[FRC Blog] Weather, Weather
 

Posted on the FRC Blog, 2/5/14: http://www.usfirst.org/roboticsprogr...eather-weather

Withholding Allowance will be increased to 45 pounds!

+>1 Frank and FIRST!

FRC Blog - Weather, Weather
 

http://www3.usfirst.org/roboticsprog...eather-weather

45 lbs withholding allowance. Go crazy, folks.

Re: [FRC Blog] Weather, Weather
 

Thank You Frank!

Re: [FRC Blog] Weather, Weather
 

Woohoo, Thanks Frank!

Re: [FRC Blog] Weather, Weather
 

As a California team, I think we just got one of the biggest breaks could ever hope to get. Now, not that we'd mind getting your snow, so we can actually drink some water this summer...

Re: FRC Blog - Weather, Weather
 

I call it a tie. You both win.

You should share your reward.

Re: [FRC Blog] Weather, Weather
 

Interesting we could theoretically withhold a running spare drivebase. We aren't going to do that but that still seems like a crazy idea.

Re: [FRC Blog] Weather, Weather
 

This doesn't even count off the shelf gearboxes and the like, you could probably withhold almost your entire robot if you wanted to...

Re: [FRC Blog] Weather, Weather
 

Just keep in mind that even though it may be COTS, if you have assembled it (VEX Pro Ball Shifters, for example, require assembly) it counts toward your allowance. The way around this would be waiting to assemble things at competition, which takes time but is possible.

You're restricted to raw materials and things in the same state that they came out of the box, plus 45 pounds.

Re: [FRC Blog] Weather, Weather
 

Am I alone in thinking that weather hasn't been that bad, we haven't missed that much time, and that the robot is arguably ahead of schedule??? In Houghton, Michigan?

How can I even withhold 45 lbs?

Though, good idea for some other places; I've heard the likes of Indiana got hit quite hard.

Re: [FRC Blog] Weather, Weather
 

We're at 10 missed days and counting. I'd say that the weather was only bad enough to miss 6 or 7, but we have to follow school policy and cancel when school is out.

Either way, it's bad enough. The increase to 45 lbs will give us some more flexibility in systems we haven't been able to even build/test yet. I didn't expect a break and my kids know that we're working toward a Feb 18 bag date, but I'm glad FIRST has recognized the extreme situation and given us something to work with.

Re: [FRC Blog] Weather, Weather
 

We're at 5 missed days (in Minnesota, where the snow is higher than my car roof on the sides of my driveway!), and yet we have the robot electrically and mechanically finished a week and a half earlier than we've ever had before. The early finish has less to do with the weather and more to do with the dedication and drive of our captains... they've been really awesome this year!

Re: [FRC Blog] Weather, Weather
 

Cool, now we have more time to work on the secret endgame mechanism.:rolleyes:

Re: [FRC Blog] Weather, Weather
 

No I think it was the wrong thing to do. Ask Canada about bad weather. In New England we get some extreme weather and we suck it up. Constraints and unforeseen problems are part of the learning exercise. So I repeat that this is bad form on behalf of FIRST.:(

Re: [FRC Blog] Weather, Weather
 

There is a difference between getting bad weather in Canada and New England where there are the resources set aside and the experience in dealing with the environment and NC and Alabama getting snow when they don't usually get it. Just because you know how to drive in snow doesn't mean that 16 year old in NC driving in snow for their first time does.