**FIRST EMAIL**/Updated Championship Information

[Mark McLeod]

Greetings Championship (CMP) Teams:

We are looking forward to seeing all of you in Atlanta! In the weeks leading up to CMP, we will be emailing you each Wednesday. We apologize for the multiple emails, but with new teams being added each week we want to ensure that everyone receives this important information! While we will resend the same important information each week, please note that we will include updates as they become available so be sure to scan the email each week. Thank you!

Please visit the CMP Planning section of our website for important information http://www.usfirst.org/roboticsprograms/frc/content.aspx?id=432 We update this page regularly so check back periodically for new posts!
Newly Posted: Pit Map; Posted last week: FIRST Finale Information, Site Information, and 2010 FRC CMP Essential Information Document. The "2010 FRC CMP Essential Information Document" is an "A-Z" of important event details. We have recently updated this document. Please look for "New!" followed by revision date for latest information.
IMPORTANT WEDNESDAY LOAD IN INFORMATION:
As you make plans to attend CMP, plan to have up to five (5) of your team members (at least one must be an adult mentor) ready to un-crate your robot, charge your batteries, encrypt your radio and get your robot inspected all on Wednesday (4/14) night. You can even work on your robot and start to set up your pit if you have time. Pits open at 6 PM and close at 9 PM on Wednesday.

Also qualification rounds start at 1 PM on Thursday, April 15th this year—your robot must have passed inspection by then! Plan ahead to make sure you have all the necessary team members on hand. The earlier start will allow us to get in more qualification matches.

The Team Pre-Order Lunch Option is available at http://www.usfirst.org/roboticsprograms/frc/content.aspx?id=432 The deadline to place your order is April 9th, so if you are interested in pre-ordering lunches for your team act on this soon. IMPORTANT: Do not submit orders to FIRST. Please submit via mail or fax to: Levy Restaurants * One Georgia Dome Drive * Atlanta, GA 30313 * Phone (404) 223.8500 * Fax (404) 223.8556

Robots/Crates: You must ship your robot and any additional crates home through Shepard Exposition Services. You cannot take your robot or crate from the event unless you have received written permission from FRC. See Section 4.5.9 of the Manual for instructions on requesting a shipping exception. All exception requests for the CMP should be received by April 5, 2010.

Finally, if you have any questions about the event, please don’t hesitate to contact Team Support at frcteams@usfirst.org (frcteams@usfirst.org) or 800-871-8326, "0."

Go 2010 CMP Teams!

[Raul]

Pit map shows a lot more that 85 teams in each division. Unless I counted wrong - I see 98 spots for Newton

[mtaman02]

holy moly, qual rounds a 1/2 day early. I guess your assumption is correct in that there are more teams competing ever compared to previous years... Shame I'm not going this year =\

not unless someone wants to room up with me =). I don't take a whole lot of space and fit in most small overhead compartments =D.

[Vikesrock]

Pit map shows a lot more that 85 teams in each division. Unless I counted wrong - I see 98 spots for Newton

Here's what I got:

Archimedes: 79
Curie: 90
Galileo: 89
Newton: 98

Seems a bit odd.

[thefro526]

Pit map shows a lot more that 85 teams in each division. Unless I counted wrong - I see 98 spots for Newton

Raul,

The map is a bit strange. I confirmed your count of 98 Pits in Newton, but then there are 90 Pits each in Galileo and Curie, and 79 Pits in Archimedes.

I'm guessing that this map is incorrect or subject to revision.

[Raul]

OK, that is still 356 spots total (89/division). I think in past years we have had 344 teams max. This may provide more teams an opportunity from the waiting list.

When you think about it 90 is the perfect number per division since it allows a nice round number of matches (84 also works). Assuming 90, if every team gets 8 matches, total matches per division will be 120. If 9 matches per team, it would be 135 total matches. The agenda gives us 13 hours and 50 minutes of play time. That is 950 minutes.

Based on potential field issues popping up, it would be best to set up with 120 total matches, allowing 7.92 mintes per match. And if they go with 135, that is 7.04 minutes per match which is less than what was averaged at most regionals. But that would just mean that we would have to run longer in the day than the agenda states.

Let's see what FIRST decides.

[IKE]

We played 8 matches in 07, 7 matches in 08 & 09. if everyone could get 9 matches would be great!

[thefro526]

We played 8 matches in 07, 7 matches in 08 & 09. if everyone could get 9 matches would be great!

Were you a surrogate in 2007? We've gotten 7 Qualification matches every year since 2006.

I'd love to see FIRST try everything they can (Within Reason) to get 9 qualification matches for every team. This should help ensure proper seeding, in addition to making teams feel like they've gotten their money's worth.

[The Lucas]

We played 8 matches in 07, 7 matches in 08 & 09. if everyone could get 9 matches would be great!

Everyone got 7 matches in '07 your team just got a surrogate match. We have had 7 matches in divisions for as long as I can remember. I have never understood why FIRST would run surrogate matches when they have a waitlist of teams. They also make divisions uneven (87, 87, 86, and 88 last year) which is even more confusing.

Just invite a number of teams divisible by 6 (or 3 if you plan on running an even number of matches) per division. I would love to see 90 team 9 matches/team, however I think it is just as likely that we see 87 at 8 matches/team or many crazy combinations that result in surrogate matches :rolleyes:

[Al Skierkiewicz]

Nobody wants to comment on the Wednesday pit open and inspections? Inspections will be available from 6-9 PM.

[IKE]

Were you a surrogate in 2007? We've gotten 7 Qualification matches every year since 2006.

I'd love to see FIRST try everything they can (Within Reason) to get 9 qualification matches for every team. This should help ensure proper seeding, in addition to making teams feel like they've gotten their money's worth.

Yeah I am pretty sure one of the matches was a surrogate match.

[waialua359]

Al,
That is the best improvement I have seen yet at CMP.
Allowing more matches to be played and finally being smart about utilizing Wed better to get inspections, unpacking of crate, and getting robots ready ahead of time!
Yay! Someone(s) are listening back at FIRST headquarters!:yikes:

[Al Skierkiewicz]

Glenn,
Ask me again about April 20 or so.

[waialua359]

Glenn,
Ask me again about April 20 or so.

Oh! I am sure you will be VERY busy!
Thanks for all the volunteer work year after year. I'll be sure to send some macnut chocolates to you.
That's a promise!!

[Tom Bottiglieri]

Nobody wants to comment on the Wednesday pit open and inspections? Inspections will be available from 6-9 PM.
I'm glad you are able to work on your bot Wed night now too. There's no way you'd be able to make big changes to your machine and be ready for Thursday afternoon matches without that.

[Al Skierkiewicz]

Tom,
As always, you can get your robot inspected as it is. If you make changes after that, you must get the change inspected before you use the robot on the field. That goes for any change any time before finals matches start on Saturday. We will start packing the inspection stations after we have gone through finals inspections for the divisions.
Division LRIs will be at the fields performing inspections as needed.

[Chris Fultz]

It is not clear from Bill's Blog if we can work on the robots on Wednesday night, or just do the inspection and radio process and set up pits.

[waialua359]

It is not clear from Bill's Blog if we can work on the robots on Wednesday night, or just do the inspection and radio process and set up pits.

We were wondering the same thing in addition to being able to use the practice field. We are making slight changes and wanted to test them out while doing the inspection and setting up our pits.

[Ricky Q.]

It is not clear from Bill's Blog if we can work on the robots on Wednesday night, or just do the inspection and radio process and set up pits.

Page 5 of the 2010 Championship Essential Information notes that working on the robot IS permitted during this time.

Ricky

[Chris Fultz]

From the Information -

We want you to maximize the opportunity to move things in safely on Wednesday night and get your robot inspected in preparation of the qualification rounds starting Thursday at 1:00 pm this year! The rules for Wednesday night pit entry at the Championship are as follows:
 Up to five (5) of your team members (at least one must be an adult mentor) are permitted to load-in materials on Wednesday night.
 Team members may only make one trip with load-in materials. There is no set limit to the amount of material teams may load-in, but it must be done in a safe and manageable way (Safety Advisors and other volunteers will be on site checking for, and helping mitigate, unsafe conditions).
 IMPORTANT: Uncrate your robot and move crate to the aisle so it is accessible to Shepard for removal.
 If you are arriving from a Bag and Tag event, you may take your bagged robot out of your crate, but DO NOT unbag robot until Inspected. Inspectors will be available to review your lock-up form Wednesday night. Once an inspector has signed off on your form, you may unbag your robot.
 Team members are permitted to stow load-in materials safely in their pit and out of the way of aisle traffic.
 Team members should begin charging batteries.
 Teams should encrypt radios
 Pit set up is permitted
 Working on the robot is permitted
 Safety glasses are required while in the pit
 An adult team member (one of the five permitted in the pit) may use this time to check-in/register at Pit Administration early to avoid the rush on Thursday morning.
 Make parking plans in advance of your offloading so you have a destination to go to. Teams will not be allowed to idle or park in front of the building doors.

[AnibaS]

The Team Lists cites only 312 teams; is this incorrect or subject to change?

[Mark McLeod]

Subject to change.
Teams that qualified two days ago are given time to accept their ticket to Championships, then FIRST will pull the final teams from the waitlist to round out the full team list.

[AnibaS]

Subject to change.
Teams that qualified two days ago are given time to accept their ticket to Championships, then FIRST will pull the final teams from the waitlist to round out the full team list.

Thank you for clearing that up! :)

[Al Skierkiewicz]

Please plan on getting inspected ASAP even if you plan to make design changes or move mechanisms. You can reinspect the changes later. Get inspected first. Bag and Tag will take precedent on Wednesday night so all teams can start working on the robot if they so choose.

[ayeckley]

Did any other mentors *not* receive an invitation email to the recognition breakfast?

[Alan Anderson]

Did any other mentors *not* receive an invitation email to the recognition breakfast?

I didn't get one directly from FIRST. It was sent to our team's main contact on March 31. He forwarded it to all the mentors planning to attend the Championship.

I looked at the date and time, wondered what FIRST was thinking, and decided my time would be better spent with the team.

[ayeckley]

<Sigh> You'd think that anyone registered as a mentor in TIMS would have been automatically copied on the email.

There is a dedicated thread on this exact topic, so I for one will move over there...

[Bharat Nain]

It seems like FIRST has great ideas but their execution just does not work.

[waialua359]

I'm not one to bash FIRST, but what I dont get is why it always happens during FRC matches?
I would assume that most active mentors with their respective teams would be with their teams either in the pit or in the stands.
Why not utilize the Wed even better for workshops and other non-competition events?
For such a big event with thousands of people and $$$$ spent, lets all go the extra mile.