Robot Radio Placement.

[Trevor1523]

I'd just like to point this out to everyone.

Match 45 at Orlando was a real disaster for us. We were trying to play defense against the opposing alliance and 2797 didn't like that very much so they rammed us, getting up into our frame and disconnecting our radio, because it was placed on the outside.

Here is the match video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FL2hyGnTAY

Because of this, we were in the alliance's courtyard in the last 20 seconds, deeming all the robots on the batter had scaled, which lost us the match. It was very annoying because this wasn't our fault, and we couldn't move, but lesson learned to place the radio is a better location.

Also, looks like we didn't learn from our mistakes, because we didn't move the radio, we just ducttaped the cables into the radio so they cant come out .

Hopefully other teams can learn from this, so they don't suffer the same fate we did.

[Kevin Sevcik]

So first off, striking a good balance between protecting your radio and getting good reception is definitely important.

Secondly, that should've been a G24 red card:

G24 Strategies aimed at the destruction or inhibition of ROBOTS via attachment, damage, tipping, entanglements, or deliberately putting a BOULDER on an opponent’s ROBOT are not allowed.
Violation: FOUL and YELLOW CARD. If harm or incapacitation occurs as a result of the strategy, RED CARD
Blue box: Initiating deliberate or damaging contact with an opponent ROBOT
on or inside the vertical extension of its FRAME PERIMETER is not
allowed.

Also, I'm not sure why they penalized you and awarded a scale. Maybe they had a bad angle and thought 108 touched you? I don't think 2797 should've counted for a penalty, since the contact we clearly initiated before 20 seconds, and they were on top of you while you weren't moving. It would seem like they'd have to get themselves off of you first before being eligible for that penalty. Also maybe the were pinning you and keeping you in the courtyard to draw that penalty.

Just things to think about if the situation comes up again for you or anyone else. I saw an alliance get DQ'd out of Tippicanoe for a G24, so I know refs should be calling it, and I can't think of something more incapacitating than knocking out your radio while driving all over your frame perimeter.