 01-03-2015

FINAL PRESCRIPTS FOR ELECTRONIC SUBMISSION OF SCORES FOR IN-HOUSE SHOT-TARGETS

These prescripts are intended to, at all cost, protect the integrity of the NSA Postal Target Shooting Events – something we all have a responsibility towards to uphold.

Posted targets will not be accepted at the office, nor will these be posted back to the member, as the electronic submission of target scores has been in full operation since 1 November 2014.

The office will not enter Emailed scores on members’ personal pages – please get someone to assist you if you have problems entering scores on your personal web page (you are always welcome to call the licensing help line for assistance here).  Or please read the relevant section on the How To page on the Natshoot website (second brown button from the top – on the left side-menu). The rational is that if one can attach a scanned target to an email, s/he can also attach the scanned target at the browse button at the end of the scores submission page just before you click Submit.

As from 15 March 2015 no other target than the those with the most recent date stamp on as are reflected at the different exercise target downloads on the respective exercise page on the website, will be accepted for electronic submission of  In-House Postal target shooting scores.

Members do not have to submit receipts or statements or pics of shooting range registers with their scores.  Just the most up to date target with all fields completely filled out is sufficient.

Note that targets, which were shot with dates older than 6 months from the date of entry of such scores, will not be approved anymore 

WHAT MEMBERS NEED TO DO: 

NSA members may only register scores on their personal page on the Natshoot website which were shot on official NSA and exercise relevant targets.  The execution of the exercise must strictly comply with the specific exercise for which the score(s) are entered.

By default all scores are entered as In-House entries - Competition entries are only submitted for scores attained for the annual national competition, which usually takes place in October annually. 

Download the correct and exercise relevant target(s) from the Natshoot website, for the exercise you want to participate in – see Tables & Exercises

Make sure you read the concise rules for the specific exercise contained on the page where you download the relevant target(s).  Make sure you stay within those rules !  

Scores submitted on wrong targets or which do not adhere to prescripts of the rules of the specific exercise will be declined on your personal scores page without explanation (unnecessary time is wasted explaining to members why scores have been declined when these do not comply with clearly stated rules on the relevant website page).

For a more detailed description of the exercise members participate in, the Guide for the relevant exercise, to which there is a link on the top of each exercise page, can be downloaded.  We suggest members attach the relevant Guide to applications for new licences or for renewal of licences – in order to indicate the specific exercise they participate in for the specific firearm licence they are applying for.

After shooting the target(s) make sure you fill out all fields on the target: 

Member’s Initials and Surname + ID number; 

Name of Shooting Range – please let range stamp the target if they have a stamp; 

Calibre of firearm used; 

Date on which the target was shot; 

Complete the Statement by signing in the required space on each target; 

Score the target in the relevant scoring blocks at the bottom of each target; 

Let a witness sign the target at the inscription “Witness signature and ID number” – it can be the person in charge of the range where you shoot, or any person on the range at the same time on which the targets are shot (it confirms the statement you sign).

Make a clear scan of the target(s), or take a cell phone photo of each target (place a coloured page behind the target so that the shots can be clearly identified please) (see Examples of scaned targets which are acceptable and which are not);

Submit the score of the target(s) on your personal page of the Natshoot website under the inscription, Scores, on the left side-menu on your personal page.  Please see the How To page on the Natshoot website if you are uncertain about the procedure to log in to your personal web page (second brown button from the top – left side-menu of Natshoot website).

Upload a scanned copy or a cell phone photo of the relevant shot target at the bottom of the page before you hit the submit button.

If you do not have a scan or a cell phone that can take photo’s, you may fax the shot target to  0866 037 397 – please remember to indicate the reference number furnished at you submissions page on the fax for easy reference for the office to approve scores for you.

Scores entered with targets of which all fields have not been completed, will be declined – obviously these targets can be re-submitted once all fields have been filled out.

Members are requested to please keep their original targets for at least 12 months if need should arise that such targets may be requested by the office for verification purposes.

SUBMIT YOUR SCORES RIGHT FROM THE SHOOTING RANGE

The personal pages on the Natshoot website are so developed that people with hand held electronic devices can submit scores and shot targets from the range if they would so wish.

We have experienced some problems with people using Apple i Pads and Apple i Phones, as these devices apparently only allow the owner to upload documents in picture format (i.e. files with a .jpg or .tif extension).  In these instances we suggest the member attach the picture file of the target rather than trying to attach a document with a .pdf extension.

We are not aware of any of these kinds of problems with handheld electronic devices using the Android programming platform (but we cannot say that there will be no problems users will have to resolve themselves – please contact the Licensing Help Line at the office so that we can try and assist if problems should occur).

For as far as we know Blackberries do not have these kind of functions.

There is no file size limit for uploading of shot targets – larger files obviously take longer to upload depending on the signal strength you receive at the range from where you enter targets and scores.

REGISTER OF PARTICIPATION IN NSA POSTAL TARGET SHOOTING EXERCISES

The function to download a register of your participation in the NSA in-house postal target shooting exercises on an official NSA letterhead, is available on the Certificates page of your personal Natshoot web page.

ALSO REGISTER EACH TARGET SHOOT AS AN ACTIVITY

Members are reminded of the fact that they must also register each event at which they shoot NSA postal targets, on their Activities page on their personal web pages of the Natshoot website.

These entries obviously goes to activities related to the maintenance of dedicated status – you can download the report on your Certificates page of your personal Natshoot web page.

Enjoy every moment of your target shooting !! 

Remember you are competing against yourself.

Concentrate to better your personal score every time you visit the range.

Kind regards

Herman Els