Rule C1

[Justin Stiltner]

Rule C1 states "... the operator interface, robot controller, servos....and JOYSTICKS may not be tampered with, modified or adjusting in any way," there are a few exceptions after it, but no mention of joysticks in anyway but after the exceptions is this "Tampering includes drilling, cutting, machining, gluing, rewiring, etc. All items listed in Rule c1 must be mounted without alteration." Well from a strict purist interpretation this means we cannot even adjust the trims on the sticks. However what really concerns me is the fact that we cannot rewire the joysticks, or add buttons or switches to them which for my team has become common practice. also this would lead one to believe that we arnt allowed to build custom control systems. umm.. is somebody seeing something im not.. or do I need to fwd this to FIRST.

[Jeff Waegelin]

I would say that this means you cannot alter the CH Flightsticks that come in the kit. You can still make custom controls, but you can't alter the given components. Any custom controls would have to be purchased or made from components (i.e. pots, switches, etc.)

[rbayer]

I'm going to agree here. By "modify" FIRST usually means with a drill or hacksaw. I'm sure you can build custom button-boxes, and I'm pretty sure you can still build Y-cables for the joysticks.

[Justin Stiltner]

im noticeing alot of things like this in the manual this year...
it seems that this years rules lack the quality that I have come to expect from FIRST, its as if they were wretten in a rush and didnet think through some of the wording.

[Mr Obnoxious]

Sounds like the language used in previous years. I don't see the problem or the haste in them. Of course you can change the trims, and the rules cover custom components for the operator interface and the robot controller in other sections.

[Justin Stiltner]

Well the trim part was just there to kinda illustrate that their wording was very broad. As veterans we know little things like this, but from a totally rookie standpoint was where I was trying to view this from, because the majority of my team (26 students and 25 of them are rookies) are rookies.

[Noelle]

ummmm C1?? where are the C's? maybe i dont have the right thing but the manuel i have is 17 pages and has no C's that i can see? what pg is it?

[Bduggan04]

Go here
http://www2.usfirst.org/2003comp/The_Robot.pdf

This is the robot rules.

[rbayer]

See my post my post here for info on why this is nothing new.

[Skabana159]

Our team has become quite accostomed to opening up the joystick and "tampering" with it. We have done things like rewiring the switches so that they could be used externally. We have also epoxied the trim knobs in a place we like, because of the programming problems this creates. This gluing and rewiring, I'm afraid, falls under the "gluing and rewiring" clauses in C1. I just can't understand the purpose behind forbidding us to alter the very simple flightsticks, but allowing us to change potentially complex ones that we would buy from a store. Perhaps this rule should be reconsidered by FIRST.