Surplus field elements for public practice field?

[ToddF]

Triple Helix has begun efforts to make all the teams in our area more competitive. We have noticed that Virginia teams are under-represented at the national championships. We find this troubling, as it means that our state, and the Hampton Roads area is falling behind other areas of the country in producing the kind of kids who will enter the science and engineering fields, and bring future prosperity to our region and state. Last year we hosted an “FRC Summit”, a day of workshops presented by local FRC teams for other area teams, sharing their best practices, with the goal that we all grow together.

It has become apparent to us that in order for our team specifically, and other Hampton Roads teams in general, to become nationally competitive, a practice field is a must. 2363 has very limited opportunities to practice with our robots because we have no dedicated space at the school to do so. Recently, our team has succeeded in forging a relationship with the Virginia Air and Space Center (VASC). This relationship will allow Triple Helix, among other things, to set up a semi-permanent robotics exhibit featuring past years robots from our and other area teams, and also to set up a nearly full sized practice field. Currently, we have VASC management approval to set up the field during the fall quarter of the year. The field will be open to all area teams to do robot driving practice and run scrimmage matches. This activity would be open to the public to observe. We will use these sessions for driver practice, public demonstrations, team recruitment, and opportunities to just play with other area teams. Students who participate will be treated as museum volunteers, with logged volunteer hours and other benefits (free museum admission and IMAX movies). Needless to say, we are very excited.

Having secured a location for the practice facility, we are now moving on to consider options with regard to how we can get a field set up. Obviously, the most ideal option is to have a complete field replete with a Field Management System. Since having such is not the most realistic possibility in the world, we are trying to figure out just what we can do. Certainly, we should be able to drive robots around and interact with team built field elements at a minimum, but the possibility certainly exists that we could possibly do more than that. We have reached out to other area teams to see if we can collect any surplus team built field elements for use at the field, and asked for any other ideas.

Are there any teams with surplus field elements or carpet who would be willing to donate or loan these items for this field? Now that Championships are done, teams may be cleaning out things for the summer. We fear that faced with the prospect of storing large field elements, especially pyramids, things will get thrown away. We don't want something to end up in a dumpster when it is desperately needed for this field. Please let us know if you may have something we could use. We have all summer to work out logistics of how to get it here.

Also, consider this to be an open invitation to come visit the practice field, in Hampton, VA, this fall. We plan to be playing on the field, by ourselves or with other teams, every Saturday. The more teams that can come play, the more fun it will be for all of us, and the public, as well. It is our hope that we can get enough participation from other teams that the field will become a development center for FRC robotics, and a draw of visitors to VASC. If that is the case, we hope to persuade VASC to allow the field to remain through build season, as a resource for teams to test their 2014 robots.

[Jimmy Nichols]

Todd - Here is the link to the low cost wooden field. http://files.andymark.com/2008-FRC-w...eld-border.pdf

It includes side barriers and driver stations. This is what we built and set up for Cincy area teams, as well as the practice field for the Queen City Regional.

I think all told the cost was around $800-$1000 to build the field. Cost varies depending on how much of the material you can get donated.

[AdamHeard]

Originally Posted by Jimmy Nichols

Todd - Here is the link to the low cost wooden field. http://files.andymark.com/2008-FRC-w...eld-border.pdf

It includes side barriers and driver stations. This is what we built and set up for Cincy area teams, as well as the practice field for the Queen City Regional.

I think all told the cost was around $800-$1000 to build the field. Cost varies depending on how much of the material you can get donated.

We made this with a few mods (mostly removing it's ability to be packed up quickly) and used it all season. We love it.

[Tungrus]

Hats off to you guys for bringing achieving this (getting VASC into this). Finding a workshop and keep it is one of the difficult task, getting a place to setup field...wow!

[ToddF]

Our current baseline for the base field is the low cost wooden field. Any ideas where to find carpet for a practice field? Unfortunately, this came together just after the DC regional, so we missed out on the opportunity to salvage carpet from either the VA or DC regionals. We really don't want to damage the installed carpet floor in the museum.

[wilsonmw04]

Originally Posted by ToddF

Our current baseline for the base field is the low cost wooden field. Any ideas where to find carpet for a practice field? Unfortunately, this came together just after the DC regional, so we missed out on the opportunity to salvage carpet from either the VA or DC regionals. We really don't want to damage the installed carpet floor in the museum.

We might be able to help ya, Todd. Let me see what I can pull together. The problem i see is getting what I think we have to you...

[Gregor]

Neat idea and sounds like lots of fun, but please read the first line of my signature.

[rsisk]

Todd, doesn't help this year, but next year, ask the regional you go to if you can have the field carpet after the event.

[cbale2000]

Originally Posted by rsisk

Todd, doesn't help this year, but next year, ask the regional you go to if you can have the field carpet after the event.

Do other events not re-use the carpet?

[Gregor]

Originally Posted by cbale2000

Do other events not re-use the carpet?

No, the carpet is a torn up mess after an event.

[Jimmy Nichols]

Originally Posted by Gregor

No, the carpet is a torn up mess after an event.

It actually depends on when your event is and where the field is going after. Sometimes the later events fields are going straight to champs and if that field is designated as a practice field, then the carpet goes with it.

Otherwise, yes the carpet is either given to a team who wants it or FIRST pays for it to be disposed of.

[ToddF]

I hate to do this, but with the end of the school year coming up, I'm going to bump this thread. We are beginning to get very specific with VASC. More field stuff is still needed.