[Mike Betts]

Originally Posted by Kevin Watson

...I've got a set of SMiRFs sending out debugging info at 38.4K using the robot controller's TTL serial port. I can also send data to the robot using this arrangement...

Kevin,

I looked over the SMiRF v2 specsheet and it looks like an interesting project.

However, before we have a lot students jumping on this:

1. This would be illegal to use at a competition (Rule R52 from last year).
2. While the SMiRF has 30,000 pair capability, it would be almost(*) impossible to use these in the pits at a competition. The reason is that they built to seek out active links (not avoid them).

(*) Each team could be assigned a unique channel number (for a regional) and would have to share channels via unique addresses at a national.

Having said that, I am very interested in investigating this for developing code. Please let me know if I can help.

As far as wireless programming is concerned, I feel it may be a waste of time. We bought into the old controller Screamers and used them once or twice. A cable was just as easy and you have to push the program button anyway. We invested in a very long DB9 cable and it has served us very well.

my $0.02

Regards,

Mike