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Massachusetts Rifle Association - Woburn, MA

Thanks for the info. I should have been more clear. Can I use optics for the qualifying rifle test or do they require irons to quality? I need to brush up on my long range pistol shooting as I normally don't shoot my pistol at that distance.

There is nothing like shooting outside on a nice brisk fall day. Beats sucking in all the carbon/smoke from the indoor range. Looking forward to it....long overdue

You can definitely use optics on the qualifying test, just make sure you zero them for the appropriate distance inside first.
 
I qualified this weekend on the outdoor 50 yard range. Wasn't bad at all. Bench rest shooting for both the Rifle and handgun. Target is pretty big (Maybe 17 inch X 25 inch estimated) and you just need to get on paper. Three shots with each. If you miss you are able to load a few extra rounds in until you hit three.
 
I qualified this weekend on the outdoor 50 yard range. Wasn't bad at all. Bench rest shooting for both the Rifle and handgun. Target is pretty big (Maybe 17 inch X 25 inch estimated) and you just need to get on paper. Three shots with each. If you miss you are able to load a few extra rounds in until you hit three.

Thanks for the info. I am going to stop in tomorrow night to make an appointment. Did you have to take a shooting test only or did you have to review safety videos like another member said?
 
Shooting test only. Went right to the range where the instructor read all of the range rules before we started to shoot. Pointed to the steel plates above with holes in them apparently where people either shoot on purpose or cant control their rifles.

I already scheduled my qualification in a few weeks on the 200 range.

Instructor stated its the same test, only with a bigger target.

Thanks for the info. I am going to stop in tomorrow night to make an appointment. Did you have to take a shooting test only or did you have to review safety videos like another member said?
 
Shooting test only. Went right to the range where the instructor read all of the range rules before we started to shoot. Pointed to the steel plates above with holes in them apparently where people either shoot on purpose or cant control their rifles.

I already scheduled my qualification in a few weeks on the 200 range.

Instructor stated its the same test, only with a bigger target.

Sweet thanks! "sounds" pretty simple. When you were done, did they code your key FOB to gate? or does that happen at a different point in time? Sorry for all the questions, just curious.
 
Yes exactly. Once you are done you can go wait near the office. Once everyone is done MRA has you sign a form and they allow range access to your specific key code right there.

Glad to be of assistance.

Sweet thanks! "sounds" pretty simple. When you were done, did they code your key FOB to gate? or does that happen at a different point in time? Sorry for all the questions, just curious.
 
Do you know if the pres has a reason for that? Or is is just because that's the way they want it?

I've been told it's for "office use only." That was from the president.

When I went to the office and requested they reconsider, given eFA10s and whatnot, I was given a very cold response, and was basically told that it was brought up and dismissed, and if I wanted a club that offered WiFi I should go join another club.
 
Do you know if the pres has a reason for that? Or is is just because that's the way they want it?

We had this discussion at Hopkinton. There was come concern that someone could attempt to use the club wifi to engage in illegal activity, however, we concluded that this could be addressed by the club's cooperation with whatever investigative agency started to poke around, since the club service is in the name of the club, not an individual. In the end, the decision was made using the standard formula set by El Prez - how can the club best serve the members?.

A secondary concern is that accesses to the club's LAN could provide an attack vector against the card key or video system. If a club is paranoid about hacking, it can put a DNS translation router on one of the ports and use the wireless on this router, keeping the publicly accessible WIFI off the club's administrative subnet.

The service has proven very popular. It's not uncommon to see someone with the laptop at the club, or on the tailgate of a pickup, doing an eFA10 transaction. It's a great location for effecting a transfer of a gun you have sold via an on-line ad, and prefer not to invite an unknown buyer into your house.

The new law "all transactions must be reported online" gives an additional reason why the club should reconsider. Does the club have general membership meetings where this can be brought to the little people rather than you leaders? The leaderships attitude towards this would seem to be indicate if a club's board views itself as an elite or as a service organization.
 
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Members are NOT allowed to use the WiFi, per the club president.

Wat?

Last I heard there was an office WiFi, which was not for members, but also a member/guest WiFi, but you have to register every single device with someone in the office so they can put your MAC address into the system so they can give you a special just-for-you password that works only with the device you register.

or something like that.

Did that change?

I really don't understand the threat model, what exactly do they think might happen?

They should set up a guest WiFi outside the firewall, and put the login/password on the bulletin board.


edit to add:

I've been doing stuff like this for... 20 years (not all WiFi, obviously, but security to some degree) and I can't figure out what the danger might be.

It's not like a someone is going to steal so much bandwidth that it takes the 'net down.

Even a really crappy NAT enabled hotspot offers way more protection to the internal networks than is necessary.

This is essentially a solved problem, lots of organizations have free WiFi without problems, the board's paranoia about "something bad might happen" seems... well... paranoid.
 
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It's pretty archaic to have internet access and not provide it to the members via wifi. It's simple enough and if there's a real concern about security for club resources (alarm, card, video, etc, etc), most providers have the option for a second IP/Device to be plugged into the service (comcast was $5 last I looked). That second device can be a stand alone device that has absolutely no connection to the primary network. Additionally, it gives the club deniability if it's on the guest network. Finally, a simple process of updating the Password at a regular interval (Montly/quarterly) and posting it in the club keeps parking lot leeches off the wifi.

One simple reminder, it's the CLUBs internet connection, not the president's and not the officers. As a club member, you want policy changed, bring it up at a meeting, get it voted on. If the other club members agree, it'll pass, if they don't give a shit, it won't.


*Edit* and there's a ton of firewalls/routers that will do traffic control to prevent one person from consuming the entire connection and making usage crappy for everyone else.
 
I can't figure out what the danger might be.
The danger is someone could use the club's IP to download child porn; set up a sexual rendevous with a minor or threaten the life of a public official. But.... any public wifi has these issues, and it's fairly easy to demonstrate the wifi is indeed "public".

it's the CLUBs internet connection, not the president's and not the officers.
Bingo. Stuff like this can server as a barometer as to how the club leadership feels it relates to the membership.

If the other club members agree, it'll pass, if they don't give a shit, it won't.
This depends on how the club is run. Not all clubs will let members change policy by a floor motion.
 
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OR, you can set your phone as a mobil hot spot and not worry about using the clubs wi-fi.

Several issues with that :
- Not all phones will have great coverage inside a building.
- Not everyone has a hot spot feature enabled
- The internet service is already being paid for by the membership dues.
 
Bingo. Stuff like this can server as a barometer as to how the club leadership feels it relates to the membership.

Watching how this pans out. Moving to within a few minutes of MRA. But I'm concerned that there seems to be a bit of institutional elitism felt by many of the members. "ain't nobody got time for that". Am I getting a biased read on the club?
 
Watching how this pans out. Moving to within a few minutes of MRA. But I'm concerned that there seems to be a bit of institutional elitism felt by many of the members. "ain't nobody got time for that". Am I getting a biased read on the club?

Eh, it's not that bad[I/U]. If you live 5 minutes and want to show up, shoot your AR indoor at 2am, and leave, than the MRA will serve its purpose. But these sort of things are the pet peeves that keep me from being more involved and contributing more to the club.. It's definitely got that 'good ol' boys club' vibe.
 
Of course every club has its pluses and minuses, but the tone here is that the board treats the membership with disdain. "Wifi for we, but not for thee"
I work in a medical office and found it very important and quite easy to provide free wifi for patients while maintaining necessary security.
I apologize to the board if I'm incorrect but that's the picture that this thread paints.
 
So, we have someone get butt hurt over wifi access? Paid your own mifi. If you can't afford your own mifi, you can't afford to pay for club dues too.

Want free wifi, go to starbuck, panera bread, McDonald or town library. You can also park @ the Toyota dealer service area to get free wifi.

Sent from my Tinfoil hat
 
So, we have someone get butt hurt over wifi access? Paid your own mifi. If you can't afford your own mifi, you can't afford to pay for club dues too.

Want free wifi, go to starbuck, panera bread, McDonald or town library. You can also park @ the Toyota dealer service area to get free wifi.

Sent from my Tinfoil hat

WOW, didn't know this was such a sensitive subject...

1. I'm a member of MRA
2. I'm a happy member of MRA
3. Wi-Fi saves my phone's battery
4. I'm a happy member of MRA who likes to save his phone's battery
5. I'm a happy member of MRA who likes to save his phone's battery, and can afford my own wi-fi,
6. That is all
 
The painting continues...
I'm not looking for free wifi. I'd just like any dues I might pay to include wifi for every member, not just an elite level of membership.

I've been a member long enough and know most of "The Elite" aka the BOD well enough to know that they each put in 40-50 hrs per month serving the club membership. Get yourself elected to the BOD or volunteer enough time in a capacity that warrants having wi-fi access and you too can be "Elite".
 
I've been a member long enough and know most of "The Elite" aka the BOD well enough to know that they each put in 40-50 hrs per month serving the club membership. Get yourself elected to the BOD or volunteer enough time in a capacity that warrants having wi-fi access and you too can be "Elite".

I respect people who put time and effort into something that they care about, and I'm sure the club's facilities reflect that effort.
But giving special privileges to the "elite", I think, has spawned some of the ill will I read in this thread. I'm sure other club BODs /volunteers have just as much dedication to their own clubs, but their attitudes don't seem to illicit such frustration from their members.

I am not a member of MRA, but am considering applying. I'm just trying to get a sense of the place by reading this thread. There seem to be mostly content members, but also a sense of frustration among others.

As someone willing to learn about a club, I'll keep open ears and an open mind.
 
I've been a member long enough and know most of "The Elite" aka the BOD well enough to know that they each put in 40-50 hrs per month serving the club membership. Get yourself elected to the BOD or volunteer enough time in a capacity that warrants having wi-fi access and you too can be "Elite".

As an officer for another club, this logic is complete bull! The wifi password has nothing to do with officer's duties and could easily be made public. Its "control" and a better than you attitude; typical liberal mindset!
 
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