Against all odds...

[ForgottenSalad]

Is there any convenient way to locate any teams that are in my area?

[EricH]

Originally Posted by ForgottenSalad

Is there any convenient way to locate any teams that are in my area?

The FIRST website has a team locator up at the top.

[GaryVoshol]

The other thing you could do is consider starting with VEX. Once you have a team going for a year or two, you will generate more interest, both in the school and community. Then you could get sponsors and mentors to move to FRC.

[Zyik]

I think my district started with Lego league, so if you don't have enough money for Vex, yes I know it isnt much but sometimes every penny counts. Our district is up to 4 lego teams and 1 FRC team, it can work out.

[ForgottenSalad]

What's hard is what I feel will generate the most interest and what I am rooting for is FRC, not FVC or FLL... As far as other teams, the nearest team is 90 miles away in Lebanon, NH.

[John Gutmann]

OK here are my thoughts,

1 Start a VEX team, I know, I know, don't say it. I know it isn't as fun, etc, especially since you can't ride a VEX robot (Lets just Hope JVN doesn't prove me wrong on this one)

2 Yes you can certainly build a robot in that time frame. You could ship you robot the day of build if you wanted to. They have ktibots for a reason.

3 For power tools, the least you need is a drill and hacksaw. For other tools, just get a screwdriver, socket, and allen wrench kit.

4 For a teacher, try a science teacher, and sit him down and say look all i need is your signature, well you know what I mean, he needs to be the school person involved you really have all the brains about how everything is run etc.

5 For money do can drives, etc other small things. You should beable to pull up enough money. WIth a good can drive or just going from nieghborhood to neighborhood you should be able to get a couple thousand dollars. From just half my neighborhood me and my friend got like 130$ for our team.

Anything else just shoot me a PM and I can try to find people to give you more ideas to help

-John

[CJV648]

Don't assume that because you are in a small town that there is no one interested and capable of mentoring. I do environmental engineering projects in out of the way places and I am frequently in awe of the breadth of knowledge of small town mechanics, plumbers and electricians. NH has a reputation for Yankee ingenuity, right? Locating the right person might be a problem though since the best of these guys are insanely busy (but not as much in the winter). The local hardware or plumbing supply store might be willing tell someone who in town could be help. Alternately you might look for a nearby retired mechanical engineer looking to get involved in a new activity. I don't know if your regional chapter of SME would be willing to put a call out for volunteers.

[vivek16]

try to call a meeting to get a bunch of people together. about 5 very dedicated people should to the trick. but try to start with a base group of about 20 kids who show interest.

then try to contact some of first's major sponsors for a donation, boston scientific is our main sponsor and we got 8000 dollars from them if our school agreed to pay 2000.

ask for about 7000 dollars to start with.

try to ask your local companies for help, maybe machining or donations of about 100-500 dollars.

i think 10 hours a person for a team of 5 people each week throughout the build sseason is more that enough.
we got the work done with about 250 man hours (had around 5/6 dedicated people putting in about 6 hours a week)and we had absolutely no idea what we were doing.

i would say get a very skilled programmer if you and make that the main priority because he/'she could practically build the robot with the kit bot chassis and mount the motors and stuff all by themselves.

it is definitely possible to start a team i would say with your resources.

we worked at a parents house and they were very helpful.
try to contact all of your local engineering companies for a room if tehy can spare it.

vivek.