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Robowars Nationals - 19th-21st August - Canberra
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marto
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Joined: 08 Jul 2004
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Location: Brisbane, QLD


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I would strongly recommend using a standard transmitter setup over the Nordic modules. They have a range of about 50m compared to about 1km for standard remotes unless you have amplifiers and good antennas. Not tested personally just from internet.

This seems fine until you put everything in a noisy environment with lots of metal and other transmitters. There is nothing more disappointing than watching your robot sit still.

If you want to integrate it with the arduino stuff I would suggest one of these
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__62716__Turnigy_DSSS_2_4Ghz_Transmitter_Module_For_9XR_9XR_Pro_JR_Configuration_.html
which works with
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__12901__Hobby_King_2_4Ghz_Receiver_6Ch_V2.html

Also remember any system will need to pass tests to ensure it correctly failsafes.

Steve
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Post Wed Jul 13, 2016 3:33 pm 
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Spockie-Tech
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Joined: 31 May 2004
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Location: Melbourne, Australia


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Ditto what Steve said.

Im an Electronic Engineer, ESC designer (as is Steve), and been doing Robots for 10 years. I know a bit about making electronics survive in the field instead of on the bench .

If this is your first combat bot, keep the control system as *dirt-simple as possible.

You will have plenty to keep you busy without trying to debug code, troubleshoot custom RF links, and repair damage caused by your bot sitting still while getting beaten up.

Making a Microcontroller+Radio gadget work in a combat environment is *nothing like making it work on your bench.

When you have featherweight sized motors straining away at near stall in a pushing match, sucking 100+amps, sparking brushes, pulsating (PWM) super strong magnetic fields, battery supply voltage brownout sagging under load, back EMF spikes and bits of metal crashing into each other, the Electrical environment is unbelievably hostile to delicate 3.3/5v high impedance circuitry. And thats assuming there are no design flaws or bugs on your part.

If you have weeks or months to play with, test and debug your control system because *everything else on your bot is done and ready, *then consider rolling a custom control system. But first apply to the guiness book of records for the first novice bot builder in the world who doesn't still have "a few small things" left to do while they are setting up in the pits.

Unless of course, you *want to be canon fodder, in which case, let the E.O. know so he can work on the assumption that you will be pulling out after match #1.

Seriously, like I have often said in other posts, if you dont have time to run at least 3 or 4 *full charged-to-flat driving practice sessions on your bot 2 or 3 weeks before the event, then you *arent prepared anywhere near enough.

Focus first on getting your bot driving reliably, add bells and whistles later.
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Post Wed Jul 13, 2016 10:34 pm 
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DumHed
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Joined: 29 Jun 2004
Posts: 1219
Location: Sydney


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I did my own control system once.
It wasn't as fancy as the sort of 2.4GHz gear that's available these days, but it had a lot of error checking and filtering on the signals.
On the bench, at home, and in the pits it worked flawlessly. Not a single glitch, misfire, or missing command.

As soon as I put it in the arena the robot just sat there jittering and wouldn't respond to control at all!


If you're keen to do your own control system, I'd build it in parallel with a normal RC setup so you can swap it in and test it when you get a chance.

RC gear is so cheap these days that it's really hard to justify using anything else.
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Post Thu Jul 14, 2016 10:07 am 
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Ben(SA)



Joined: 22 Dec 2015
Posts: 35
Location: Adelaide, SA


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Hi All

Thanks for the advice!
I guess I wasnt really thinking of the difficulty of scaling my current system (running in ants) up to the feather weight class.

This is going to be a big leap and for now simple is going to be better. I do like the idea of a hot swap-able control system but I'll work on the conventional method first and get it working.

I have a feeling that weather I want to or not I am going to be canon fodder but really that is the best way to learn.

For now I have a few bits and pieces to buy and a design to update

Post Thu Jul 14, 2016 11:52 am 
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Valen
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Joined: 07 Jul 2004
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Location: Sydney


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I built a radio around maxstream 900mhz 1W modules with an xbox and a laptop on the tx side, it worked fairly well and wasn't too hard (VB6 FTW!).

It is a job though, if building electronics and writing software is what you enjoy then it is a viable thing to do, I'd put the time requirement at about the same as building the robot. If you just want a working robot then get a hobby radio ;->

Your nordic modules probably aren't going to be too bad, it's been a while since I looked at their datasheets but I believe you can set them to operate without packet retry? You want to blast out packets of data at like 100hz, and hopefully get 6 or so per second into your bot, no data is better than old data. Having the radio module do all the validation and addressing makes things much easier these days, you can be sure if your micro receives a packet it's valid and meant for your robot. All that messing around with training headers and clock synchronisation can go jump lol.

Do you have any details on your current system?
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Post Fri Jul 15, 2016 9:36 am 
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Nick
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Shiny is now registered for the Featherweight competition - maybe its Whizzbee-proof this time.
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Post Sat Jul 16, 2016 6:19 pm 
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marto
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I have a list of all the people who have applied for sponsorship. Will let you know by the end of the week how we go.

Also coming accom recommendations and deals.

Steve
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Post Mon Jul 18, 2016 1:01 pm 
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Cpnwolfe



Joined: 29 May 2012
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Location: Rockhampton/qld


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i hope not gotta destroy something Razz
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Post Mon Jul 18, 2016 3:13 pm 
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marto
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So many bloody things to do. I got this done just now.


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Post Sat Jul 23, 2016 10:24 pm 
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Nick
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Joined: 16 Jun 2004
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Any word on the motel deal? The Ibis budget is closest place to the venue is also the cheapest, but its pretty basic, with no dining and limited (paid) internet access.
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Post Tue Jul 26, 2016 3:36 pm 
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marto
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We have some accommodation at ANU university house for the sponsored builders. But you can probably get something else reasonably priced around the place that is a bit nicer.

I like Little National ~ $140 rooms are small but nice. However it is on the other side of Canberra so you will need a car. (Don't worry about traffic, a traffic jam in Canberra is slowing down below 40km/hr)

Closer is Pavilion. Bit older but again reasonably nice.

QT is really nice in the city but probably a bit more expensive.

Hotel Hotel is also nice but I can't comment much more having never stayed there.

Also Realm but I have only ever ended up drinking there.

If you would like to book the Uni accom you should contact:
Michael.Zaja[at]anu.edu.au directly and say that it is in relation to Big Boys Toys Expo via Charles bishop. The rate is $120 per night room only with an additional $15pp for cooked breakfast. They only have twin bed rooms available.

Sponsored people should have been notified or will be soon. Thanks to everyone who applied sorry we can't fund you all but the decisions came down to who would best help us put on a show and attract attention.

Regards

Steve

Steve
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Post Tue Jul 26, 2016 9:36 pm 
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marto
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Location: Brisbane, QLD


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Just looking at my Accom.

https://www.kayak.com/horizon/sem/hotels/ads/132467?lang=en&utm_campaign=HotelAds&utm_content=localuniversal&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=google&utm_term=132467&checkin=2016-08-19&checkout=2016-08-21&rooms=1&guests=2&tax=13.88&price=152.88&pc=2&rt=321044&sid=sBAEC5Dl6x&kct=1469436145&gct=1469509076

That is stupidly cheap @ $70 a night but I can't actually work out how to book it.

Steve
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Post Tue Jul 26, 2016 9:55 pm 
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Nick
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I have stayed there before - its a good hotel. The price is sneaky though, its in US dollars so the real price is around $116 in Aussie pesos.
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Post Tue Jul 26, 2016 10:26 pm 
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Nick
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I managed to book in after scrolling and clicking thru several pointless pages.
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Post Tue Jul 26, 2016 10:38 pm 
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marto
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I just did it though booking.com Just over $500 for 4 nights so can't complain.
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Post Tue Jul 26, 2016 10:49 pm 
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