[Mike Martus]

I was a field re-set person at the GLR and also an inspector. I had a very up close and personal view of the radios and issues associated. Here are my observations.

Most (90%) of the on field radio problems were robot related and not really radio IFI problems. Loose wires, the cable not secured in by the thumb screws, on/off breakers not fully on and the major issue was loose wires in the NEW Distruibition block.

The remaining issues seemed to be associated with placement of the radio (suggested it be vertical and as high as possible) and massive shielding ( ramps with alum perf and alum boiler plate as thick as 1/8 inch acting as a shield) that is a common robot configuration with this game.

The IFI guy ( John V ) was very detailed at keeping records of robots with issues and talking with teams. Every match was monitored for signal quality. Thanks John! Appropriate steps and preventative measures were taken to maintain a quality signal.

To answer your question...... always consult with the inspectors and the IFI person for monitoring your robot. DO-NOT run your robot on radio in the pit.... IFI monitors all signals and knows which team is running on radio and not tether. This is dangerous to all persons working on robots. There are loaner radios and RC /OI units available if the situation warrants a transplant.