Wireless Networks at Competitions

[EHaskins]

Originally Posted by Richard McClellan

According to Bill Miller, Director of FRC, at the Mentor Q&A during this year's Championship, they would be policing the air waves with some powerful tracking system that would allow identification of a wireless router or something in a team's pit. I'm not exactly sure of the details, but it sounds like it will be enforced.

They may be able to control the networks within the competition venue, but there is no way they could restrict networks in the surounding area. I know that at the Milwakuee regional I was able to detect 5 to 15 non-team networks at any time, depending where I was in the venue.

Even if they did somehow manage to eliminate ALL team networks (which will not happen*) and all of the non-first related networks, they would still have issues with other 2.4ghz devices.

As I said before, if the new system can not handle other devices operating in the same band, then, no matter what rules they put in place, the system should not be used. Especially when the band they're using is so heavily occupied.

* Not all teams read the rules thoroughly. Some people will break the rules without even knowing it.