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FRA Robochallenge FW champs 2017 group trip?
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Glen
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FRA Robochallenge FW champs 2017 group trip?

So after all the battlebots and robot wars craziness has simmered down and the world has gone back to normal, what about we get a bunch of people to head over to the UK featherweight champs next year presuming it's on again.

Group shipping or accommodation would make things a bit easier than doing it individually which is a bit of a pain honestly, especially taking the robot with you on the plane as overweight luggage is frighteningly expensive ($70 per kg!)

The event itself is great. there are just so many robots - 60 ish i think - the people there are awesome to hang out with etc etc. You wouldn't regret it that's for sure.

Anyway, spam thoughts and what not here Smile
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Post Mon Apr 04, 2016 12:44 pm 
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Knightrous
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Would like to register my interest.
If you guys who have been over could throw down a noobs guide to going to the UK even with some rough costs, it would appreciated.
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Post Mon Apr 04, 2016 1:09 pm 
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Cpnwolfe



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was meant to be going to Japan next year looks like the UK it is! Wifey and myself are interested.
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Post Mon Apr 04, 2016 1:34 pm 
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Glen
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When were you thinking of Japan dude, a bunch of mates and I are probably gonna do it in january, then the uk, gonna be a hectic year for sure Shocked

Aaron - depends how ritzy you want to get, but if we share stuff obviously much cheaper! My emirates flights return were $1800 but felt first class to me haha, could probably shave a hundred or three off of that, but it's worth the extra imho (such a long flight)

Shipping robot gear again depends, it was a bit under $1300 for 60kg of stuff (i think.. cant recall the exact amount). $300 of that was customs charges which i know how to avoid this time. More weight doesn't increase the cost so much either, if we get 5 people going with 25kg each maybe $200-$300 per person? IDK yet.

Accommodation was about $140 -150 a night at the venue. However, the trains are AMAZING there so i would more than likely just stay in the much better self servered apartments in Birmingham itself and commute in every morning. That way you can go out and do stuff at night. There's nothing to do at the NEC venue after 6.

For everything else the cost is about the same as here wrt food and other such. Except for the 13 pound hot dogs at the NEC D: ach du lieber!
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Post Mon Apr 04, 2016 1:45 pm 
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Nick
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There are several travel options - Glen's direct flight to Birmingham is super convenient and if you stay at an NEC hotel, you don't need a car, you can walk everywhere. If you fly to London, rental cars are cheap and we could car pool to reduce costs (road rules are virtually identical). With a car, you can stay in a much cheaper hotel; I heard 34 pounds a night with good food and facilities mentioned.

Another shipping option is to use an excess baggage service. They specialise in moving suitcases between airports and may be cheaper than DHL, but take twice as long. Sea freight is out of the question as it takes months and is hardly cheaper than air freight for smaller items. We can send stuff to the Robochallenge warehouse and they will store it for us.

My tool kit fitted in a lunch box and everyone will lend you tools. We can probably pool battery chargers if we coordinate the connectors and balance leads, or just pool the PSU to save weight.
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Post Mon Apr 04, 2016 2:57 pm 
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Knightrous
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I'm 3 months from getting Long Service Leave (10 years, woo), so I'm actually considering a trip overseas for the first time. UK would be cool as I could actually use my dual citizenship haha. "How long you here for?" "Forever mate".



Japan - Been looking to go this year / next year as I have some friends there. Very tempted to head to Ebisu for Matsuri lol.
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Post Mon Apr 04, 2016 3:02 pm 
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Nick
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This year was a 'small' event with 40 bots due to the UK Robowars filming. I hear that the next series will film in the 2nd half of the year so there will be 50 or more bots next year.

The arena is very different to ours: steel floor, low inner wall and a pit. Its possible to build a bot to be successful in both arenas: fast wedges with magnetic hold-down place highly, electric lifters also do well and would work in our sportsman events. Large, high traction wheels work best on the uneven steel floor. A bot that combined the best features on Satanix and Tormenta could well take home the main trophy. Anyone who is motivated to build a pneumatic flipper is almost guaranteed to do well.

My plan for next year is to bring a vertical spinner and some sort of lifter / flipper that can also run in our sportsman events.
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Post Mon Apr 04, 2016 3:34 pm 
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Glen
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Definitely, but if you aren't too concerned with winning it, nearly all the robots there have very little armour so a good spinner just shreds its way through most of the field before flinging out of the arena.

Not sure what i'd take next time. Another horizontal with an unbelievably high amount of magnetic hold down + big brushless drives to deal with it could be interesting.

Even a big horizontal jaw style robot like TAN could be fun for dumping people down the pit or clamping onto flippers so you don't get tossed out. Ideas ideas!
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Post Mon Apr 04, 2016 3:41 pm 
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Nick
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Beauty 2 and 8 both had magnets on their flippers but Satanix's articulated wedges (also with mag hold-down) pushed them around with ease. Whizzbee would create absolute carnage - the UK shell spinner LS4 is well feared and its nowhere near as powerful Twisted Evil.
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Post Mon Apr 04, 2016 8:01 pm 
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maddox



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The pity is that to travel over from Australia for just this event is a lot of money, for at best a week of being abroad.

Of course, if the trip can be combined with a 2 week trip or so, it becomes another matter.

In short, The House of Chaos welcomes roboteers... Smile

Post Mon Apr 04, 2016 8:53 pm 
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Nick
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Are there likely to be any European events on close to the UK championship? The UK is basically one big tourist attraction and its very easy to fill up a week or two, particularly if you have a car.
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Post Tue Apr 05, 2016 5:42 pm 
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Glen
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I was informed today from a reliable source that chicken salt doesn't exist outside Australia. As such I'm never leaving the country again and this trip is officially cancelled! Shocked

Srsly tho, I will probably spend 2 weeks / 14 days there. Arrive 1 day before the test day to deal with jet lag then spend the remainder of the days doing touristy stuff. Totally going to Alton towers of thrope park next year though. Didn't have the time last year.
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Post Wed Apr 06, 2016 8:33 pm 
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Nick
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Chicken salt is like gold in the UK - just bring a kilo and make a LOT of new friends! You could probably set up a booth at the Gadget show and pay for the trip selling chicken salt.
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Post Wed Apr 06, 2016 9:26 pm 
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evil_steve



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Ah, so it's like taking Tim-Tams to the USA then.

Post Wed Apr 06, 2016 10:19 pm 
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Nick
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Pretty much - it just kills their arteries in a different way Laughing
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Post Wed Apr 06, 2016 11:13 pm 
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