CCHS Robotics Club Posts

2023 Week 1 Newsletter: 1/7/23 – 1/14/23

This week has marked the start of Team 702’s 23rd competition season beginning with Kickoff at Da Vinci High School, where we watched this year’s game reveal, where we strategized and discussed the game, hosted by FRC team 4201. Then we went back to our room, and worked with our team to discuss possible plans for 2023’s challenge.

On January 8th, we hosted a strategy session with teams 1197; Torbots, 1452; Omnicats, and 6000, Firehawks to discuss and plan our solutions to this year’s game. We broke down all of the scoring methods, how the game will play, and various strategies to be able to find success in the 2023 challenge. We then discussed what we would build as a solution to the game and what goals we are trying to achieve. 

On January 14th, we held our competition test for students to earn eligibility to go to competition, based around game knowledge, safety, and positive behaviour for competition.

We are rapidly approaching the 2023 build season, which starts on January 7, 2023.  Our season kickoff will take place from 12noon-5pm on Saturday, January 7th, 2023.

We have a few things we need from you before the build season starts. 

On Saturday November 13, six team members attended the unveiling of the Ferris wheel at the Long Beach Aquarium. Thanks to Coach Singer, we met many of the staff and had a personal tour of the entire aquarium. The staff were amazed at how well it was built and ready for the birds to enjoy.

 

Office A is changing! The old mill has been moved, and the old location cleaned up, sanded and clear-coated in anticipation of the new mill arriving on Tuesday. The windows and walls have been cleaned and the paint given a new fresh coat. Bennett, Adam and Devansh took charge of making this happen. 

After months of COVID related delays, we finally completed the installation of our new tool  rack that our team captain Miro Garrett built as his Eagle Scout project. The rack holds our drills and other hand tools, along with the custom built table below for additional storage. Looks great, works well and helps us keep office C organized.

Thanks to the Culver City Education Foundation, we are getting a new milling machine. Delivery is scheduled for next week, and we have office A all ready to go. The old mill will move to the back benchtop, which the team built this past Wednesday. The new mill will replace the old one, so soon we will have 2!

 

At our team meetings on Mondays and Wednesday after school, we are working on several projects to teach build skills in preparation for our competition season. The bird feeder Ferris Wheel project for the Long Beach Aquarium is making good progress, with the prototype completed and metal final version underway. The drive base project is coming along where team members are assembling a kit drive base. Programming working on Java coding skills. Coming up are the Rose Parade robot float project and driver’s station build projects.   

 

We had our first robotics meeting in 17 months yesterday, with returning team members and around a dozen new faces. Following a quick review of what the team is up to, members sorted through the electronics and supply cabinets, the cave and back offices. We got a good sense of what we have to work with and organized some of the supplies and tools. We also took apart the last remnants of the 2019 field pieces.

FIRST is in a challenging position regarding regionals and COVID. We continue to look at options for the team (diversification of projects) and keeping an eye on competition news. Latest as of today is we have an extra month to decide on where to sign up for our first competition.

Team meeting days are Mondays and Wednesday aftyer school until around 5 PM.
Coach Stout

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