Brazilian Teams may need technical help

[Williane]

It came to my attention that all Brazilian teams are still waiting for their kits, two weeks after the kickoff.

FEDEX Brasil kindly donated the transportation, but high fees are being applied by the Brazilian government to release the kits. Many teams cannot afford the fee. They are working hard to solve the problem.

Once their kits are released, they may need a lot of technical help, especially their rookie teams that don’t even have a kit to use for prototyping.

Would anyone be able to help them, as needed, by email? They will not have much time to spare so, please, reply to their emails or posts ASAP and be as direct as possible in your answer. For example, if they need help with electronics or programming, don’t ask them to read the manual... give the answer while pointing where in the manual they may find more information.

Is there any other team with veteran students or mentors that speak/read Portuguese besides ours? It will save them time not worrying about translation.

You may reply to this post or email me (whs_robotics@comcast.net) with your name and what area you would be willing to help. We will send FRC Brasil a list of contacts their teams can use as a resource this season.

Thanks!

[Manoel]

Williane,

Thanks for this message. The Brazilian teams are facing some hard challenges, but it's not something new. Things never go as planned, time wise. It isn't supposed to be fair. Life isn't fair, as Dean always says.

We're trying to help the rookie teams as much as possible; today, we had team #2247 over at the school to discuss strategy and, most importantly, introduce them to parts from previous year's kits, as most of it never changes.

Our biggest problem right now is not having the game pieces, so our manipulator designs are all on hold waiting for the kit to arrive. We've tried buying them from Logoloc but they still can't ship them internationally, so we're waiting for them as well.

Thanks for this initiative, and be sure that we at 383 are doing the best we can to help the other Brazilian teams right now.

BTW, how do you know all the details about this situation, and who in your team speaks Portuguese?
Maybe we can get our students in contact with him/her.

Best regards,

[Williane]

Ola Manoel,

My family and I are Brazilians. I have been following the Brazilian teams for a while and once in while I contact someone from FRC BR to see how things are going.

I heard how all teams are "adopting" a rookie team there. Good Job! We are concerned that with the delay of the parts, the veterans will also be busy when the boxes arrive and rookies may need some extra help this season. The info with the teams willing to help will be given to Guilherme (I think) and he will pass it to the teams in need… some are very far from yours.

To test the manipulator you can try to use a regular "boia". You may get the sizes with Logoloc and see if you can find one that is closer in size. At least the team will have fun until you don't have the kit. Why they don't ship internationally? Is it because of the payment or shipping? If you need someone calling a company here, just send me an email.

We had the pleasure to meet two of your students in WA and later at Epcot. We exchanged emails for a while until they graduated. I still have a flag with the signatures they gave us. Feel free to have your students emailing me or my son Caio. He is our team captain and mechanical leader.

Abracos,

Willie

[Guy Davidson]

I don't speak portugese and my spanish isn't that great, but I'd love to help. If there's anything I can do, or any question to answer or anything I'll give it my best shot.

-Guy

[intellec7]

I speak portuguese as a first language (although my spelling is not that great; I was never matriculated in a Brazillian school) , I'll try to help. Just PM me!

[Daniel_H]

We from team 1156 - Brazil are helping the rookie teams as we can, like electronics and CAD, but any help you're willing to give is welcome.

[Manoel]

Originally Posted by Williane

Ola Manoel,

My family and I are Brazilians. I have been following the Brazilian teams for a while and once in while I contact someone from FRC BR to see how things are going.

I heard how all teams are "adopting" a rookie team there. Good Job! We are concerned that with the delay of the parts, the veterans will also be busy when the boxes arrive and rookies may need some extra help this season. The info with the teams willing to help will be given to Guilherme (I think) and he will pass it to the teams in need… some are very far from yours.

To test the manipulator you can try to use a regular "boia". You may get the sizes with Logoloc and see if you can find one that is closer in size. At least the team will have fun until you don't have the kit. Why they don't ship internationally? Is it because of the payment or shipping? If you need someone calling a company here, just send me an email.

We had the pleasure to meet two of your students in WA and later at Epcot. We exchanged emails for a while until they graduated. I still have a flag with the signatures they gave us. Feel free to have your students emailing me or my son Caio. He is our team captain and mechanical leader.

Abracos,

Willie

Willie,

Thanks for your e-mail, I'll write back later.

We are using a car tire "câmara" (not sure the right word in English) to simulate the pool tubes, but, except for the external diameter, it is totally different from the FIRST game pieces.
I'm trying to contact Logoloc but they don't know how to ship them to Brazil yet, yesterday they had a meeting with FIRST to work something out but I'm having problems talking to them today.
I'd like to thank Michael Dessingue (dez250) for his help with the pool tubes, hopefully we can work something out to help the other Brazilian teams as well.

Do you remember the names of the students you met in Seattle? I still have contact with almost every student from 2002, so maybe I can help and get you guys in touch with each other.

Sincerely,

[Zoheb N]

I will be willing to help out. I will attempt to help with mechanical aspects of the robot. Also great idea to start a thread to help all the Brazillian teams out there

[Williane]

I called Justin, from Logo Loc ...sorry, I am going to write in Portuguese so other Brazilian teams can read it, I don't want to be impolite, if you are curious I can translate it is about ordering the game pieces.

Ele disse que seu pedido deve ter saido hoje mas ele vai confirmar com o departamento de remessas internacionais. Quando voces irao receber ira depender da alfandega no Brasil. Eles tem meu telefone para qualquer problema que os times brasilieiros tiverem.

O Justin nao estava completamente certo do que voce pediu no seu email (1 ou 2 12 pack) mas iria conversar com outra pessoa que esta cuidando disso. Voce pode confirmar comigo so para nao esperar chegar ai e ver que mandaram algo errado? Vou ligar para eles amanha.

Outra coisa que fiquei preocupada, ele nao tinha nenhum outro pedido para os times brasilieros. Voce fez um pedido so para todos? Ele disse que seria mais facil se todos pedissem juntos para ir em uma remessa. Nao sei se isso e' bom ou nao...

E quanto aos game pieces para a competicao? Voces vao precisar extra pois eles podem estourar.

Tire tub - camera de pneu.

Aguardo noticias

[Caio]

Hey,

I'm the mechanical leader and team manager of team 1510, and I'm very willing to help. I also speak Portuguese fluently but my spelling might be a little off.

Below is a link to the new kit of parts, as well as a translation of whats new in the kit this year.

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...ad.php?t=51044

* New Items
o Battery (bateria, mesma do que o ano passado, mas e' certificada para nao vazar)
o Off-White FisherPrice Motor/Transmission (can someone else help me out on this, I don't remember what it is)
o Labview Software
o Tie Wraps
o Power Distribution System (Distibuicao de electricidade na electronica)
o Back-Up Battery (so mudou de cor)
o Banebots Motor (novo motor do Banebot)
o Banebots Gearbox (bem menor do gearbox do ano pasado. A especificacao esta no site do banebot)
o Panel Signal Device
o New Radios (radio e' maior)
o AndyMark Designed Kit wheel (novas rodas no Kit. Sao melhores em minha opiniao)
o New Kitbot Gearbox
+ 12:1 Banebot Plantary Gear (for 2.5" Cim)

Nao tem o van door mais. Era o motor com muito torque dos anos passado.

if you need any help, just e-mail me at caio_tenca@comcast.net or contact me on:

Aim: Cowonthego
Yahoo: Cowonthego
MSN: ccyberdude@hotmail.com

I can reply faster by email than PM here on Chief Delphi.

Best of luck! Hope things turn out ok.

Caio

[Mike Betts]

Originally Posted by Williane

It came to my attention that all Brazilian teams are still waiting for their kits, two weeks after the kickoff...

Willie,

By my count there are 17 teams in Brazil. They all have this same problem?

Wow.

I do not speak Portuguese but I have spent many years working with foreign companies on various engineering projects and I have learned to be very tolerant and patient with engineers for which English is a second language.

If there is anything I can do to help, especially in the controls/electronics/programming areas, please let me know.

I can be reached at betts@isp.com

Regards,

Mike

[Nate Edwards]

Originally Posted by Mike Betts

Willie,

By my count there are 17 teams in Brazil. They all have this same problem?

Wow.

I do not speak Portuguese but I have spent many years working with foreign companies on various engineering projects and I have learned to be very tolerant and patient with engineers for which English is a second language.

If there is anything I can do to help, especially in the controls/electronics/programming areas, please let me know.

I can be reached at betts@isp.com

Regards,

Mike

I am in the same boat, I started a project in high school for more international teams but its hard because of language barriers. I have 6 years of experience with first so any assistance I can provide I will. my email is edwardsnb@gmail.com

[Williane]

Yes, it is a problem with customs for all kits. I don't know a lot of details; maybe someone else can help with that.

Looking at the bright side it is good that it happened because now the Brazilian government will have one more reason to get involved with FIRST.

Their teams are doing are very good job to spread FIRST and help each other, but as everything that is new, they will face many problems in the beginning. Once FIRST start having regional competitions in more countries, they will also be ready for what can happen.

In some way this situation will only make it easier for the teams in the future and help make FIRST stronger!

[Mandi_|<o>|]

Hi Williane,
First of all, thank you for the iniciative, things here are really complicated this year, we've never had such a big delay like this.
Brazilian teams are total of 15, and most of them have contact with other teams.
My question is, do all of them frequently access chiefdelphi? I'm not sure if all of them visit our forum, but I guess they would be more confortable to speak portuguese there.
Of course it's far better for them to visit here, because there are one million times more information here than in our forum. but we feel its important that you post(even in english) in our forum so these teams have their necessary technical help.
What do you think?
Our forum's url is: www.team1382.com/forum
We'll be waiting for you there.
Thank you very much

[Williane]

Hi Mandi,

I am working on a list with all contacts to give to Ana, Guilherme, and Ivan. They will give the list to the teams in Brazil and allow teams to contact mentors directly.

I understand that some will not use the forum since not everyone has fast internet connection there. They can use emails or MSN.

The students and mentors that are offering to help know the barrier with the language and they will be fine if we have treads in Portuguese only. No one should worry about writing in English. We can have the English speaker mentors helping those that can communicate in English and the other helping whoever speaks Portuguese... it is something new to me also, we will figure out the best way together.

Thanks for offering your forum. Would you please copy the posts here in your forum? It will be easier to me to keep track of one place only…