Just out of curiosity, assuming teams make the microphone shot, how does field reset get the notes off? Or worse, the shot misses, and sits on the shield up top. Would they play the match with the note stranded there? You would have to clear the note 8’ 6.25" up to get it off the post. (7’ 4.25" + 1’ in mic length + 2" for the width of note)
Are we bringing a ladder out each match to get these notes off?
The top of the microphone is 7’4.25”, which is within reach of a reasonably tall person (source: I’m 6’0’ and can easily remove the note from our practice microphone). I would guess they’ll just make sure there’s a tall enough volunteer and a stepstool just in case the note gets stuck somewhere.
Wonder if there’s any 2010 Tridents still around.
Serious comment, in 2005, we used a hockey stick as our intake mechanism for the tetras. The blades have some flex to them, we just had to pivot it up/down 90* to hook inside them.
Thank Andy Baker for that design.
And this is another time I need to learn to read, the rules say the top part is 7’4.25". I read it as that was the top of the tower. You are right, at 6’, I could probably reach that, and the note will probably sag off the side too, fairly easy for a tall person to get. The notes on the top of shield on the tower might be a problem, but we can bring our hockey sticks to get them off. 
The bottom of the microphone is at 6 feet 2 inches, the top at 7 two inches. It will require a field reset person about 5’ 7" or taller to be able to grasp, grab, or otherwise attach to the ring and rotate it over the top of the microphone.
might just keep a step latter nearby,
or, hear me out, if the chain is preped to hold 3 robots, maybe someone could stand on that, and lean on the stage
No, FIRST hasn’t allowed field staff to climb on the field elements more than a few inches off the carpet in many years. STRONGHOLD Defenses, pushing down the charging station OK, but I can’t see them allowing standing on the chain.
Any field staff of around 6’ should be able to grab and remove Notes from Microphones with ease.
It’s the Notes stuck on top of the Stage that will need a reach arm.
I’m just over 5’ 4", and can remove the notes from our microphone without too much difficulty, so I don’t see it being an issue.
Yeah, fair.
Are we bringing a ladder out each match to get these notes off?
No
maybe someone could stand on that, and lean on the stage
100% No. No climbing on the Truss or Chain.
Currently, our plan is exactly like what Doug described. A tall-ish member of field reset will just be reaching up and removing the ring from the MICROPHONE.
For NOTES that are stuck on the polycarb between the 3 MICROPHONEs, we plan on telling events to basically have the tallest person on the FIELD STAFF grab/push/wrangle the NOTE. The polycarb just rests on top of pins through the MICROPHONE, so it can be pushed/tilted up, which allows for someone to sort of jiggle the NOTE off the top if they can’t reach and grab it.
Maybe if another field reset volunteer stood on the chain with the first, the ensemble could free the note.
Just going to point out that last weekend at our field setup in the Duluth East high school the 5’ 5" human player was perfectly able to remove a note from the microphone.
Field reset will need a pushing stick of some sort to deal with notes that land on the top of the stage in the center of the microphones though.
