[EricH]

Originally Posted by mesamb1

If your trying to set up the network with tablets(because they have bluetooth, wifi but not 3g) then I would set up bluetooth and just step out side of the arena to sync your scouting data. If you need real time both of the other suggestions were tried by our team and were highly successful.

You'll notice that that rule you quoted (<R97>) is in the Robot section of the Game Manual, while the 4.4.1 rule that the OP posted is from the At the Events section of the Administrative Manual. While this does not preclude the rule from consideration altogether, it does diminish its usefulness in preventing Bluetooth networking. <R97> is intended for Operator Console communication, internal and external.

That said, I would encourage development of a system that doesn't use Bluetooth; it may be possible that FIRST develops a game component that uses that band, in which case they would take measures to ban it. (Note that NXTs on Minibots had to have their Bluetooth disabled.)

One old classic method is to have paper reports go to a computer in the stands for entry. No wireless needed, and no wires needed either (except to keep the computer running).