Sumo Bots B/C [Trial]

[Flavorflav]

Could anyone explain to me the different electrical parts of a sumo bot? Im really new to this and i have a good design in mind but i just need someone to explain to me everything ill need.

I do know what transmitter/receiver i want to buy, its a vex one...i found one of Ebay for 90 buck, 40 cheaper than on the vex site, and 4 crystals for 50 bucks on the vex site...

Thanks.

Check out Amazon.com - they have the crystal upgrade kit available for $18.28

If you're not in a hurry, try eBay. They used to be up all the time for $10.

[dresden729]

I'm new to this event and was wondering where I could get a cheap receiver/transmitter that fits the stupid rules of having 3 channels. I don't want to get ripped off by a website like vex and was hoping i could get it for under 30 buckeroonies.

[gh]

I doubt you can get any radio set for that little. I would definitely avoid Vex though; their pulse train encoding (among other parts, including mechanicals) is incompatible with any of the other manufacturers' encodings, so you're locked in to Vex products once you go down that route. Futaba, Hitec, and other big name brands are basically compatible with each other as long as you get the same sort of modulation (e.g. AM, FM, FSK, DSM, etc.) and frequency.

Lower-end manufacturers like GWS make compatible devices. I used my 6 channel GWS FM set (~$80 at the time; the 4 channel kit was ~$60) pretty happily until the transmitter was destroyed in an accident.

I'd recommend petitioning your team to invest in a better radio set with at least six channels, since you can and probably will use it for years to come in other robot events. My BattleBots friends tell me 2.4GHz DSM2 sets (with Spektrum receivers) are bulletproof to any sort of interference from WiFi or microwaves, and avoid having to swap channels using crystals.

[ichaelm]

Man, I wish we had funding for SO...

Usually, when we actually need to buy something, either we buy it ourselves, or get the coach to buy us the cheapest version that will still be effective for the event. We never really splurge on the really-awesome-and-convenient-and-expensive version though. They look so shiny though, compared to what I have now...

[new horizon]

We don't get funding either. It's something not many schools can do. But we should get funding, SO building events can get mad expensive.

[lllazar]

The thing i like about bridge/towers/balsa events in general being expensive is, im learning something with each structure i build, and it's honestly fun to build - Nothing is wasted. With this event, i may (probably will) end up spending more even and end up with parts that i can't for some reason use, or find out i could have spent way less...

The Solon Sumo bots team at nats spent 60 dollars for one pair of vex crystals when you can get a pair of crystals for 12 bucks or something...

[franklinknights]

The thing i like about bridge/towers/balsa events in general being expensive is, im learning something with each structure i build, and it's honestly fun to build - Nothing is wasted. With this event, i may (probably will) end up spending more even and end up with parts that i can't for some reason use, or find out i could have spent way less...

The Solon Sumo bots team at nats spent 60 dollars for one pair of vex crystals when you can get a pair of crystals for 12 bucks or something...

ya its explensive. too bad ve stopped their Xplorer

[lllazar]

The thing i like about bridge/towers/balsa events in general being expensive is, im learning something with each structure i build, and it's honestly fun to build - Nothing is wasted. With this event, i may (probably will) end up spending more even and end up with parts that i can't for some reason use, or find out i could have spent way less...

The Solon Sumo bots team at nats spent 60 dollars for one pair of vex crystals when you can get a pair of crystals for 12 bucks or something...

ya its explensive. too bad ve stopped their Xplorer

Dude the explorer is completely useless for sumo bots, an insignificant waste of money. Sumo bots is a lot simpler than you think.

(I can talk to him like that cause hes on my team)

[gh]

Well, you're also pointing out the cost of the event while commenting on the discontinuation of a Vex product. There's more than one axis of ironic beauty to that statement.

[franklinknights]

The thing i like about bridge/towers/balsa events in general being expensive is, im learning something with each structure i build, and it's honestly fun to build - Nothing is wasted. With this event, i may (probably will) end up spending more even and end up with parts that i can't for some reason use, or find out i could have spent way less...

The Solon Sumo bots team at nats spent 60 dollars for one pair of vex crystals when you can get a pair of crystals for 12 bucks or something...

ya its explensive. too bad ve stopped their Xplorer

Dude the explorer is completely useless for sumo bots, an insignificant waste of money. Sumo bots is a lot simpler than you think.

(I can talk to him like that cause hes on my team)

i see what your saying but overall, cost is high. plus desiging a turning system. when you use a vex transmitter and reciver, your stuck having to use vex products which will bring up costs. other brands like futuba, and other ones are cheaper and all work well with each other. the only problem with that is the changing of channnels.