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Unread 20-05-2006, 11:41
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Matt Krass Matt Krass is offline
"Old" and Cranky. Get off my lawn!
AKA: Dark Ages
FRC #0263 (Sachem Aftershock)
Team Role: Mentor
 
Join Date: Oct 2002
Rookie Year: 2002
Location: Long Island, NY
Posts: 1,187
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Re: Programming - Getting Started

Quote:
Originally Posted by aaronm_k
SNIP!
Also, have someone on the OI tether cable or radio modem cable at all times, ready to unplug it if the robot goes crazy. It really does keep people from getting run over by a 150lb robot!
For that purpose you should really develop an autonomous/disable dongle. The schematic is available from IFIs website here:
http://www.ifirobotics.com/docs/comp...guide-reva.pdf

This allows you to kill the robot from the OI instantly, with no doubt, and test autonomous mode as if the field activated it, so you don't need to play with the autonomous activation code and risk accidentally starting it mid-match (Been there!). I highly recommend a dongle for every team and if you're not confident in your skills at making one you can purchase from AndyMark here:
http://andymark.biz/mode-switch.htm

Some people also go with spring loaded switches, so all you have to do is let go and the robot is disabled, problem with those is they become a pain for longtime testing.
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Matt Krass
If I suggest something to try and fix a problem, and you don't understand what I mean, please PM me!

I'm a FIRST relic of sorts, I remember when we used PBASIC and we got CH Flightsticks in the KoP. In my day we didn't have motorized carts, we pushed our robots uphill, both ways! (Houston 2003!)