Posted by Rob DeCotiis at 2/2/2001 3:37 PM EST
Student on team #504, RoBUCtics, from Red Bank Regional High School and Jesel.
Are we allowed to use a 90 degree angle robot modem connector(a connector that allows the robot modem to be mounted vertically without having the control board mounted vertically as well)???
Posted by Matt Berube at 2/2/2001 3:41 PM EST
Engineer on team #49, Delphi Knights, from Buena Vista High School and Delphi Automotive.
In Reply to: 90 degree robot modem connector
Posted by Rob DeCotiis on 2/2/2001 3:37 PM EST:
: Are we allowed to use a 90 degree angle robot modem connector(a connector that allows the robot modem to be mounted vertically without having the control board mounted vertically as well)???
Posted by Rob DeCotiis at 2/2/2001 3:44 PM EST
Student on team #504, RoBUCtics, from Red Bank Regional High School and Jesel.
In Reply to: You mean a cable? :=p (EOM)
Posted by Matt Berube on 2/2/2001 3:41 PM EST:
it has to be a connector, we don’t have enough room to fit the modem in using a cable… any ideas if we can use one of these???
Posted by Joe Johnson at 2/2/2001 4:13 PM EST
Engineer on team #47, Chief Delphi, from Pontiac Central High School and Delphi Automotive Systems.
In Reply to: No, has to be a 90 degree connector… HELP!!!
Posted by Rob DeCotiis on 2/2/2001 3:44 PM EST:
Last year we had a loose connection on between the board and the radio connector. When we drove around the radio turned on and off intermitently due to the weight of the 9 pin cable end fitting. In order to isolate the board from these dynamic loads, we put a 6 inch ribbon cable between the RC and the FIRST supplied 9 pin cable.
FIRST made us remove it as an illegal electical device. We found another way around the problem (short of replacing our RC which was going to be a nightmare), but the bottom line is that FIRST did not allow us to use even a 6 inch ribbon cable for the purposes of reducing an intermitent radio problem. I suppose that a simple thing like no room will meet with equal sympathy.
Just my opinion.
Joe J.
P.S. Have you thought of using an exacto knife to carefully remove the blob of plastic they have encapsulated the 9 pin D-sub connector in? You may be able to liberate enough wire to make them bend in a small enough radius to address your needs. Try it, they are only a few bucks if you break the thing.
Posted by Rob DeCotiis at 2/2/2001 4:27 PM EST
Student on team #504, RoBUCtics, from Red Bank Regional High School and Jesel.
In Reply to: Last year they gigged us…
Posted by Joe Johnson on 2/2/2001 4:13 PM EST:
Posted by Anton Abaya at 2/3/2001 2:06 AM EST
Coach on team #419, Rambots, from UMass Boston / BC High and NONE AT THE MOMENT! :(.
In Reply to: we dont have any exacto knives(any other suggestions?)[eom]
Posted by Rob DeCotiis on 2/2/2001 4:27 PM EST:
they also come in handy in everything… they’re really just sharp knives that cut stuff with some eyeballed precision.
go to a local hardware store or even an art supply store. they should have it.
good luck.
-anton
Posted by Rob DeCotiis at 2/3/2001 12:00 PM EST
Student on team #504, RoBUCtics, from Red Bank Regional High School and Jesel.
In Reply to: yes go buy one…they’re just as cheap as the cables.
Posted by Anton Abaya on 2/3/2001 2:06 AM EST:
Posted by Anton Abaya at 2/3/2001 5:43 PM EST
Coach on team #419, Rambots, from UMass Boston / BC High and NONE AT THE MOMENT! :(.
In Reply to: Dude, IM JUST KIDDING!!![eom]
Posted by Rob DeCotiis on 2/3/2001 12:00 PM EST:
:
i thought i was the only ninny in here. whew.
Posted by Thomas A. Frank at 2/2/2001 4:37 PM EST
Engineer on team #121, The Islanders/Rhode Warrior, from Middletown (RI) High School and Naval Undersea Warfare Center.
In Reply to: Last year they gigged us…
Posted by Joe Johnson on 2/2/2001 4:13 PM EST:
: FIRST made us remove it as an illegal electical device. We found another way around the problem (short of replacing our RC which was going to be a nightmare), but the bottom line is that FIRST did not allow us to use even a 6 inch ribbon cable for the purposes of reducing an intermitent radio problem. I suppose that a simple thing like no room will meet with equal sympathy.
Hi Joe;
I spoke with Eric Rasmussen last Friday, to clarify something, and I think I’ll ask him to make it clear in a team update.
He assures me that according to the rules, we are allowed to use ANY electrical connector we chose, so long as the pins/wires are the right size for the application. So that which caused heartburn last year is apparently OK this year.
The reason I wish this clarified is because I’ve mounted my RC on a panel I wish to make removable, and plan on routing all the connections through one 54 pin MS (bendix) connector, so I don’t have to unplug all the PWM and Spike connections individually. So I really need to be sure
Tom Frank
Posted by Dave… at 2/2/2001 8:29 PM EST
Engineer on team #5, Robocards, from Melvindale, MI and AFL (Alcoa Fujikura Ltd).
In Reply to: Re: Last year they gigged us…
Posted by Thomas A. Frank on 2/2/2001 4:37 PM EST:
I agree. Having some difficulty finding the allowable use of DB15 solder cups (they were on the original AWL, but an update superceded the AWL and left them off), I too contacted Eric. He stated that in update #5 any off-the-shelf electrical component (wire, cable, connector) was allowed in order to connect I/O’s to the OI or RC.
Team Update #5 didn’t exactly state that, so hopefully in the next update.
For now, be assured that you may use purchased cables and ribbon cables.
Dave…
: : FIRST made us remove it as an illegal electical device. We found another way around the problem (short of replacing our RC which was going to be a nightmare), but the bottom line is that FIRST did not allow us to use even a 6 inch ribbon cable for the purposes of reducing an intermitent radio problem. I suppose that a simple thing like no room will meet with equal sympathy.
:
: Hi Joe;
: I spoke with Eric Rasmussen last Friday, to clarify something, and I think I’ll ask him to make it clear in a team update.
: He assures me that according to the rules, we are allowed to use ANY electrical connector we chose, so long as the pins/wires are the right size for the application. So that which caused heartburn last year is apparently OK this year.
: The reason I wish this clarified is because I’ve mounted my RC on a panel I wish to make removable, and plan on routing all the connections through one 54 pin MS (bendix) connector, so I don’t have to unplug all the PWM and Spike connections individually. So I really need to be sure
: Tom Frank
Posted by Gary at 2/3/2001 8:39 AM EST
Coach on team #236, Techno Ticks, from Lyme Old lyme High School and Millstone Nuclear Power Station.
In Reply to: Last year they gigged us…
Posted by Joe Johnson on 2/2/2001 4:13 PM EST:
: Last year we had a loose connection on between the board and the radio connector. When we drove around the radio turned on and off intermitently due to the weight of the 9 pin cable end fitting. In order to isolate the board from these dynamic loads, we put a 6 inch ribbon cable between the RC and the FIRST supplied 9 pin cable.
: FIRST made us remove it as an illegal electical device. We found another way around the problem (short of replacing our RC which was going to be a nightmare), but the bottom line is that FIRST did not allow us to use even a 6 inch ribbon cable for the purposes of reducing an intermitent radio problem. I suppose that a simple thing like no room will meet with equal sympathy.
: Just my opinion.
: Joe J.
: P.S. Have you thought of using an exacto knife to carefully remove the blob of plastic they have encapsulated the 9 pin D-sub connector in? You may be able to liberate enough wire to make them bend in a small enough radius to address your needs. Try it, they are only a few bucks if you break the thing.
One thing with any kind of inspection it’s like working with the Building Inspector, one comes to the house and every thing is fine. Then the other one comes and has you move every thing. This happened at the National “move the relays and cover them” so we did the next Inspector says why did you move them they looked fine!!
All this (I feel) is in Deans plan to ready our youth for the real world.