I just received a frantic phone call from a Coach (mom of one of the kids) of a new FLL Team. There was another coach on the team that had the FLL technical knowledge but she just told them she can’t be their coach anymore. Problem, their competition is this Saturday, Nov. 21, and they can’t figure out the sensors, this is the only thing missing that will prevent them from having a working bot on Saturday. Danelle said the bot is built, programming is done, but the bot is only doing half of it because the kids can’t figure out the sensors.
I told Danelle that in the spirit of FIRST, I’d try to get someone that could call into her meeting today to help talk the kids through this problem. Meeting time, today, Monday 11/16: 3:30pm - 6pm Denver, Mountain Time.
It’s been a while since I’ve done FLL, and I’ve never had the chance to work with the EV3s before, but I might know enough to be of help. If you have any questions that you want to post here, I’d be happy to try and help as best I can. I’m going to try to contact my school’s FLL team coach to see if our FLL teams can help out.
Is there something wrong with the sensors? What type of sensors are you using? Is it a prior working but now not working issue, has something changed? or do they just need sensor programming help? Also, are you using the original NXT mindstorms programming software or the EV3 software?
I spoke to Trisha Fisher, and she re-directed me to their coach… but the coach did not answer. If you see this please call me back! Would love to help!!
Where in Denver are they located? I know of a few coaches in the Denver area that might be able to help if a hands-on approach would be better. feel free to have them email me at Debbie@highlandersfrc.com I can also offer up some of my team members as assistance…a few of them are coaching an FLL team this year.
Thank you so much for all your assistance! I’m sure there must be a way for me to reply to each individual message, but I don’t know how. So, I’ll reply to each of you in this message.
Hector, thanks for replying. I’ll email her the links you provided. Also, thanks for checking with your school’s FLL coaches. If it’s no trouble, you could give them my email (ctbaef@gmail.com) and I’ll connect them to her by email so she can contact them if she still has questions. Thank you so much!!
Clayton, thanks for replying. I’m sorry but I don’t know any of your questions. I met this mom/coach at a DI (Destination Imagination) training program and she said her son did FLL also. We chatted “robotics” and when she ran into this issue, she hoped I might be able to help her. I’m thrilled we have Chief Delphi and that so many people replied. FIRST is awesome!
Owen, thanks for calling me today. I don’t know why she didn’t answer her phone, but I called her after her meeting and she said had a new number that called into her phone, I’m sure it was you. I believe she is going to call you back, hopefully tomorrow. They are having practice Wed and Fri from 3:30 to 6pm. That would be wonderful if you’d be able to teleconference or use Team Viewer or some other meeting program to look at their program. I’m not sure if it’s a programming or a build issue. Thank you so much!
Debbie, thank you for replying. If you have someone that can go to one of their last two meetings, I’m sure that would be very appreciative. Hopefully Owen will be able to meet with them by phone, but hands on would be very helpful as well. They are about 1.5 hrs from you though so I’m not sure it’s possible. Their last two meetings are Wed and Fri from 3:30 to 6pm. I’ll email you their mom/coach’s number so you can get in touch with her.
Thank you so much!!! I can’t wait until Jan 9th… feels strange to have kickoff so late.