[BB] Bill's Blog 11-22-11

[Hallry]

Source: http://frcdirector.blogspot.com/2011...ugh-woods.html

Over the River and Through the Woods

Good Afternoon Teams,

I’ll be headed to Pennsylvania tomorrow, so this week’s blog is a day early.

NASA has posted the list of teams receiving 2012 participation grants.

A lot of important deadlines are coming up.

Dec 1st - Initial, 2nd and Unrestricted Regional Event registration, 1st & 2nd Qualifying Event registration, and Championship Registration closes. We have 2260 registered FRC teams as of this morning and spaces at some events is getting tight. If you know of a team that plans to join us this coming season, encourage them to register soon.

Dec 2nd – Initial Regional and 1st & 2nd Qualifying Event registration payment due.
Dec 2nd – Kickoff Registration closes. (Manchester workshop registration remains open until 12/16.) I’m surprised that 224 teams have not yet indicated in TIMS how they want to receive their kit of parts. Kickoffs are filling up. Register soon.
Dec 2nd – Request for Bag & Tag Exemption due. (Remember , Bag & Tag means you transport your robot to the event yourself.) Details can be found in the Robot Transportation section of the 2012 Administrative Manual

Dec 3rd – Surrogate kit pickup paperwork due. Details are located on the bottom of the 2012 Local Kickoff Information page.

Dec 8th – Safety Animation submission due. Contest Announcement is located on the Safety Page


And as if the 2nd of December isn’t busy enough already, I’ve been asked to moderate deliver opening remarks and moderate a panel at the Future of Robotics Summit sponsored by the Mass Technology Leadership Council.

Two things to think about over the long holiday weekend:

Teams will not be restricted to using the Classmate as their Driver Station as long as certain criteria are met and all relevant rules are followed. More details to follow in the 2012 Game Manual when it is released.

Software for 2012 is currently under development. Teams may purchase the new cRIO-FRCII now and get it physically installed and wired into a test platform, but you won’t be able to program it until after kickoff.

I hope you have a safe and happy weekend.

46 days until Kickoff
See you then!