Getting ready for 2006
 

Whats everyone doing to prepare for the upcoming season? Here at team 549 headquarters in the snowy state of Massachusetts we're doing workshops in Auto Cad, Welding and getting our ambulance into shape.

Re: Getting ready for 2006
 

Team 1640 has been recruiting new members, raising funds, teaching newbies what they need to know and what they can learn from last year's robot, and organizing last year's part bins.

We are very excited about kickoff! (T-minus 25d 4h 6m)

Re: Getting ready for 2006
 

Were yelling over each other downhere! Seriously, I've been teachingthenewbies basic animation (very little), gear ratios/basic mechanics, and other random robot related stuff.

Re: Getting ready for 2006
 

We've begun our season preparations in earnest by building a practice drive base to hone our skills using our new AndyMark shift-on-the-fly transmissions. We've also gotten students certified to weld and are currently becoming certified to use a Plasma table (Prettiful robot here we come!). With a final Full Team (parents, students, mentors) meeting approaching we'll be ready to take on 2006. Yee Haw!

Re: Getting ready for 2006
 

1293's main task this off-season has been to clean out and organize our back room, toss out the stuff that was left in there when we got it, add in our stuff, and get it so we can be more productive during build.

Well, and the obligatory plotting and scheming.

Re: Getting ready for 2006
 

The TechnoKats are working on two experimental drive bases. We've also been working on our city's New Year's light ball.

Re: Getting ready for 2006
 

Recruiting members, having weekly meetings, trying to raise much needed funds, training our new members in the shop, building and testing prototypes I have in front of me at the moment :-), wonder what..., and just having fun.

Re: Getting ready for 2006
 

Team 555 is also doing the same thing.
Training freshman/newbies how not to kill themselves or other with power tools, and all the fun stuff you need to do to make a robot move.
Raising much needed money and thinking up of new ways for a crate and a cart.

Re: Getting ready for 2006
 

229 is doing the same in wintery Potsdam New York. Because you know what they say, the new year doesn't begin until Dean , Dave, and Woodie drop the big one. T-minus 25d 00h 51m until the real New year guys ;)

JT
229

Re: Getting ready for 2006
 

Lots of learning inventor, some learning programming, and some learning about gearing and torque and motor selection and whatnot. No real prototyping unfortunately.

Re: Getting ready for 2006
 

What the heck???

Re: Getting ready for 2006
 

I'm guessing it is a team vehicle used to transport members and/or tools and/or robot and it just so happens that it used to be an ambulance. At least that's my guess.

Re: Getting ready for 2006
 

we're having weekly info sessions on all possible aspects of FIRST, teaching CAD and Inventor to some of the newbies, figuring out a cool cart design with tools and a speaker system, and designing drive systems/new tee shirts. --and buttons!-- All in all, it's not too exciting.

Re: Getting ready for 2006
 

I'm getting ready to be amazed by all the diffrent things teams come up with. I wasn't prepared to hear the Tkats are working on another *2* experimental drive systems. Good thing it isn't 2006 yet.

Wetzel

Re: Getting ready for 2006
 

Facilitating NEMO workshops, attending local team fundraisers, attending an FLL tournament, spreading the word of FIRST, helping some rookie teams, meeting lots of other FIRSTers, organizing an unofficial kickoff event for CT teams, helping plan the 2006 robotics conference in Atlanta, and helping plan two (FRC and FVC) great regional competitions in Hartford! Let the fun begin! :D

Re: Getting ready for 2006
 

We (team 418) have mainly been fundraising, and we have a class where some members are attempting to prototype a new drive system, wich may or may not be ready for 2006. The rest of us are waiting, and counting down the days.

Re: Getting ready for 2006
 

Team 397 is mostly teaching newbies how everything works. Also we are going over previous years and "trying" to learn from our mistakes. Other than getting pumped up for the season

Re: Getting ready for 2006
 

Re: Getting ready for 2006
 

Team 1823, being a rookie team, is buying small projects to work on, trying to find a place to work, and desperately hoping we can get through this.

Re: Getting ready for 2006
 

Team 612 has been realy busy during the pre-season. We've been working on two projects. We made a RoboKnight for our school and a Mechanical Basketball Player. Also we raised funds for the seasons.
On the same hand, team has been workin with Lego Teams and has been teaching robotics to Elementary and middle schoolers too. But as of now, we are pretty much done with everything, and makin ga game plan for the build season.
GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!.. its gonna be another amazing season ;)

Re: Getting ready for 2006
 

You will! You have the support of thousands of fellow FIRSTers who are ready to answer questions, offer suggestions and help you "get through" your rookie season!

Re: Getting ready for 2006
 

Team 836 has been training our rookies in the basics of FIRST, like how to change and check batteries, how to calculate tourque and speed of a transmission. And we have been looking into several different concepts so when we have the game we have a better understanding of what we can use and have more ideas we can apply to this years game. Like holonomic drive systems, 2 wheel and 4 wheel drive, multi speed transmissions, different electronics configurations, programming ideas and several arm designs, and the strengths and weaknesses of past years motors. The last few weeks have been busy but will have great advantages when january rolls around.

Re: Getting ready for 2006
 

Stay positive. Although rookie year may seem overwhelming at first, there are many other teams willing to help you out. It all is worth it at the end!

Re: Getting ready for 2006
 

In an effort to be more efficient, we've been using the Fall to design and construct a prototypical drivetrain and chassis. It is a great asset to the team, as it allows us to develop a chassis that we'll almost certainly be able to use in 2006, work out bugs in its development, manufacture and operation, and train our students how to properly and safely use our equipment.

Hopefully, by taking care of these things now, we'll be a lot faster to commit to and manufacture a robot design.

Re: Getting ready for 2006
 

We're trying to get as much done BEFORE build season as possible. that way, we can focus on the robot and not have to worry about stuff like fundraising, which can be done well in advance. (this is why we start recruiting and working right after the Championship Event... it makes things a lot easier when one doesnt have to rush.)

So, as of right now, 233 has finished recruiting and we've got our team locked into place for the most part. we're finishing up the majority of our fundraisers (car washes are done with, and now its gift wrapping!) and we've finished a series of events at a local elementary school to promote science and engeneering through hands-on experience while promoting creative aspects of technology at local art shows and the library. we've got several people learning how to program (we have several people learning different programming languages from everything to C++ to Basic to simple html formatting... we've got a girl who gets to keep 2k5 over winter break to learn autonomous coding, and several others working on a driver simulation). we have gotten a lot of spirit things done (t-shirt designs, giveaways, etc) and countless other things that i'm unaware of but i'm sure are getting done...

and we are anxiously awaiting January 7th!!

Re: Getting ready for 2006
 

We've been doing team building and safety training for the past six weeks. We came up with this year's theme(K.I.S.S. I.T.) and the robot name (XO-X-CAT) and even got a bit of a head start on a few of the regualr seaon tasks (website and animation mainly).
Tonight we had our pre season ending celebration which was some team building activities along with games (I played with four other mentors including Ellery against a mostly student team. One mentor was sort of their coach.) We won but man are my knees sore!

Re: Getting ready for 2006
 

funny i read this thread, ive been doing some CAD training and i have my final tomorrow. :D our team is focusing on refreshing the veterans' skils, as well as training and mentoring all our new members. we have veteran members teaching freshmen new skills 5 days a week afterschool.

Re: Getting ready for 2006
 

Team 1245 Monarch High Colorado, has been holding classes on Programming, SolidWorks, Drivetrain design, and VEX.

We entered into SolidWorks many of last years parts. We also build a driveable platform from leftover parts from last year.

Fundrasising is happening on many fronts. We sponsored two Lego League teams and held an Lego event as a fund raiser. The little lego roboticists ate $700 worth of food.

Pizza and soda pop are already the main food staple.

Re: Getting ready for 2006
 

306 is currently fundraising using holiday jewelry and stuffed animals( I know, but the female school staff is nuts about it!), And general organization. I'm trying to build and subsequently break ( Dr. Joe, brace yourself, I'm sorry, but we need physical evidence :rolleyes: ) a Dewalt transmission coupled to a CIM. New drive here we come! We're also throwing around ideas about general build practices. It's nice to end up with a functional robot at ship date. :)

Re: Getting ready for 2006
 

Here is what Team 1538 (The Holy Cows) has done so far:
-Created a sponsorship/media packet (available in the CD White Papers)
-Experimenting with a 2 speed transmission design
-Recruiting new members (we more than doubled in size)
-New Name (We're now The Holy Cows, not Fistful of Motors)
-New logo
-Raising money

among other things...