Here are Team 997's match times at the Autodesk Oregon Regionals:

Friday, March 9th

9:42 AM (Blue Alliance)

10:12 AM (Blue Alliance)

11:30 AM (Blue Alliance)

2:03 AM (Red Alliance)

3:33  AM (Red Alliance)

4:51  AM (Blue Alliance)

5:27 AM (Red Alliance)

Saturday, March 10th

9:48 AM (Blue Alliance)

10:48 AM (Red Alliance)

Off to Regionals

Well. The week has arrived. After an amazing button party on Saturday, the team stands prepared to go to regionals in Portland. Come and see us! We will be there Thursday through Saturday at the Memorial Coliseum in Portland. Support the team! Support CHS!

Bagged and Tagged!

Well.
IT'S DONE.
The robot, which has been dubbed many things, including Stumpy, Robespierre, Marie, and Dalek Rob, now sits bagged (and tagged!) in a corner of the Build room.
Here is a picture taken just before Bagging.

Left to Right: Back-Uma Polisetti, Carole Petersen, Tom Saksa, Derek Wong, Matthew Petersen,Riley Moore, Connor "Ronnoc Kholresh" Sherlock, Scott Card, Floyd Moore, Kieran Prince, Amy Roy. Middle: Miles Van De Wetering, Annie Edge. Front-Jessica Neilson, Susie Dole, Manu Nimmala, Madison Headley, Christopher Wohlwend, Hannah King, Josh Peck. On the Bump-Grady Holaday, Lance Roy. Bridge-Robot.

Well done Team!

YES. It Moves!

YES. The robot can move AND succesfully balance! We are now working on assembling a finished version of the bridge manipulator, gatherer, loader and shooter as well as overall system integration. Things are definitely moving and the team is energetic and motivated, despite problems with things fitting in places and miscommunication. The software team has just scrapped the entire PID system and have reverted back to simple tank drive but they are confident in their abilities. As one software member says, "It's nothing we haven't done before, nothing we can't do now." Our next pending deadline lies this Saturday, the day we have dubbed end-of-build date. By the end of Saturday we must end all work dealing with any power tools, and freeze all design. By Sunday we must switch our focus to software, debugging, and driving. However, our team is well on our way, and as long as we keep a positive, focused mindset, I believe we will be ready for anything that comes our way.

- 997 Co-captain -

WEEKEND UPDATE THURSDAY

Did you catch my reference?
Anyways, here is a quick summary of what has happened since we last posted:

• Sunday
• This day was spent at the build site of the ever-helpful FIRST Team 957 SWARM. We were able to refine the shooter design and test fit the wheels to the drivetrain.
• Monday
• Arriving back at school, we received a Battery Beak, and developed the integration further. Size envelopes were determined.
• Tuesday
• We received a large collection of components; the second big shipment to come our way. We received pulleys, belts, supershifters, encoders, and other components. It was also discovered that the holes for the bearings on the drivetrain were 5 thou too small. The shooter was also further developed with parts being ordered.
• Wednesday
• We began construction of the bridge manipulator, and returned the plates to STH Machining for boring. The electronics department began construction of the board which will carry the electrical components of the robot. All proceeds swimmingly. The programmers also finally sussed out those nasty encoders, and have proceeded to implement them on he testing platform. 

Abnormal Meeting Report 1: CLASSIFIED PASSAGEWAY SIDEPLATE DELTA; BURN AFTER READING

The morning dawned damp and slow as FIRST Team 997 headed off to the first of weekend of abnormal meetings. DAY ONE: Location: The Residence of Tom Saksa, 997 Mentor. Location, Secondary Software: The Roy Residence.

The team split in twain for the day, heading in opposite directions to more effectively work towards a common goal. The software team, eager to work on both encoders and vision, made progress regarding the cause of their difficulties in that sector. Having made the acquisition of a new encoder, testing will begin immediately on the causes of problems and faults.

The rest of the team, sequestered for the day in the technological wonderland that is the basement of Tom Saksa, made progress on the integration of the robot. The robot design now has a turntable mounted shooter, and the alignment of the gatherer and bridge manipulator has been solidified.

In other news, the team made receipt of its first CNC manufactured parts! Courtesy of Stan Hall, proprietor of STH Machining, we are now the proud possessors of these fine side plates:

Oh yeah, look at them lightening pockets.

Anyways, a good time was had by all.
We look forward to tomorrow's escapades, provided by SWARM, FIRST Team 957!

Flooding. Yeah.

So, floods. The team has lost the room for the weekend, due to weather. We will not be allowed to meet back in the room until Monday.

So, like any good team, we cope. On Saturday, mentor Tom Saksa has donated the use of his shop to the team, and we will be sharing FIRST Team 957 SWARM's space on Sunday.

Thanks for your support!

In other news, the drawings for the drivetrain have been sent off to Stan Hall of STH Machining, who has generously donated his time and effort to the team. Thanks Stan!
We have completed some work on the design for the ball-handling mechanism and the shooter. Those will get some work done on them over the weekend.

Signing off,
Your Correspondent.