Hi we are from CHAMPS Charter High School Robotics Academy and we are in preparation for our next vex(ELEVATION)competition. We thought we had ordered new vex kits for the competition but when the shipment arrived we received the TETREX/NXT platform. Is TETREX/NXT the kit we are supposed to use for the Elevation competition? Can we combine TETREX/NXT with VEX? Or can we use the old vex kit in the 2008 competition? If we use the old vex kit are there any new parts we need to buy? We are really really confused and frustrated and we don’t know who to ask for help. Should we return the TETREX/NXT kit? Are we even supposed to use the NXT? We think we ordered everything wrong. Please, please, please help us.
Champs Robotic Academy. 
Hi we are from CHAMPS Charter High School Robotics Academy and we are in preparation for our next vex(ELEVATION)competition. We thought we had ordered new vex kits for the competition but when the shipment arrived we received the TETREX/NXT platform. Is TETREX/NXT the kit we are supposed to use for the Elevation competition? Can we combine TETREX/NXT with VEX? Or can we use the old vex kit in the 2008 competition? If we use the old vex kit are there any new parts we need to buy? We are really really confused and frustrated and we don’t know who to ask for help. Should we return the TETREX/NXT kit? Are we even supposed to use the NXT? We think we ordered everything wrong. Please, please, please help us.
Champs Robotic Academy.
Spurflies, I am assuming that the TETREX/NXT set you’re talking about is the TETRIX Robotic base set from Pitsco that sells for $399. If not, please correct me.
This year, there are 2 separate competitions run under 2 separate “administrations” to take the place of last year’s one:
Option 1: Vex Robotics Challenge (VRC)
Registration fee: $75/team
This uses Vex kits, and you can use your old Vex equipment here.
If you plan to go the VRC route ONLY, Tetrix/NXT kits are unusable for the competition; you probably want to return them.
Option 2: FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC)
Registration fee: $275/team
In addition to the registration fee, there is a kit sold for $900 (or at a discount for $450). If you have this kit, you must have paid the registration fee already and enrolled in the FTC competition, since these kits can only be bought by FTC registrants.
The $399 TETRIX parts are compatible with the FTC kit, but they are an add-on, not a substitute for the kit. Also, it has not been announced if and which extra TETRIX parts will be allowed. This information will probably available Sept. 13 when the FTC Challenge Kickoff occurs.
we are still a little confused. We ordered a $900 kit(FTC) that we thought was for the vex Elevation competition but instead we got the TETRIX kit which included NXT mindstorm. Should we return these? We are only interested in the Elevation competition. If we are using the old vex kits are there any new parts we need to purchase( wifi, controllers, transmitters etc.) ?
Yes!! If you want to do the Elevation competition, you need the Vex Kits, not the TETRIX kit.
Last Year, Vex Kits were used for FTC, this year TETRIX Kits are used for FTC.
If you bought the the $900 kit, then ur signed up for the wrong competition. CONGRATULATIONS AND WELCOME TO FTC!!!.
For more resources and other things, visit www.ftc.theroboticsuniverse.com.
FTC is another great program.
BUT, FYI. If you wanna do elevation, ur in the wrong competition.
Elevation is for VRC, and u’ll need totally different part, no assimilation here. :D.
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No you can not use the Tetrex/NXT kit for the Vex Elevation Competition. How you received this order i do not know… that kit is for the FIRST competition.
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As long as the parts are from vexlabs.com and are legal in the rules you can use them for your robot.
Technic-R-C
Contact your area’s FTC Affiliate Partner and see if you can cut a deal with them or with some other team. You could also advertise in a forum like Chief Delphi.
If you also paid a $275 fee to register as an FTC team (and I presume you did in order to get the $900/450 Tetrix kit) perhaps your AP or FIRST can make arrangements to credit some other new team (or your adults can stop coaching that team # and some other adults (anywhere on the planet) can start coaching that team #) using your fee and the other team can reimburse you.
The parts in the Tetrix kit are not allowed in Elevation competitions. VRC Elevation entrants may use any Vex part. They may not use other parts from other sources.
If I remember correctly, you should be able to show up with the equipment you used last year and be able to compete throughout the entire 08/09 season. By the end of this season, if testing shows that the WiFi system is ready, IFI intends to use it in some tournaments. Arrangements will be made at those tournaments so that everyone can play.
About deciding if you want/need any other parts… Just scan the announcements on the VexLabs web site and see what floats your boat. Maybe pneumatics, maybe one of the new hinge kits, maybe RobotC, maybe something else…
Sound good?
Blake
I merged these two threads into one, so the “chain of discussion” may seem a little weird.
-John