Scouting

[Siri]

I have a mundane question, but how do people handle actually getting the match scouting information from the match scouters to the drive team? (WiMax, etc technology is not so much in the cards for us right now.) Our scouting program is still pretty young and we could use some advice on streamlining this and making it easier for everyone.

[BigJ]

Originally Posted by Siri

I have a mundane question, but how do people handle actually getting the match scouting information from the match scouters to the drive team? (WiMax, etc technology is not so much in the cards for us right now.) Our scouting program is still pretty young and we could use some advice on streamlining this and making it easier for everyone.

In the past we have had some semblance of student analyst that can show the data to the coach+drive team in the pits pre-match. They normally gave the data and preliminary suggestions on what the opposing strategy may be and how best to go about defeating it.

[JB]

Originally Posted by Siri

I have a mundane question, but how do people handle actually getting the match scouting information from the match scouters to the drive team? (WiMax, etc technology is not so much in the cards for us right now.) Our scouting program is still pretty young and we could use some advice on streamlining this and making it easier for everyone.

What we decided to do on 1403 this year in order to get the drive coach, myself, the necessary information was have the lead scouting mentor or the scouting captain come down to the pits before every match. We then discussed strategy, robots abilities, balancing, and other necessary topics.

Sometimes we ran into the problem where we had matches very rapidly and there was not enough time to return to the pits. In this case we just discussed multiple matches and it seemed to work really well for us.

[OliviaG]

Originally Posted by Siri

I have a mundane question, but how do people handle actually getting the match scouting information from the match scouters to the drive team? (WiMax, etc technology is not so much in the cards for us right now.) Our scouting program is still pretty young and we could use some advice on streamlining this and making it easier for everyone.

We bring a printer with us and hook it up to a robot battery, we print the sheets out with the full match results, then have a few extra scouts run it down to the drive team just before the next match, Its not as hard as it sounds. we keep a couple people as runners up in the stands with us, so the scouts don't have to leave their post.
I think that's what you were asking

[IKE]

Originally Posted by Siri

I have a mundane question, but how do people handle actually getting the match scouting information from the match scouters to the drive team? (WiMax, etc technology is not so much in the cards for us right now.) Our scouting program is still pretty young and we could use some advice on streamlining this and making it easier for everyone.

Our technology is literally "in the cards". We use a note card "pocket size" with the information on each team, and general strategy written on it. Then the scout or a runner brings the card to the coach after the preceding match.

[Chinmay]

Originally Posted by Siri

I have a mundane question, but how do people handle actually getting the match scouting information from the match scouters to the drive team? (WiMax, etc technology is not so much in the cards for us right now.) Our scouting program is still pretty young and we could use some advice on streamlining this and making it easier for everyone.

Another option that my team has done in the past is to have the drive coach be a scout. We usually send students out to coach, and it works well for us to just have 2 head scouts, one of whom takes a short break to come and coach the match and then goes back to work on match scouting for the next match.

[AdamHeard]

Originally Posted by Siri

I have a mundane question, but how do people handle actually getting the match scouting information from the match scouters to the drive team? (WiMax, etc technology is not so much in the cards for us right now.) Our scouting program is still pretty young and we could use some advice on streamlining this and making it easier for everyone.

We generate what are called "match sheets". It's a sheet with segregated into 6 boxes with a large picture of the team, the pertinent data on each team in a small table below each picture, and sometimes some hand written comments.

Sometimes they are printed in real time, other times we print blank sheets (just missing data) and the numbers are handwritten in. They are sent to the coach via a runner, or if there is a long break the coach will walk to the stands.

It's a nice format for displaying data and conveying who we are playing with/against for both ourselves and our partners.

[Siri]

Thanks everyone. Our scouts do try to run the sheets to the coach (both being very much full-time jobs)--I think it's just a manpower difficulty. We'll get a runner who isn't also trying to personally scout every match! I love the robot battery-powered printer. Genius! Thanks again.

[Chris is me]

Originally Posted by Siri

I have a mundane question, but how do people handle actually getting the match scouting information from the match scouters to the drive team? (WiMax, etc technology is not so much in the cards for us right now.) Our scouting program is still pretty young and we could use some advice on streamlining this and making it easier for everyone.

For an all-paper system, it's easy enough to have your "binder guy" compile stats for 5 teams on the fly with some paper and a calculator, scribble it down, and run it to the pits. Low tech but it works.

[hammerhead_399]

Originally Posted by Siri

I have a mundane question, but how do people handle actually getting the match scouting information from the match scouters to the drive team? (WiMax, etc technology is not so much in the cards for us right now.) Our scouting program is still pretty young and we could use some advice on streamlining this and making it easier for everyone.

I literally texted every match strategy to the coach. I would send the capabilities and weaknesses of the other 5 robots in our match. I'd try to get them this info about 6-7 matches ahead of time.

[OliviaG]

Originally Posted by hammerhead_399

I literally texted every match strategy to the coach. I would send the capabilities and weaknesses of the other 5 robots in our match. I'd try to get them this info about 6-7 matches ahead of time.

That's awesome, never thought of doing that