Ideas, Notes, Feedback, & Planning

[t0x0]

Re: Ideas, Notes, Feedback, & Planning

I got really ripped off this year in my ammo costs.

How about centralizing to a degree...have either a solar/battery powered vending machine for ammunition, or a voucher vending machine - put money in, get a card to give the lane. End of day, the transaction goes in reverse. Is that something that would be useful for next year? I haven't made it to the shoot previously, but it's a priority for me next year, so I can work on getting something like that together.

[seeess]

Re: Ideas, Notes, Feedback, & Planning

Items that were sorely missed this year: Air Horn

Agreed, get one that you can pump up. "Airzound" works well off a bike pump
http://www.amazon.com/Delta-Airzound.../dp/B000ACAMJC

At least once it went from "giving a speech mode" where my ears were out to "ok range is hot" in a few seconds. I didn't have time for my foam ears to fully expand so I was a little rushed. "going hot in 30 seconds at the sound of the horn" would be my suggestion (followed by air horn)

Announcing if there will be another slot of shooting during the session before calling a cease fire was helpful. Basically I want to know if I should dump everything I have in mags now, or if I'll have another opportunity coming up.

I'd still like a side table to put mags, ammo and non gun parts. But I kept my guns on one side of the table and mags on the other, so the RSO's let me load during the breaks. With machine guns this is a necessity.

[Zorlac]

Re: Ideas, Notes, Feedback, & Planning

Items that were sorely missed this year: Air Horn to designate lane hot, cease fire, etc. Worked well in previous years, especially with all the noise and the ear defenders around. This year, myself and many others were not 100% sure, and kind of asked and looked around to see.

[astcell]

Re: Ideas, Notes, Feedback, & Planning

Lanes that Welcome Others
- how to designate
- if you have no money you are an OBSERVER (maybe we need OBSERVER badges!)
- who has guns for folk to try
- do not fucking shoot for free
- have cold cash in your outstretched hand before evening THINKING of asking to shoot.

I got really ripped off this year in my ammo costs. I know maybe you say, "Well why didn't you just ask for money?" Easy. Because there are lots of people walking around and as my guns are not chained to the table I keep my eyes on them constantly. I have 2 eyes and 3 guns so you already know I am seriously distracted. Then after one person shoots another gets up there, picks up a gun, looks in the barrel, waves it around, you know that SORT OF DISTRACTS ME! So I am sorry that I did not have an after-shoot counseling session with you to answer all your questions about the guns I have or your experience shooting them. That does not mean you walk away to another lane and shoot their guns for free too. The first shoot I went to I got ripped off too but I was new and trusted people with my shit. This year I should have known better.

[Deviant Ollam]

Re: Ideas, Notes, Feedback, & Planning

More notes from during the shoot... i'm just going to start collecting all these notes and ideas here, for myself and for future people to be able to see them.

* Assemble badges and such before the DEF CON Shoot... ideally back in the world or at least back in the Hotel.

* lots of thick and thin Sharpies should be available

* create a "press" category of badge

* extra sticker or something for 1st time shooters so that both RSOs know who they are and also lanes who are very welcoming of 1st timers can also see that

* call out the eye/ear warning before lanes going hot, especially for newbies

* the staff/reg tent should have at least 3 tables just for itself... always need more table space

* the public sunscreen is good. also maybe public chap stick? it's up to them

* more LED lights for the canopies at night as dusk draws in

* dud box or hang fire bucket - i'll construct one at some point

* a CAC card is not a military ID. only a military ID or someone known to the staff counts as military

* having a proper fire extinguisher would be good

* more paracord and such, for so many purposes

* mark DC Shoot gear with a uniform kind of sticker. shovel/hammer/etc all should be marked

* consistent type of tape and lots of it, we have a hodgepodge right now

* clocks and thermometers for reg/info tent and other areas perhaps?

* public targets... we have some nice spinners and bouncy boxes right now, but i'd love to get more. maybe some donation ones?

* malfunction table... a place way off to the side where people can clear malfs while keeping the firearm pointed downrange, even while the lane is hot, etc.

[Deviant Ollam]

Re: Ideas, Notes, Feedback, & Planning

in my opening remarks to everyone on each day of the DEF CON Shoot, i go over specific details and important information. i plan to also put this down on a sheet that is posted and freely available at the range. in the past, very helpful folk like CotMan and others have chimed in from the crowd with "what's the policy on [blah]?" type questions and that's been most welcome.

so here's my set of notes that i currently use, please feel free to help expand this, etc...

Intro & Background
Thanks for Coming
Safety
- the 4 rules
- tracer ammo
- explosive/reactive targets
- suitable targets
- what do do if you have a malfunction or hang fire
- who calls cease fire, what to do
- staff explanation (yellow vs orange vests)
Range Schedule
- sessions
- break times
- exactly what to do during a cease-fire
Cameras and Photo/Video Policy
- mark your X as needed
Registration and Info Tent
- put badges on your back collar or rear of hat, visible from rear
- what's free and what's not
- hydrate
Lanes that Welcome Others
- how to designate
- who has guns for folk to try
- do not fucking shoot for free
- ask about ammo cost and contribute\
Any Games and Contests
- Run & Gun "Hacker War Games"
Trash and Debris
- brass policy
- use trash bags
- please pack trash bags back to town if you can
- stack chairs, all else stays where it is
- latrine available, please don't fuck it up
One more time on Safety
- everyone says the 4 rules
- everyone will obey them and observe the cease fires?
- great. range goes hot in 10 minutes. enjoy!

[Deviant Ollam]

This shall be the thread where I post all of my notes from previous years (including all the notes we took this summer) so folk can see the organizers' thoughts and also share their own.

I'd love your feedback. What worked? What didn't? The new mesh nets in between lanes... did they prevent any stay brass? The camp toilet off to the rear... did anyone use it successfully? (I did, given that I was out there in the desert for 30+ hours) I'd like to improve both of those features next time, along with much else.

I'll transcribe all of my other notes when I get back home... visiting my parents this weekend at the moment. I'll say that, overall, this was one of the best DEF CON Shoots i've seen and we just keep getting better at things.

Thank you to to everyone who showed up and participated. You all rock.