I want to "BuyIt!", but don't trust internet security?
Click "How To Buy" on the Pinwheel webpage main menu. Instructions on how to make a non-internet purchase and printable order forms are available on the "How To Buy" screen.
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What does the term High Pin mean?
The term "High Pin" just signifies the one pin or mark that has exactly one impact point. If you had five pins on a pin sight it would be the "highest" pin (or shortest distance), hence the name High Pin. A High Pin of 41ft (13.6 yards) means that this distance is the only distance that your setup generates exactly one impact point. Every other sight mark (or pin) has two impact points. Distances closer than 41 feet actually correspond to a sight mark greater than 41 ft. Example: you shoot a 10ft shot in a field shoot and have to use your 55 yard sight mark to hit the "X". You can see how this phenomenon works by looking at the Mark Reference Chart. The really close distances alway have a corresponding mark+click that equals a longer distance. Somewhere around your High Pin distance you'll see a mark+click value (or two) around 0+0.
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Does OnTarget!2 work for recurves?
Yes, it works great for recurves. For recurves select "Recurve" from the Cam Style combo box on the Equipment Screen. When you do this the percent letoff value will be changed to "0". The "axle to axle" measurement for a recurve is the bow length...a target style recurve would be something like 66, 68, or 70 inches. At present there aren't any recurves in the bow database, but they may be included in a future release.
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Do I need a chronograph to use OnTarget!2?
No, you can let the program calculate the speed to use. There are three different methods found on the Calibration Screen. Velocity from arrow drop, velocity from pin gaps, and velocity from sight scale marks. The one from sight scale marks is the most accurate because it can reference two or more sets of marks to do its calculations.
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What do I do if my equipment isn't in the database?
If it is a target sight, and you just want to make a sight tape, nothing. The program uses default settings for the important Clicks Per Mark and Click Value. If you want to use the mark reference chart with your sight you will have to determine how many clicks your vertical adjust knob has between each mark on the manufacturer sight scale and how much the sight moves vertically with each click. If it is a pin sight, use the default values. Then just uncheck the Target Sight With Scope checkbox and set your pin count and start distances. For other equipment, collect the data from the manufacturer website or other source and just key it in. The program allows you to enter just about everything manually. Once you enter the data, just make sure to save it in a user configuration file. That way, you can easily reload it nextime you need to use it.
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What is Peep Height and how do I measure it?
Peep Height is measured from the center of the peep to the center of the arrow while you are at full draw. A close approximation can be made for this distance by measuring the distance from the sight's High Pin (usually 7-15 yards/meters) to the center of the arrow. This approximation doesn't require that the measurement be taken at full draw, but only works if you don't have an excessively high nock point.
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I don't use a peep sight so how do I measure Peep Height?
If you don't use a peep sight take the Peep Height measure using your eye as a reference point. You still take the measurement at full draw. Just measure from the center of your eye to the center of the arrow.
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Will the sight tapes work with sliding style sight?
Absolutely. There are a number of slider style sights in the sight database. They each have a track adjust value that is associated with the specific sight geometry. The sight pin on a slider style sight moves at a different vertical rate than the sight's yardage pointer. This becasue the pin moves vertically while the yardage pointer transcribes an arc. The track adjust value from the database is the ratio between the vertical sight pin movement and the yardage pointer arc. The only other thing to remember is to set the sight tape mark Direction to Up.
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Can I change the font sizes of the Sight Tape?
Yes. on the Make Marks Screen...slightly left of center. There are two spin controls in the Mark Frame..just to the right of the Color5 and Color10/20 color selection combo boxes. There are two controls...one changes the "10s" number font and the other changes the "5s".
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I need a sight tape in meters. What do I do?
As of SFA V218, sight tapes and charts can be created in meters. On the System Config Tab there is a radio button group for Standard or Metric...click Metric. When you revisit the other program tabs they will adjust to the new setting. You still have to enter your setup info using pounds, inches, and grains, but you should only have to do this one time. TAC does not support meters at this time because the user does not have access to the System Config Tab.
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Should I use more than two marks to calibrate?
You can use as few as two marks. The more marks you use, the more the program can check and validate. If you've got a bad mark, it'll show up by the program calculating a velocity that is not consistent with your other marks. The cross check just allows the program to do additional checking. It highlights the distances it's calibrating as it's running the calculation. If you've really got accurate sight in marks, the velocities calculated should be consistent...close to the same or exactly the same. The more distances the more accurate the calibration. You'll probably see the best results using middle to longer distances.
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What should I use for the "Sight in Distance"?
The "Sight in Distance" field of the Make Marks Screen can be whatever distance you want to use. But I seem to get the best results using a mid distance in the 30 to 40 yard range. If you have a "sight in distance" that corresponds to one of the "Range Feet" distances you used to do the velocity calibration, that would be the best to use. Example: When you calibrated your velocity, say that you entered a Range Feet value of 120 (40 yards) with a Ref Mark 20+5..put the 20+5 in the Sight In Mark+Click and put 40 in the Sight In Distance. Then click the "=" button to the right of the Distance field. This will re-display your Mark Reference chart with all the marks+clicks relative to the 40 yard mark+click value that you entered.
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What is the "20 to ?? adjustment" on the Make Marks Screen?
This field is used to make minor adjustments to the sight tape size. When you enter a distance in the ?? field, the program will display what it has calculated the mark/pin gap to be. You can over ride this measurement by clicking the checkbox and entering your measurement for the mark/pin gap that you know to be accurate, thus calibrating the tape to your specific needs. You can also use this feature just to find out what the measurement is between two yardage marks or pins.
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How do I get sight marks to display between 31-49 yards?
If you are using the trial version of SFA or TAC, you don't...sorry. That is one of the "features" of the trial version. The reason the tapes print and display this way during the trial is so that you can validate a few short marks (20-30 yards) and one long yardage mark setting (50 yards). Since you probably have established marks, you can compare the 20 to 50 measurement the program displays to what you know your equipment to be. The registered version prints all marks.
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I use Magnocks...how do I enter data the program needs?
On the Equipment Tab...lower right is a Database Selections tab. Click that and open the nock database combo. Look for Magnocks. Select the style of Magnock that you are using. Click apply. This will send the Magnock info back to the Equipment Tab. The Nock Point, Nock Weight, And NockBushing/Pin values will be set for you. Just add the weight of your d-loop material to the D-Loop field and you should be good to go.
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Can I generate a reference card for the Copper John ANTS engraved scale?
Yes. This is done on the Make Marks tab. The chart is called a Mark Reference Chart. The chart is displayed with the appropriate scale settings in what is referred to a "Mark+Click" format. The "Mark" is the engraved scale's closest mark and the "Click" is the number of vertical clicks past the scale mark. You calibrate the chart by sighting in at some distance...say 30 yards...reading the engraved scale setting, and then entering the sight in distance and mark+click value for that distance. The program then resets the chart fields to your settings from as close as 3-5 feet out to as far as 119 yards.
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How do I know what cam style to pick?
The program uses the "Easton" models when doing things related to arrows. Cam style according to Easton is as follows:
IBO speed of less then 260 is considered a Soft Cam
IBO speed between 261-290 is considered Medium Cam
IBO speed between 291-320 is considered Hard Cam
IBO speed 321 and greater is considered X-Hard Cam
If you set up the Equipment "My Setup" tab with your specific cam style information that info will carry over the the Spine Match tab automatically the first time you visit it. All the fields on the Spine Match tab are set up to "what ifs"...changes you make there stay there unless you export them to the Equipment tab.
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My chronographed velocity is different than the program calculation?
It's not uncommon for a chronograph to give a different velocity reading than the one calculated by the program. Unless two chronographs have been calibrated to each other, they won't give the same reading either. That's why there is a margin of error of 3% allowed at the big 3D events. It's very easy to calibrate the program to your chronograph. Click to the Calibration tab. Enter you chronograph velocity in the Chronograph Velocity field. Click the Quick Synch check box. Click the calculate button. Click the export button. The program calculations are now synchronized to your chronograph.
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How does the "Trial Period" work?
You download and install the program and your trial period starts. SFA has a 10 day trial period, TAC has a 5 day trial, and SSX has a 3 day trial. It is recommended that you run the program(s) through their paces prior to making a commitment to buy.
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What is the difference between the SFA, TAC, and SSX?
Each of the downloads is a seperate product. They do share a common data format. The Shaft Selector Xpert(SSX) product just does arrow shaft selection. The Tapes And Charts(TAC) product just makes sight tapes, mark references charts, and angle cut charts. Software For Archers has most of the features found in both TAC and SSX along with ballistic charting, equipment calibration, shot simulation, and access to program validation and configuration variables. Basically, you have a choice. If all you want to do is make a sight tape, TAC is only $22.95. But for $27.95, SFA gives you the features found in all three programs.
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What is a "download manager" and do I need one?
There is a link on the "read this before downloading" page to a download manager that is free. You only need to use a download manager if you have a problem downloading. Unfortunately, you won't find out if there is a problem until you try to download. One of a couple thing might happen...1) you download and run the install program and everthing works great (what most people experience). 2) you download the program and when you run the install, it either says there is a CRC error in the fille downloaded or it asks you for "disk 2"...if either of thes things happen, you'll need to try downloading again or get a download manager. Some people have "fixed" the CRC/disk2 problem just by re-downloading. Others have had to go the download manager route.
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I have the Trial Version..How do I load the Target Packs?
You don't. Only registered users can install the target packs. If you are a registered user, send an e-mail requesting the nstall program's registration code. Attach your purchase confirmation e-mail that you received when you bought the software as "proof of purchase."
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How do I send a User Record File?
The user record files are in the UserRecord directory. The files should all have an extension of ".usr" or ".bak". The path to your files is probably "C:/Program Files/OnTarget!2/UserRecords". In your e-mail program, there's probably an icon on the toolbar to click when you want to attach a file. Open your e-mail package, then navigate into the UserRecords directory. Once you do that all the files in the directory should be displayed. Then just attach the ones you want to send. You can also use the Send User File feature found on the Main Menu to do this.
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A virus killed my system and I need to rebuild...What do I do?
The Latest version of OnTarget!2 software is always on the website. Just download it! When you purchase and register the software, you should make a backup copy of the license.dat file. It has your system ID and registration number in it.
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Why do all the letters on the screen look fuzzy.
Your monitor needs to be set to at least 1024x768 resolution for best results. Right click on an empty area of the desktop, then click properties. A dialog screen will appear. Click the Settings tab. Set the screen area to 1024x768. You might need to restart your computer for the new setting to take effect.
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I get a "Run-Time Error"...What does this mean?
Usually a Run-Time Error is caused by "bad data". When making data entries, don't put alpha characters in fields that require digits. Don't "blank out" fields you think you don't need, just leave the program defaults in place. If you do experience the very rare Run-Time Error, please e-mail support@pinwheelsoftware.com with specifics so that appropriate steps can be taken to fix or explain the problem.
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