Here is an example of what is wrong with the NSSA electronic file reporting. This shows a husband and wife who entered several concurrents.

999999003333 NSSA Number and Shoot number
099100A2000441580000000 12ga
099100A2000441580000000 20
100100A3010440350803000 28
091100A2000000000000000 410
100100A3002440351000000 dbls
389400A2000440580000000M0JONES JOAN
999998003333 NSSA Number and Shoot number
100100A3000580000000000 12ga
099100A3000580000000000 20
094100A3000580000000000 28
091100A 000000000000000 410
100100A3011380000000000 dbls
384400A2000580000000000M0JONES JOHN

I've chopped each record up so you can see the gauges but the data is from a real shoot.

Look at the 28 gauge for each since that's where I found the problem. Here they are together

100100A3010440350803000 28
094100A3000580000000000 28


Removing the scores and classes we get the awards section
010440350803000
000580000000000


Breaking these up into the 3 char code that NSSA uses we get
010 440 350 803 000
000 580 000 000 000

-1-  -2-  -3-  -4-  -5-

1 is the award 1 or gun champ/class awards
2 and 3 are concurrent awards (lady military HW PC etc)
4 is 2 man teams
5 is 5 man teams
For a short explanation of the NSSA Codes See the end of this article


Comparing the file with the results sent in the mail, section 1 is correct, section 5 is correct but 2 and 3 are inconsistent. In Joan's case, she was Triple sub champ(350) and Lady champ(440) and part of HW team champ(580). Since there are only two spots to report these winnings, HW gets left out since it is lower in the standings for AA points. In John's case, he was only part of the HW team champ(580) so his record is correct. In this case, it only means that the report in SSR is going to look funny but if Joan had also been retired military and won or placed in that also, she would have lost potential AA point for one of those events. At the end of the year, she might not have made one of the teams because of this.

Another problem is that when you report class winners in 2 man and 5 man teams, the only choice is to enter code 803. Everyone who places is given code 803. This means that SSR reports can't even show who was part of what team, only that they were part of some 2 man team.

These inconsistencies need to be addressed as part of the System upgrade that we are now spending a significant amount of money on.

In looking at the record layout, the simplest solution might be to allow a second MAIN record (record type M) so that positions 151 and 152 in the record would read M1 for the first record and M2 for the second. This is currently prohibited according to NSSA specs but if we are redoing the system anyhow, we should plan for expansion. The M2 record would be for additional awards for the concurrents not fitting in the M1 record.

I also think the award numbers for 2 man and 5 man teams should be standardized to have the same numbers and use the position in the record to discriminate. As mentioned above, the normal reporting code used for teams is 803. The numbers should be modified to have 800,801,802 be for CH, RU 3RD; 810,811,812 for Class I 1,2,3; 820,821,822 for Class II 1,2,3 and 830,831,832 for Class III 1,2,3. This would let team members be linked by position and not be the mishmash that shows up in SSR now. An alternative would be to change the 8 to a 9 so that existing programs would not require any change but if the 900 numbers were entered, more detail could be decoded for SSR. If the oddball team numbers currently used (810-815 and 840-843) need to be used in the future, they could start at 850 or 950 under the new scheme.

NSSA codes.

000 is no award

Field one awards
001 Gun Champ
002 Runner Up
003 Third
010 AAA 1st
011 AAA 2nd
...
019 AAA 10th
030-039 AA
050-059 A
070-079 B
090-099 C
110-119 D
130-139 E

Fields 2 and 3 codes (concurrents)
300 Sub JR Champ
301 Sub JR Runner Up
302 Sub JR Third
303 Sub JR Class award
304 Sub Jr Class one
320 Junior
340 Collegiate
350 Triple Sub
360 Sub Sub Senior
380 Sub Senior
400 Senior
420 Veteran
430 Senior Veteran
440 Lady
460 Industry (not really valid any more)
480 Military
500 Retired Military
520 IMSA ????
540 Family
560 Parent Child
580 Husband Wife
600 Ducks Unlimited
620 Black Hawks
640 Wheelchair
660 Novice
680 NRA
700 AARP
720 Referee


Field 4 Two man Teams
800 Champ
801 Runner Up
802 Third
803 Class Award
810 Military/Civilian
811 Military
812 Husband/Wife (Sort of a dup of Fields 2 & 3 580 code)
813 Family (Sort of a dup of Fields 2 & 3 540 Code)
814 Sub Senior
815 Senior


Field 5 Five Man teams
830 Champ
831 Runner Up
832 Third
833 Class Award
840 World Military
841 Zone
842 Club
843 Lady