RC will not communicate with OI

[Ryank]

I admit we are a rookie team, so this is a probably a stupid mistake. That said, we have just assembled our kit-bot (a base robot with two victors with which to test things out and get used to wiring the electrical system, etc.) and everything works great. Battery blinks green, program function works, radio modem is solid orange, RC hardware blinks green, and RC mode is off. When putting in the modem (yes, into the radio port) and hooking up the OI with the transmitter, the trasmitter says transmitting but the reciever or modem on the robot just says "ready" and periodically blinks to receiving. The OI also says no data/radio. We have downloaded and installed the ifi_frc_beta_3[3] code to the robot controller and from what we can see it wrote (programm was oragne then finished and is now green). Any help? We just want to get this thing to a point where it can be driven with a joystick.

[Ian Curtis]

Originally Posted by Ryank

I admit we are a rookie team, so this is a probably a stupid mistake. That said, we have just assembled our kit-bot (a base robot with two victors with which to test things out and get used to wiring the electrical system, etc.) and everything works great. Battery blinks green, program function works, radio modem is solid orange, RC hardware blinks green, and RC mode is off. When putting in the modem (yes, into the radio port) and hooking up the OI with the transmitter, the trasmitter says transmitting but the reciever or modem on the robot just says "ready" and periodically blinks to receiving. The OI also says no data/radio. We have downloaded and installed the ifi_frc_beta_3[3] code to the robot controller and from what we can see it wrote (programm was oragne then finished and is now green). Any help? We just want to get this thing to a point where it can be driven with a joystick.

I'm not sure if this is required the first time you set it up, but I know it is to change channels, so I'd assume it would be for this too. In the kit you recieved a red tether cable. Plug this into the slots that say tether on both the OI and RC. Then hit robot reset. Unplug, and have fun with the radios. Also, it's probably worth it to set your team number into the dipswitches on the OI, as you'll need to do that before the competition.

[caraddicted101]

I would tether the robot to the OI and reset everything, turn it all off, then on again while still tethered. Then unplug the tether that that might solve the problem. I have had this problem many times before that this seemed to solve it most of the time.

-Hope this helps.

[Bob Steele]

The other posts pretty much have this covered.
The first time you set up you need to have the OI tethered to the RI.
It allows the proper exchange of information. Actually just follow the directions in the Innovation FIRST documentation. On page 13 of the Operator Interface instructions it explains that you must tether the OI to the RI for the RI to get the team number. If you don't the RI cannot recognize the signal that it receives from the OI on the radio. You set your team number (in binary) on your OI first and then tether it up... it will then take this info and store it on the EEPROM in the OI. If you ever want to change the Team Number you just re-tether it up and it will take the new number.

One thing to remember...if you ever let any other team tether their OI to your robot you will HAVE to retether your OI in order to reestablish the proper ID number.

good luck!!!
I think everyone gets around to asking this question at some time.