Uncrating Wed. night - unload pit stuff?

[Don Wright]

I have searched and can't find anything, but sorry if I missed it...

We've never made it to ATL to uncrate Wed. night so this experience is new to us.

I assume that this uncrating procedure is similiar to the early entry by three members with only what they need to uncrate the robot at regionals. That we can't bring our toolboxes and other pit stuff in Wed. night to set up before Thursday...

Is my assumption incorrect or are we allowed to bring in our toolboxes, battery cart and some other big items to lessen the burden Thursday morning?

[Pjohn1959]

We are in the same boat, and wondering the exact same thing. It sure would help if we could drop off our 'stuff' Wed. and then set up on Thursday.

[DUCKIE]

I am not sure, but I believe that on Wed. night you ARE allowed to bring in any toolboxes or pit tables... but you CAN NOT set them up. Just bring them in.

The only work you CAN do Wed. night is un-crate the bot and arrange to get the crate moved to the storage area.

[GaryVoshol]

If I recall correctly, in the past you were allowed to bring in whatever stuff the 3 people could carry in one trip. No multiple entry and exit. No matter how much you can bring in, the only thing you can do is uncrate the rogot. You cannot start assembling pit displays or do any work on the robot.

Uncrate teams must be allowed to bring in some things - for example you need tools and safety glasses to uncrate. The question is how much is allowed. The "detailed schedule" is not up yet on the FIRST site - I suspect they're still finalizing location details based on the tornado cleanup. That schedule may tell more about uncrating teams.

[Teched3]

You can go to this link in the Competition Manual for a start. See Sections 3.6.3.1 and 3.7.

http://www.usfirst.org/uploadedFiles...vents-RevC.pdf

They have allowed teams to register to avoid the crush on Thurs. They have allowed you to bring in one or two? carts of your pit materials on Wed night in the past. It will probalby come out in the Detailed Agenda when they announce the Divisions at Championship. They want you to wear safety glasses and gloves, and not to set up your pit area. Only uncrate the robot. Implicit in that is that your pit materials will be stored there until the pits open on Thurs. Hope this helps!

Yes, you can put your batteries on charge as well (Sect. 3.6.2.3). None of us know until Thurs morning what our practice times are. you can also register your team during that time to avoid the Thursday crush.

[Alan Anderson]

Section 3.7 doesn't seem to mention it, but Section 3.6.3.2 indicates that you're allowed to start charging your batteries as well.

[Dancin103]

Last year, if I remember correctly, we could bring in our tools and cart. Uncrate the robot and not touch it, and then leave. So its kind of like thursday morning with the three people just going into uncrate and then wait for the doors to open for the rest of the team members waiting.

[Don Wright]

Even if it's one trip for three people and we can get our battery cart in and charging, and our toolbox, and some one other large thing, that would make Thursday morning sooooo much better.

I hope thats the case.

[Brandon Holley]

From my past experience:

You ARE allowed to bring in your tools/toolboxes etc.
You ARE allowed to "arrange" your pit (not unpack your tools and what not, just get your table in its place, put your toolboxes where they are going to go)
You ARE allowed to take the robot out of the box.
You ARE allowed to charge your batteries.
You ARE NOT allowed to work on the robot by any means.
You ARE NOT allowed to setup any kind of pit display.

It is a courtesy to allow teams to come in thursday morning and get cracking right away. They are expecting teams to do the GP thing and uncrate their robot and comeback the next morning ready to work.

[ChrisH]

Originally Posted by Brandon Holley

It is a courtesy to allow teams to come in thursday morning and get cracking right away. They are expecting teams to do the GP thing and uncrate their robot and comeback the next morning ready to work.

Actually, it is to get as many of the crates out of the way as possible. Moving the crates always a huge problem before they started letting in the "advance teams". It would be very difficult to even get to your pit first thing in the morning due to the crowds and then the moving people had to fight their way through the mess with these large objects on pallet jacks. They could barely move without running somebody over. This was especially true in the "Disney Days". I like this method much better.

[TKM.368]

After a bit of searching last night, I was finally able to find the Championship Essential Information for 2007. Note the Load In/Load Out and the Registration and Uncrating sections.

It also has a lot of other useful information for teams that have not been to the Championships before. I'm sure the 2008 version will be available in just a few days.

[Brandon Holley]

Originally Posted by ChrisH

Actually, it is to get as many of the crates out of the way as possible. Moving the crates always a huge problem before they started letting in the "advance teams". It would be very difficult to even get to your pit first thing in the morning due to the crowds and then the moving people had to fight their way through the mess with these large objects on pallet jacks. They could barely move without running somebody over. This was especially true in the "Disney Days". I like this method much better.

Believe me, I was around in those days too, and i know what you are saying

My point was that it is a privilege to be in there on wednesday night so teams should just uncrate, get neat, and get out...not try and bend the rules to do some random task.

[artdutra04]

Last year while in Atlanta, I volunteered on most of Wednesday working in the pits, distributing tee shirts and the posters, as well as acting as one of the "bouncers" making sure teams only brought in three members to uncrate, and they all had safety glasses.

So coming from a volunteer, here's several things that will make everyone's lives easier:

• You need a wristband to enter the pits on Wednesday. These are available at the registration tables in the lobby of the GWCC.
• Please keep everything - all totes, carts, etc. - on the plastic when rolling it through the GWCC lobby. This does not come from FIRST, but from GWCC staff who are very protective of the carpeting.
• Please have your safety glasses on and ready to go.
• When you leave the pits, you need to have your wristband cut off; to keep everything moving quick please don't but them on tight.
• And last, but certainly not least, please do not work on your robot or try to sneak more team members in through other entrances. I lost a LOT of respect for a very well known/successful FRC team last year when I found they had snuck nearly twenty team members (mentors and students) into the pits and were beginning to work on their robot on Wednesday.

If everyone can abide by these simple rules, everything will go much quicker and smoother on Wednesday evening, and we will all be able to get on with getting dinner/sleeping/strategizing/exploring Atlanta/playing Rock Band/trying to get one more Webhug ticket/having a good time.

[Chris Fultz]

i was told you could only carry in what you need to open your crate,
then unack the crate, plug in batteries, and leave.

i have posted the question in the FIRST Q+A so we can get a final answer.

[Brandon Holley]

Originally Posted by Chris Fultz

i was told you could only carry in what you need to open your crate,
then unack the crate, plug in batteries, and leave.

i have posted the question in the FIRST Q+A so we can get a final answer.

Like I said from MY PAST EXPERIENCE, you could bring in all of your stuff

I do not know if it will change this year or not, but it seems to me like that would not be advantageous because it clears a lot of "traffic" out of the way that shows up on thursday morning.