Team 125 Needs Help - ATTENTION ARIZONA REGIONAL TEAMS! [Archive]

Brandon Holley

04-03-2008, 22:40

I turn to chiefdelphi in a time of slight crisis on team 125. Here is a brief recap of what is going on:

Due to a shipping mishap our robot is still in boston.... We are competing at the arizona regional which happens to start thursday. Our team is leaving tomorrow at 2 pm to start our journey to Phoenix...

We have talked to fedex and we have arranged for the robot to be OVERNIGHTED to the arizona regional. The robot will not leave until tomorrow so it gives it less than 24 hours to make its way from boston to phoenix.

The problem is everything needs to go right for the robot to have a chance at making it to the regional on thursday. Theres a solid chance the robot will not make it to the regional until thursday night, or even some time on friday.

With all of this we are trying to make sure we have our plan Bs and Cs in order in case something were to not go our way. Were asking if your team has any extra materials, kit bot frames, wheels, motors, electronics, batteries you name it and you could bring them along with your supplies we would greatly appreciate it.

We also ran into another problem involving the lack of ability to bring batteries with us on the plane. We have 1 battery in the crate i believe, however as most of you know this does not go very far. We also have no means of bringing a cart over to arizona so if your team has anything that rolls we would greatly appreciate it if you could help us out and bring that with you.

If you would like to contact me directly you can email me at anytime at **mortgeek[AT]gmail[DOT]com**. We leave boston at 4:50 pm eastern time and arrive in arizona at 10:40 pm mountain time.

Thank you to everyone in advance for anything you can provide. We really appreciate it and we hope that the robot we worked so hard on actually shows up...

-brando

MrForbes

04-03-2008, 23:12

Wow, that's a bummer!

We're about 200 miles from phoenix, so we can't be as much help as we'd like to...but we are bringing our leftover kit parts with us for those who need them. Probably not a big help, but there are wheels in there, and all the non-CIM motors.

Brandon Holley

04-03-2008, 23:19

Akash Rastogi

04-03-2008, 23:31

God how I wish we could ship over our frame and left over parts in time =/

Good luck Brandon. hope all goes well:cool:

kaisest

04-03-2008, 23:53

I'll be checking out what parts we have left over tomorrow, and see what we can bring you guys.

We have a small extra cart and a bunch of old batteries that we can probably bring. I just need to get to our closet of stuff and check with the rest of team of what were not using.

Good luck to you guys.

Cory

05-03-2008, 00:01

I think you should check with the airlines again.

Non Spillable SLA batteries should be allowed in your checked luggage. I know we brought ours on in 2006.

Donut

05-03-2008, 02:17

We have a small extra cart and a bunch of old batteries that we can probably bring. I just need to get to our closet of stuff and check with the rest of team of what were not using.

Marcus, just a reminder that batteries prior to 2007 are illegal for competition, so only 6 of our total batteries (the 4 from last year and the 2 this year) are legal.

I'll be an extra hand for team 125 once I arrive if they're in need of a programmer of just another worker. I won't be getting to the competition until lunch break on Thursday but I don't have any project I'm really helping my team with until Friday when scouting starts to get important.

I hope 125's robot can make a speedy trip here!

Matt H.

05-03-2008, 02:54

As part of the van loading crew for 1726 I'll do my best to sneak our spare kit bot chassis and some of our spare electronics (distribution blocks etc) into the van. Sorry to hear about the mishap.

Valkyries_698

05-03-2008, 03:11

Just sent your request to my team, will you need any helping hands? we could also probably find someone that can do part runs to the local stores if needed.

Rosiebotboss

05-03-2008, 08:06

This team has instituted a program in the Boston area called "Ask an Engineer" that is dedicated to helping out other teams, no matter where they are from, get through the process of building a robot and building an team from the engineering perspective. It has become wildly successful in MA.

The whole premise is, if your team gets stuck and needs a resource, needs a question answered, needs a part machined, needs some CAD work, needs information on how to write an effective Chairman's Award, needs website help....needs ANYTHING related to a FIRST team, "Ask an Engineer" can provide it.

I personally witnessed them in action in 2007 at the Boston Regional get 9 Rookie teams up and running on Thursday! They have a work ethic and a passion for FIRST like you wouldn't believe!!

My whole point is this: they have given to the program soooo much. Now they are in a bind and they need help. Let's give some back folks.....get them some hardware out in AZ just in case their robot does not make it in time. You'll see a competitive robot come out of this with the 125 NUTRONS name all over it!!!

Brandon Holley

05-03-2008, 08:07

God how I wish we could ship over our frame and left over parts in time =/

Good luck Brandon. hope all goes well:cool:

Thank you...

I'll be checking out what parts we have left over tomorrow, and see what we can bring you guys.

We have a small extra cart and a bunch of old batteries that we can probably bring. I just need to get to our closet of stuff and check with the rest of team of what were not using.

Good luck to you guys.

A small cart would be absolutely perfect...any batteries you can spare would be fine as well.

I think you should check with the airlines again.

Non Spillable SLA batteries should be allowed in your checked luggage. I know we brought ours on in 2006.

Cory we checked with our airline yesterday. We asked if we could check non spillable lead acid batteries and got a stern "NO". We told him they were non spillable so they will be fine, he again gave us a "NO". I do not know why, but apparently its a no.

I'll be an extra hand for team 125 once I arrive if they're in need of a programmer of just another worker. I won't be getting to the competition until lunch break on Thursday but I don't have any project I'm really helping my team with until Friday when scouting starts to get important.

I hope 125's robot can make a speedy trip here!

We also hope our trip is speedy.

As part of the van loading crew for 1726 I'll do my best to sneak our spare kit bot chassis and some of our spare electronics (distribution blocks etc) into the van. Sorry to hear about the mishap.

Awesome thank you.

Just sent your request to my team, will you need any helping hands? we could also probably find someone that can do part runs to the local stores if needed.

Capable hands are somethign we have plenty of however we may need parts and what not so that would be awesome, thank you.

We are leaving today at 2 pm and we are hoping the robot is on route to phoenix by then. Hopefully all of you will get to see it.

Ken Streeter

05-03-2008, 08:54

Hmm... I wonder if we took all of the motors off of Speed Racer if the remaining chassis would meet the 25-pound limit for upgrade parts? Speed Racer could just be tucked into a big suitcase and you wouldn't even need a cart!

Billfred

05-03-2008, 09:25

Cory we checked with our airline yesterday. We asked if we could check non spillable lead acid batteries and got a stern "NO". We told him they were non spillable so they will be fine, he again gave us a "NO". I do not know why, but apparently its a no.

Airlines seem to have a way of not knowing everything at times--I've been told that buttons weren't a good idea by one airline, but had absolutely no trouble at at least two TSA checkpoints. If you can find a non-traveling buddy, I'd try bringing the batteries to the airport with all the documentation you can muster. If TSA or the gate staff say no, just leave the batteries with said buddy. It's a shot.

Tom Bottiglieri

05-03-2008, 09:50

I cant find any FAA bans against it.

http://www.airtran.com/policies/permitted_prohibited.aspx#11
At the bottom of the page it says non-spillable batteries are allowed for checked luggage.

Brandon Holley

05-03-2008, 10:11

I cant find any FAA bans against it.

http://www.airtran.com/policies/permitted_prohibited.aspx#6
At the bottom of the page it says non-spillable batteries are allowed for checked luggage.

Nice catch tom, i'm sticking it to them today.

Valkyries_698

05-03-2008, 10:28

The Higher ups from the Phoenix regional know of your problem and are going to try and help also

N7UJJ

05-03-2008, 10:39

The Higher ups from the Phoenix regional know of your problem and are going to try and help also

And we Lower Downs in Phoenix have your back also!

Tom Bottiglieri

05-03-2008, 10:41

The Higher ups from the Phoenix regional know of your problem and are going to try and help also
Great news!

Just to reiterate what Mr. Henry said earlier in the thread.. if you can help team 125 out in any way, please do! These guys (and gals) are the real deal!

About half of the teams at the Boston regional have benefited from the help of this team over the years, especially now with the "Ask an Engineer" program. I would go out on a limb to say a bunch of these teams wouldn't have been able to even compete at least years regional if it wasn't for the NUTRONS. They strip their team down to high schoolers and 1 college student for the events, and dedicate all of their additional mentors and students to helping other teams. It is quite amazing.

kborer22

05-03-2008, 10:45

hey,

ok so just called the TSA, they gave me the low down, and by that i mean sent me to the FAA site. Here is the link for the pdf of stuff you can bring

http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/ash/ash_programs/hazmat/media/MaterialsCarriedByPassengersAndCrew.pdf

looks like we can bring them, if in a box and labeled, only thing is the wording about it having to be with the wheel chair of mobility device could snag us, and even though Air Tran allows it, in the end its up to the FAA/TSA to decide if it can come.

go to pg 7 of the PDF

EricH

05-03-2008, 10:52

looks like we can bring them, if in a box and labeled, only thing is the wording about it having to be with the wheel chair of mobility device could snag us, and even though Air Tran allows it, in the end its up to the FAA/TSA to decide if it can come.Air Tran? I know 330 has brought batteries on the plane before on Air Tran. They were in boxes or the kit totes. The boxes then went into the crate for the return trip. Only one box was sent back, and we had covered for that by having someone who wasn't going wait until the bags and boxes were checked.

kborer22

05-03-2008, 10:57

Air Tran? I know 330 has brought batteries on the plane before on Air Tran. They were in boxes or the kit totes. The boxes then went into the crate for the return trip. Only one box was sent back, and we had covered for that by having someone who wasn't going wait until the bags and boxes were checked.

did you have any specail boxing for ones that were not in a kit tote? All or our stuff is hopefully on its way to arizona so at best it would be a cardboard box, if not its just getting thrown into a bag

kibbs425

05-03-2008, 11:24

So to sum up the battery situation. We have talked with people at TSA and they said NO, several times and repeatedly.

HOWEVER!!! I just got off the phone with Airtran. Non-spillable batteries are allowed as long as it says NON-SPILLABLE batteries on them. I believe the kit ones do. I'll find out shortly when I got to pack them up. You can bring them to the airport in the same box but they must be checked and they will be separated from each other and stored in specific battery cases on the airplane.

Everyone: Thanks for all of your help that you've given and offered. As of now the Robot should be arriving tomorrow morning, cross your fingers and break out your lucky rabbits feet, horse shoes, whatever you got! We are still planning for plan B or C though! I won't say we are ok until the robot is in our pit! Thank you for all of the offers and assistance! Hopefully we'll be ok but I'm glad to hear everyone will help us out. This really is a great community! I know our team greatly appreciates it!

EricH

05-03-2008, 12:01

did you have any specail boxing for ones that were not in a kit tote? All or our stuff is hopefully on its way to arizona so at best it would be a cardboard box, if not its just getting thrown into a bagI think they were in their original packaging.

Greg Marra

05-03-2008, 12:08

125 is an absolutely phenomenal organization and I hope everything goes their way to compete in Arizona this weekend.

I helped them with their "Ask an Engineer" setup at the Boston Regional in 2007, and it was the reason that 9 or so teams were able to compete on Friday. They showed true gracious professionalism, using their time, equipment, and expertise to get other teams' machines functional and competitive. They know to help.

I hope everything goes right with your crate and it is waiting for you in your pit tomorrow morning!

JaneYoung

05-03-2008, 13:53

Rosiebotboss

05-03-2008, 14:43

It is wonderful that a thread that started out as a plea for help from a team traveling to an away regional - has evolved into a thread that celebrates the impact and influence of this team, FRC 125. To be able to travel to the Arizona Regional as a team in need of help and be able to count on receiving the same generosity and support that it has become known for, must be very special.

What's even funnier about how this thread has evolved is the fact that they were "asked" to go to AZ because of the high amount of 1st and 2nd year teams, to show them what FIRST is all about and help the established teams on the left coast grow the program through example. And then, here they are in need themselves.

Which, because of the offers of support, has shown the rookie and 2nd year teams what FIRST is all about. So they have done the job they intended to do and the Regional has not even started yet!

Tom Bottiglieri

05-03-2008, 14:51

What's even funnier about how this thread has evolved is the fact that they were "asked" to go to AZ because of the high amount of 1st and 2nd year teams, to show them what FIRST is all about and help the established teams on the left coast grow the program through example. And then, here they are in need themselves.

Which, because of the offers of support, has shown the rookie and 2nd year teams what FIRST is all about. So they have done the job they intended to do and the Regional has not even started yet!
All they need to do now is win ;)

Go 125!

Alex698

05-03-2008, 20:21

Rosiebotboss

06-03-2008, 07:44

Team 698 has a crate of parts for 125.
The crate includes:
-Pneumatics- pistons, connectors, solenoids, and tubing
-Electrical- Victors, Spikes, PWM Cables, Rockwell Automation power distribution block, Maxi blocks, etc...
-KOP wheels
-# 35 chain
and much more.

Hopefully we can be of assistance!
Graciously,

Alexander Kafka
Team 698

Alex,

Thank you. The response has been great to the NUTRONS situation. I know Falcon Robotics, Team 842 has, as FSM Fredi put it, "got your back." also. I'm sure the team appreciates the effort ALL of you have put forth. It's 7:40 ish here on the East Coast, hopefully, in about 3 1/2 hours their robot and crate will show up in their pit....

Thank you all.........see you in ATL :D

AdamHeard

06-03-2008, 10:39

So, my question now is, did it arrive?

Rosiebotboss

06-03-2008, 10:48

Don't know. Doors open at 0800 hrs local time...........another 12 minutes.

Tom Bottiglieri

06-03-2008, 10:50

So, my question now is, did it arrive?
Nope. But I've been told it should be arriving at 2pm today. The regional staff generously offered to give the team a few practice matches at the end of the day to make up for what they missed.

Jherbie53

06-03-2008, 11:55

I know you said that it will be there around 2pm, but is there any chance we could get an update during lunch? If not I can easily wait until tonight. I hope your robot get there before the day ends and wish you good luck with what ever direction you have to go with.

Rosiebotboss

06-03-2008, 12:19

I just got off the phone with NU student and Team Captain Kyle Henry (yes, he is my son). The Regional Planning Committee has been and continue to be more than accomodating. Kyle's comment from the Regional Dir was "he went home the other night to find 33 emails to him from all over the country related to our problem. If thee is anything you need....",

Teams 698 and 842 have been VERY helpful showing up this morningn first thing with pneumatics, electronics, frame pieces, wheels, etc...everything to build a robot. (842 is even providing lunch to the whole team).

The latest ETA of the crate is 14:30 local time. Shepard is checking every 15 minutes.

JaneYoung

06-03-2008, 12:21

Teams 698 and 842 have been VERY helpful showing up this morningn first thing with pneumatics, electronics, frame pieces, wheels, etc...everything to build a robot. (842 is even providing lunch to the whole team).

Wonder if anyone brought coffee. :)

Rosiebotboss

06-03-2008, 17:28

It's delivered!!:D :D

Kyle called me at 1400 hrs local time and they had just taken delivery and opened up the crate. Everything seems to be in one piece. The batteries are in the box also.

Thanks to all who helped.

Kyle's Mom is happy too.

Al Skierkiewicz

06-03-2008, 17:34

The collective smile and sigh of relief. Good luck 125 but I think you have it already.
Thanks Fedex for getting it there.

Akash Rastogi

06-03-2008, 17:47

Congrats 125 on getting your bot. I'm sure its a sigh of relief for a lot of CDers. :)

Also, another thing that make this team great is the diversity it has b/c of the different teams its comprised of.

Daniel Brim

06-03-2008, 17:50

Thank you all for your support. While I am not traveling with the team this time, the show of support and the kind words from everybody is overwhelming. It means a lot to me, and the rest of the team as well.

Rosiebotboss

07-03-2008, 12:45

The NUTRONS passed inspection at 1015 AZ time and all systems are GO!!:D

Zyik

07-03-2008, 12:47

Good to hear you got it there okay. Good Luck!

Racer26

07-03-2008, 13:17

Sounds like another classic case of (initially anyway) no robot? no problem!

I personally witnessed team 4 at GTR 2006 build a robot on thursday and pass inspection on the good will of other teams.

Brandon Holley

07-03-2008, 20:53

hey everyone

I apologize for my absence in this thread, but I literally have been working straight for 2 days. Here is a brief summary:

We got the robot at 3 pm yesterday. We worked as hard as possible to get inspected and were unsucessful in doing so. We got inspected this morning at 1030 and were ready to go.

We made it to our 3 afternoon matches with a 75% functional robot. We spent the last hour and a half of the day getting the bot to 100% more or less. I am proud to say 21 hours late we are ready to roll and our catapult can get the ball upwards of 12 feet.

Thanks everyone for the kind words. It feels weird to be the helpees but its great to have friends on the west coast and friends in FIRST.