New Products - December 2021 (Portable Competition Field)

[Milo]

Most likey
20 charac

[sankeydd]

@Connor-91917B

Will these be tournament legal?

[Jobe]

@DRow

One other thing that I’d like to note now, there is a chance that the Portable Field Perimeter will be used on practice / skills / division / dome fields at the VEX Robotics World Championships, so teams should prepare for this possibility. We will of course provide you all with an update when we know more.

Given @DRow ’s statement above. I would expect these to be phased in as the standard.

[wdr_mentor]

I’d hope they don’t become standard because steel field perimeters last a very long time having seen some from 2009 still in use today. Willing to bet $799.99 with DRow that a PVC portable competition field perimeter won’t last 12 years (that’s a for real bet too @DRow , one of us can collect in 2034 but preferably without inflation adjustment).

[RoboCatz]

Or at least have provisions set in place so that event partners can use which ever one they chose (while keeping in mind there could be some difference in programming accuracy depending on the type used, although this hasn’t been fully tested yet).

[holbrook]

@RoboCatz

Or at least have provisions set in place so that event partners can use which ever one they chose

@DRow

No need to worry for you Event Partners, as the original Field Perimeter will continue to be available for purchase. And just like with the introduction of Anti-Static Field Tiles, there will be no requirement to use the Portable Competition Field at your local competitions for the foreseeable future.

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@Jobe

Hopefully VEX will come out with a drive station mount for elevated fields for this one, rather than me taking pictures at worlds and coming back and duplicating something similar. So many events are on elevated fields these days it would just make sense.

Isn’t the standard “drive station mount for elevated fields” just to Velcro the alliance splitter to the outside of the perimeter? or am I misinterpreting what you mean?

[Jobe]

I designed a small sheet metal mount that attaches to the field modeled on the ones that are used at worlds. The electronics can be screwed or zip tied on to the bracket for a cleaner look and more stability than hook and loop. The brackets also act as a hook for the driver cables to keep the ends from being stepped on and broken.

I just know that with the shape of the extrusions, the current ones will not attach to the new perimeter.

[Foster]

@wdr_mentor

steel field perimeters last a very long time having seen some from 2009 still in use today.

2006 field checking in here! I’m guessing that they were built the same way as IFI racks are built.

Other than the light weight, not sure why teams would pick this. Using the Kloberg method, I can set the perimeter up/down in ~5-7 mins without using tools.

[Pat.Chet.02]

@Foster

Other than the light weight, not sure why teams would pick this.

There is also the GPS code printed right into them, so you don’t have so deal with the strips constantly falling off.

[lacsap]

@Pat.Chet.02

There is also the GPS code printed scratched up right into them, so you don’t have so deal with the strips constantly falling off. but will have to hope error correction in GPS code works.

FTFY

I am not sure GPS code printed is a feature - what if we find out that it was wrong approach? need to stick a new GPS code idea onto field? Do note that VAIC code strip was changed to new version relatively quickly… (with covid brain/time warp not sure how long ago )

[kmmohn]

@lacsap

stick a new GPS code

I think you nailed it…a feature of the new perimeter is a flat surface that possibly a pressure-sensitive-adhesive vinyl GPS strip could be permanently affixed (and replaced) easily on the new field perimeter.

That being said, my organization has six steel field perimeter that will hopefully be working for us another 20 years or more…

[Hudsonville_Robotics]

It would be nice to have a retrofit kit for the GPS strips and the straps to keep the field square.

@kmmohn

pressure-sensitive-adhesive vinyl GPS strip

I have a large format printer and I was thinking that a 48" x 2" magnetic vinyl strip may be a decent solution. Similar to the magnet signs they use on a vehicles. Twelve strips would complete a field and it could probably take quite a bit of abuse from a robot.

[Droideka]

This is sick! Cannot wait to see it in person!

[iceskier]

I miss the Kloberg method. I stopped using it when I got a 12 foot trailer that could leave wall segments together.

[meepmeepme]

Ootl here, what’s the kloberg method?

E: VRC Field Storage - #8 by Foster

Any updates to this method Foster?

[Foster]

No, that’s pretty much it. In years that there is something in the corner (like last years game) it works. I have my fields set that way since the corners are open.

Kloberg = Paul Kloberg from NJ. I met him as a FIRST-FRC robotics person and then for FVC (early years). And then not so much after the schism. He used to run FVC events at the same time as the FRC events.