[FTC]: Communication at World's

[JMT]

This will be my team's first year competion at World's, and my team and I were wondering how hard is it for an FTC team's drivers to communicate with their scouts? Some of my team members have long-range two-way radios and they thought that might be a possible way, but we weren't sure if that would be allowed. Thanks in advance for your advice!

[Rick TYler]

Originally Posted by JMT

Some of my team members have long-range two-way radios and they thought that might be a possible way, but we weren't sure if that would be allowed.

Radios aren't allowed at FIRST events because of the potential for interference with the game. I'm sure someone will pop up with the rule number soon enough. Cell phones are allowed, though, so start dialing!

[Lowfategg]

There is going to be a long walk from stands to pits. On the floor of the dome there is a wall between you and the stands which you can pass things down to your team members.

[astephen68]

Originally Posted by JMT

This will be my team's first year competion at World's, and my team and I were wondering how hard is it for an FTC team's drivers to communicate with their scouts? Some of my team members have long-range two-way radios and they thought that might be a possible way, but we weren't sure if that would be allowed. Thanks in advance for your advice!

There is no radios allowed because of interference and stuff and I think that depending where you sit it's a long way back to the pits so if you were to communicate something try cell phones. I think that is the most logical way to communicate unless you walk back to the pits

[Billfred]

Originally Posted by Rick TYler

Radios aren't allowed at FIRST events because of the potential for interference with the game. I'm sure someone will pop up with the rule number soon enough. Cell phones are allowed, though, so start dialing!

Last year, while talking with M. Krass near her team's pit, I noticed several members of their pit crew texting scouting information back and forth with the group in the stands. It was, quite possibly, the first time I'd considered text messaging to be the preferable means of communication.

[gdo]

Text messaging was a very common things I've seen at the internationals. My team has always had decent cell reception at the Georgia Dome, but don't always think you will have cell reception.

Something I saw also was Wireless cards from Verizon and other cell providers to do IM between teams, but this was more common from FRC teams.

Something else that works is to have 1 guy near the edge of the field so that they can pass sheets of data or a thumb drive to another member on the team on their way back to the pits.

I've seen all three systems, we've normally done the 1st and 3rd systems with varrying success. You will have to find the right system for yourself, but often passing paper or a flashdrive to your team as they walk by is one of the best ways we've found over the years if you don't get the cell reception.