Motorama 2011

No major info yet beyond that it'll be February 19th and 20th, but I wanted to start up a thread to see who all from here will be attending.

I'll be there with Apollyon, a rebuilt and renamed 30lb spinner(highly likely, depends on how well the chassis build goes), and an ant (almost 100% certain, sorting out construction details).

Moto's the weekend before finals week at RIT, but with the classes I'm taking in the Winter it shouldn't be too much of an issue.

So, who else is going and what are you taking?

I am hoping to attend with the same 5 bots as FI, but in tweaked, weened and running condition.

But you already knew that....lol

We will be there with 6 or 7....

HS 15's and 12's....

Dont know which will go where yet until we see where the weight is on them.

My guess is that we will have 2 or 3 in the 12's....

Me and my son are trying to get a 3lber built but I am waiting till we get closer to finishing the high school's bots first...

No Florida and BattleBots for us I guess...

Frisco

I might be there with a 12lb beater
also my 1lb

at least one fairy, maybe 2, at least one ant, maybe 2, at least one beetle, maybe 2, and a 30#

sounds like a plan to me

I've got enough components to pretty much build an ant (or two) and a beetle. Hopefully I'll have something to compete with, since I've retired (more like fired lol) Conundrum, and Shred needs a total rebuild...

cant wait

was a lot of fun last year hey dad r u coming down with us this year

oh and ya the ant u made the drum one u let Ricky drive it and he pretty much destroyed it

dad? haha

we'll see. and ricky didn't destroy it... it already had some issues lol

Hey Dad...can I play too.....

that was weird i didnt even see i wrote dad hahaha

So... is there going to be enough IQ teams to make a true 15lbs weight class? This event would be a great way to have a competitive event that actually is in a close proximity to the PA teams and others in the North East.

Past the word so hopefully this can be the start of a new high school tournament open to all that qualify as either a college or high school team.

Central PA needs an arena and the ability to host bi-annual robotic events similar to the way teams from Miami, Plymouth, Minnesota and Dayton have been able to recently.

However, the BattleBots IQ event at the end of Feb has gotten so out of touch to what public schools can afford that if there are not other events open for schools the total number of robotic teams is going to begin to go down.

Keep pushing this event for educational teams...

I put the word out back here in Pittsburgh at the kick off event...

I Dont know how many are planning on attending though..

I am going to send another email blast trying to get the advisors to push their completion dates up or bring some old bots.

I would guess that there might be 15-20 show up for the High School class for this one..

How many are you bringing Marshal??

I might even get my sons new one done for Moto

Frisco

I might be there with Shish-Kabot. I'm not sure but I might have conflicting dates with something else.

other then our old adviser, i cant say any of the other seem as involved/dedicated as you Mr. Frisco

Right now we are looking to have three robots ready for the Motorama event. However, they have not posted anything about the event as of this reply so I don't know if the 15lbs weight class is going to be offered. Without that weight class we will nt be participating. You can't take three pounds out of a 15lbs. robot and still be at all competitive...

Stevens Tech is building a robot this year... a former student has got their gears turning. So hopefully he can get a robot together too. Knowing him, it will be a killer robot..lol.

Keep me updated with what is going on in the western part of the state..

You know it is kind of funny that you say that Cody because I have been laying off of putting time in to the bots so far this year because I know that right after Thanksgiving break I will be spending 4 days a week up at school until 8 or 9 at night.

I got an email from Carmen about becoming an advisor for Propel High school and helping them out this year also.

Of course I said yes and really have no regrets doing so.

I also got an email this morning from a guy in Squirrel hill asking how his son (middle school) could get involved.

I guess that I can see the light at the end of the tunnel pointing me in a direction that my son will one day travel.

I just wish that road had a smaller price tag on it.

I have not posted on here much lately because I wanted to step away and spend my little amount of time getting other things done that I know will be neglected over the next 3 months because of the bots.

I am hoping that Dan might be able to get something going up at CMU so that I can have a place to point to and share ideas and get more involvement from around here in the Pittsburgh Area.

BotsIQ does a great job but just does not seem to want to expand their competitions.

Plus looking at the entries through the past 3 years it seems like the builds are just not happening.

I will say this though.... I am here and willing to get anything going for the next 9 years or so.

My son is in 3rd grade and he is gung ho for building these things.

Dedicated....YES....able to clone myself to get things done right and expand the sport.... NO...

I just really do not have the time to do what I really want to do and help make this sport grow with more competitions and such.

I know there are other teachers out there that do this and have more time to spend on it and I really wish they would step up a little to PR and Expand the competitions.

I am really tied up coaching a sport for every season and trying to juggle that with getting the bots done.

I guess what I am trying to say is people need to step up and help out with expanding what is being put out there. The greatest way of doing this is getting the entry levels up by attending more than just one competition per year.

FRISCO (ranting on today)

Marshal,

I do think they will offer a HS class.

Even if it is not offered, AL said he would run one if we get more than 8 bots there.

I know we will have at least 3-4 plus your 3 so all we would need is 1 or 2 more and we would have enough for him to run it.

I am thinking about entering a dual Doomsday bot in the 30 lb class also.... We built 2 identical Doomsday frames last year and they both are in prestine condition.

Maybe going multibot or bolting them together and having a horizontal bar flying off the front and back????

I'll let the kids decide on that one.

Plan on going though I know we will be fighting whether it is listed as a class or not.

FRISCO

you can always run bots if there is time, the nerc guys are really laid back, i still think there should be some tag team matches or royal rumbles just to mix things up

I sent the registration coordinator an email requesting that they offer a 15lbs educational bracket. Hopefully that will help. There is no reason that I can see to separate the college from the high school groups. That might get an extra robot or two to jump in the bracket.

I have a former student at Stevens Tech and they are jumping on the mini class this year. I'm not sure if they are building a 12 or 15lbs class yet. I think that will depend on the weight class offerings.

The date of Motorama is perfect for most high schools. The PSSA testing has not yet started and there aren't any other real conflicts as far as I can see. The registration fee is also very reasonable. Hopefully we can get enough robots to make this a reality.

Just to update everyone....

Al from NERC is going to throw the BOTS IQ 15# Class up on registration for Motorama 2011..

Looks like everything is a go for this one...

Hope to see many of you there in the 15 pound IQ class...

Could this be a true showing of the Best of the Best in 15 Pound Builds ?????

Probably wont get all of them there but this is the Biggest Battle for Robotics over the last 3 years.

Entrants have exceeded the all numbers since 2008...

How can I ramp this up more????????

GET YOU ROBOTS REGISTERED ON BUILDERS DATABASE !!!!!!!!

Dan.... Plan on attending..... I got room for you and YES we will make it there far in advance of the registration time on Friday this year...

Frisco

Ya he is trying to get them to put it up on there but he forgot when he filled out the original web form for them and now he has to get them to open it up again to make the changes... Slow process..

FRISCO

I'm sorta crossing my fingers that the 15lbs class opens up. We are stuck again with out anywhere to compete again this year if they decide not to open that weight class up. Hopefully it will remain an educational class for high school and college aged participants if it does open up.

It is just not fair to live in the middle of nowhere... without any support from any program...

Kirk

come to miami in february!! I've got a nice house on the water here with extra rooms! ask jeeves! (lol)

The 15lb classes appear to be open now.


I've got Moros, Apollyon and Kobalos registered. Within the next week or two I'll know if that's doable. At worst, I'll have Apollyon and Kobalos. Moros is waiting on my 260z to sell down in NC.

Yep...

It is open to HS and College 15's running in the same bracket...

Let's get this thing filled up now...

Myself and Marshal have been waiting for this for a long time so please register and compete this year.

If you have not been there it is one of the best times you will have at any battle out there.

I will be registering next week once I get the bot drawings exported to post in the pics...(last few years we could not change the picture after we registered)

Pass the word on about this if you can and encourage participation.

Frisco