I think it’ll be great.
Team 245 is coming in from Michigan again.
Please Note:
Will there be a practice field at this regional?
Yes
Team 1147 have volunteered our practice field for use at the Regional. I’m not certain where it will be set up yet, but we will have it there.
We may have one issue to resolve. While the field was set up at the school, my personal +12vdc power supply to run the Vision Target “grew legs”, if you know what I mean. :mad: We may need to find an alternative power source.
It can be run off a standard battery that even we could give you.
Great to hear, will it have a carpet?
Yep, I thought about that, in fact, until I brouht my supply to the school, that is how we ran it. My only concern is that a battery will only run the light for so long. I don’t want to keep running new batteries over to the field every couple hours. I want it to run continuously from 8:00-18:00 every day without messin’ with it. Thanks for the offer, we may end up taking you up on it.
I knew someone would ask that question. I “think” the answer is yes.
EDIT:
Carpet is verified, provided by FIRST.
2nd note. YEHAAAAA!!! One of the students, in an attempt to be helpful, had removed the power supply and placed it back in the classroom. The problem is, he just forgot to mention it. :o So, the power supply is not an issue either! 
I know FSN is going to be set up and functional at Davis.
Is anyone planning on using STAMP instead?
Team 1671 was also panning to do FSN. We’re still deciding on STAMP
I have the server loaded with with FSN and all 40 teams added to it already. I still need to add the matches, but I can’t do that until they are set at the competition.
I can provide the WiFi as well. All I really need is scouts and laptops. I will have paper scouting forms as well in case the range of the router doesn’t quite reach all areas. Both the Team and Match scouting forms will be available in both printed and electronic forms.
I am not familiar with STAMP other than I have heard it exists. I have no problem at all having both at this comp. I think it would be great to compare them side by side. I just hope there are enough volunteers to do both.
BRt1671 also has 2 routers for wireless internet access, so maybe we can boost the signal with multiple routers. Anyways, how are you going to power ur laptops at the stands, long, veyr long externsion cords to the pit? we have people with six laptops also hopefully. we just dont’ have enough battery. i don’t remember a power outlet in the stands last year. any ideas? If you guys do STAMP, they we can have some people to voluneteer maybe. We’re having problems with the number of people scouting though.
In the last week I have learned quite a bit about the operation of FSN. Currently, keeping your laptops running in the stands is not necessary. The way it will/should work is (this is optimal, but can be done other ways):
- Six people are assigned to scout for any given match. One for each bot on the floor.
- Data for that match is collected on paper forms, or can be collected electronically on the same forms and saved with a different file name for each match (you make the call).
- During a break, end of scouting shift, lunch or when ever works best, all the data from the forms is entered into the database on the server. Six match sheet, one per team, is compiled into a single entry in the “Match Data” on the server. This is the only time that the laptop, PC, PDA need to be booted and on line. This can be done wirelessly or connected, it will depend on the equipment available.
The biggest problem at the SVR was there were not too many people wanting to help collect scouting data. So, 971 asked the different teams that ran their own scouting processes if they would share their data, it appeared to help out a lot. Hopefully we can have enough scouts to make this work, if not, we can always ask other teams to share. We really need six people for each match, one to observer each bot, anything less will be very difficult to do.
Depending on which router you have, we might be able to set them up as repeaters, but this is usually reserved for Wireless Access Points. Wireless Routers don’t usually support that configuration.
MadTown Robotics will definetly contribute at least one person to scout each match.
So will there be basically a FSN scouting team that will be comprised of six people (sometimes from different teams) who will take down data which will be given to a “scouting leader” to upload to the server?
That seems to be the way things will run. I don’t want to ask people to collect data all day long, hopefully they can do it in shifts. The way you describe is pretty accurate. The “scouting leader” can be anyone, from any team and any location. I will try to make a “kiosk” style access point at our pit as well, but wirelessly from the stands or the pit area will be just as easy.
That sounds good. Maybe on Thursday we can have a signup sheet put in your pit where teams can come sign scouting members up to scout each match and each robot for the following two days. That way we know everything is covered come friday morning.
Do the stats from thursday count too?
do you guys have a space to set up in? if you do not have this prearranged with FIRST, you will most likely have to use someone’s pit area.
Stats from Thursday have no bearing and therefore, will not be entered. Now considering Thursday is a “Practice day”, we can verify that the scouting process will work by collecting match stats and seeing if it makes sense, but not loading it into the database.
I have begun sign up and welcome sheets already. I have 150 (X2) match forms printed, that will cover 50 matches at 6 bots each. I will see if I can get more printed tomorrow. I also have 50 Team scouting forms. The team forms need to be completed Thursday and the data loaded. This will give practice for the data loading process as well.
Just like you did at SVR, we will have this in the corner of our pit unless we can make other arrangements.
Team 34 (from Alabama) is looking forward to attending the Davis Sacramento Regional. Unfortunately, we are not able to carry as much tooling and materials as we would like due to shipping and airline weight restrictions.
We’re hoping another gracious team will let us borrow a cordless drill long enough to uncrate our 'bot. 
We got you covered Ed - it is the least we could do for all the great 3-D models you’ve helped us out with!!
Do you guys all have aim, or something? maybe we could work something out. Anyways, we ruled out STAMP, and we’re just going to use the FSN. This year, we have 10 people on our scouting team with 6 people rotating every 3 hours or so except our webmasters(me and my friend!) will be there almost the whole time we are the camera men also. During the other free time, we’ll have the other 4 scouts go around personally and write down thier thoughts, and breif us at the end of the day. Anyways, c u guys in 3 days?
So Ed, are you going to be in Sacramento too, since it would like to thank you in person for all the great part models you have made over the years.
James
Yep, I’ll be there. I’ll be one of the inspectors on Thursday & Friday. I’m easy to spot because I always wear a Khaki Jungle Hat and I tend to hang around team 34’s pit.
Thanks to all of you in advance for your help & support. This is the first time our team has ever flown to a regional. See 'ya in a couple days.