1-Communication
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Section
1 Communication
Table of Contents
1 COMMUNICATION .................................................................................................................. 2
1.1 OVERVIEW.............................................................................................................................................2
1.2 FIRST - CONTACT INFORMATION ..................................................................................................2
1.3 TEAM SUPPORT....................................................................................................................................2
1.3.1 E-mails and Subject Lines...................................................................................................................2
1.3.2 Please Do Not Duplicate Efforts.........................................................................................................2
1.4 INNOVATION FIRST, INC. ..................................................................................................................2
1.5 NEW: THE FIRST STORE (PARTS)...................................................................................................3
1.6 GETTING ANSWERS TO YOUR COMPETITION QUESTIONS ..................................................3
1.7 FIRST ROBOTICS COMPETITION WEBSITE ................................................................................3
1.7.1 Team Website Links ...........................................................................................................................3
1.7.2 Team Updates .....................................................................................................................................3
1.7.3 Recruitment & Public Relations Materials .........................................................................................4
1.8 TIMS - SUPPLYING INFORMATION TO FIRST .............................................................................4
1.8.1 NEW: TIMS Access for Both Main and Alternate Contacts..............................................................4
1.8.2 NEW: International Teams .................................................................................................................4
1.8.3 "Off Season" and Current Contact Information ..................................................................................4
1.8.4 Mentoring & Team Organization........................................................................................................5
1.8.5 NEW: Team Names Official, Short, and Nickname Deadlines .......................................................5
1.8.6 Judges' Yearbook Page .......................................................................................................................5
1.9 NEW: AUTODESK CONTACT INFORMATION.............................................................................6
1.10 EVENT-SPECIFIC INFORMATION .................................................................................................7
1.11 HOTEL INFORMATION - THE THS COMPANY ..........................................................................7
1.12 FIRST LOGOS.......................................................................................................................................7
1.12.1 Logo Use...........................................................................................................................................7
1.12.2 Finding The Year's Competition Logo.............................................................................................8
1.13 PROVIDING CORPORATE SPONSORSHIP TO FIRST ...............................................................8
1.14 HOW TO VOLUNTEER FOR FIRST ................................................................................................8
© FIRST 2006 FIRST Robotics Competition Manual, Section 1- Communication, Rev A
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1 COMMUNICATION
1.1 OVERVIEW
This section provides teams with necessary information for contacting FIRST staff, using the FIRST logo, and
other information regarding such topics as the Yearbook Page.
1.2 FIRST - CONTACT INFORMATION
You can reach FIRST via phone, fax, mail, and e-mail, or get information from our website at
http://www.usfirst.org. The office is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., EST. Refer
to the sections below for the appropriate help resource. Be sure to provide your team number on all
communications.
Mailing Address:
Phone Numbers:
Fax Numbers:
FIRST
(603) 666-3906
Fax: (603) 666-3907
200 Bedford Street
or
Engineering: (603) 666-0043
Manchester, NH 03101
(800) 871-8326
Finance: (603) 647-5772
1.3 TEAM SUPPORT
E-mail Address: frcteams@usfirst.org
Phone: (603) 666-3906 or (800) 871-8326 Press 0 for Operations Team Support / Operator.
The Operations group is ready to help your team. If you leave a voice mail, make it short but detailed and
include your team number, name, e-mail address, and phone number. A Team Support representative will
research the question and return your call or answer via e-mail.
1.3.1 E-mails and Subject Lines
Our program requires many requests in writing, so e-mail may be your best communication tool and the best
way to get a quick answer to your question. E-mails save money, time, and provide information for a
researched, more accurate answer. Please include your team number and short reference in the subject line.
1.3.2 Please Do Not Duplicate Efforts
We ask that you do not contact or copy multiple persons about the same problem. We are a small group and
mus avoid duplicating efforts. We can usually answer questions or requests within one working day.
1.4 INNOVATION FIRST, INC.
(Control System-Speed Controllers)
Contact Innovation First, Inc. for help with items such as: Operator Interface, Robot Controller, Radios,
Speed Controllers, and Relay Modules. Remember to provide your FIRST team number in the subject line.
Tech Support Phone Number: (903) 453-0802
Tech Support E-mail Address: info@innovationfirst.com
Website: http://www.innovationfirst.com
© FIRST 2006 FIRST Robotics Competition Manual, Section 1- Communication, Rev A
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1.5 NEW: THE FIRST STORE (PARTS)
After Kickoff, Innovation First Inc. (IFI) will host an on-line store on behalf of FIRST. The purpose of this
store is to assist teams in purchasing excess Kit of Parts items from FIRST. IFI will have the FIRST Store
located on its website (www.ifirobotics.com). Only FIRST teams will be authorized to purchase the listed
parts. FIRST will establish pricing for all parts, which will include handling charges, but not shipping
charges.
Contact Tom Watson at (903) 453-0800 ext. 204 for FIRST Store matters (at Innovation First, Inc.).
1.6 GETTING ANSWERS TO YOUR COMPETITION QUESTIONS
The FIRST Robotics Competition Manual is available on the FIRST web site at
http://www.usfirst.org/robotics/doc_updt.htm. FIRST will update this page twice a week with new
information and clarifications about competing at FIRST Robotics Competition events.
FIRST also provides an on-line forum for questions and answers (Q & A) . It is accessible at
http://www.usfirst.org/robotics/2006/qa.htm and has for each section of the Competition Manual (e.g. "The
Game", "The Robot", etc.). Anyone can view questions on this system. Only those with a special team
username and password can post questions to this system. This username and password has been sent to the
team's Main Contact.
To ask a question, you should:
· Visit http://www.usfirst.org/robotics/2006/qa.htm
· Click the Q & A Forum link
· Use the search capability to search for the answer to your question.
· If you do not find the answer to your question, select the Submit Your Question forum and post
your question under the thread you believe most closely related to your question. Please include only
one question per post.
FIRST continually moderates this forum and will post your question and the answer in forum corresponding
to the most relevant section of the Competition Manual.
1.7 FIRST ROBOTICS COMPETITION WEBSITE
Visit FIRST Robotics Competition at its website at http://www.usfirst.org/robotics/
· Check deadlines and dates
· Find "Documents and Updates and Team Manual sections."
http://www.usfirst.org/robotics/doc_updt.htm
· Find team-sponsored events after the season
· FIRST event information. http://www.usfirst.org/robotics/2006/rgevents.htm
· Fundraising support materials. http://www.usfirst.org/4vol/resourcectr/index.html
· Find answers to administrative concerns
1.7.1 Team Website Links
The website also provides links to FRC teams' home pages. If you have a team-related web page, you can
post it via our Team Information Management System (TIMS) as part of the registration / maintenance
process. Remember to keep your website up-to-date for the website award review and related deadline.
1.7.2 Team Updates
After the Kickoff, Team Updates provide rules updates, important information about parts, administrative
reminders/deadlines. Our Team Updates schedule is:
· Tuesday by 5PM and Friday by 10AM. We work hard to meet these commitments. Unexpected
circumstances may, on occasions, delay their publication.
© FIRST 2006 FIRST Robotics Competition Manual, Section 1- Communication, Rev A
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· Additional updates may be released if necessary.
· Occasionally, FIRST will publish revisions to manual sections.
Teams often ask one person to read all Team Updates and make sure the right team members are informed
about their contents. To find the updates on the FIRST Robotics website:
· Click the "Documents and Updates" button on the left side of the page
· Choose "Team Updates"
1.7.3 Recruitment & Public Relations Materials
You can find information on the FIRST website to enhance your team's recruitment efforts. Visit "About
FIRST" for statements about the Impact of FIRST, testimonials, and FIRST financial information; and visit the
Resource and Media areas for access to the documents you need to recruit new sponsors and volunteers.
http://www.usfirst.org/4vol/resourcectr/index.html
1.8 TIMS - SUPPLYING INFORMATION TO FIRST
(Team Information Management System)
The Team Information Management System (TIMS) is the on-line system to register your team and
provide information to FIRST as the season progresses. Refer to the "Calendar of Important Deadlines"
to check: http://www.usfirst.org/robotics/2006/frc_time.htm
When teams use the system properly, the system provides FIRST with necessary, up-to-date:
1. Team Names: Official, Nickname, and the 21 letter Short Name for the scoreboard
2. Team Contact information for important, team messages, shipments, and FIRST e-mail blasts
3. Team Partner (Sponsor) information
4. Event attendance information for each team (Kickoff, Competition Events, Team Socials, Forums)
5. Team's FedEx or UPS shipping account number. (Purolator for Canadian teams)
6. Team Yearbook Page area (Judge Info)
TIMS "Team Information" provides options for:
· Teams willing to mentor other teams
· Teams wanting mentoring
· Entering team website address/link
1.8.1 NEW: TIMS Access for Both Main and Alternate Contacts
At the teams' requests, we have made it possible for each team to have two TIMS access persons.
Your adult Main and Alternate Contacts are responsible for accessing the TIMS, keeping the information
current, and providing necessary information by the set deadlines. Each can enter the system with his/her
logon information and make additions and changes as they occur. Keeping the system up-to-date is critical.
1.8.2 NEW: International Teams
If your team is an international team, please be sure to supply your country code and city code as part of
all of your phone numbers in TIMS. This is especially critical during Kit of Parts and robot shipment times
because it is sometimes necessary to speak with a Shipping, Main, or Alternate Contact.
1.8.3 "Off Season" and Current Contact Information
Each team contact listed in TIMS is responsible for informing the Main or Alternate Contact of any changes
or additions to his/her TIMS record. If the team's phone numbers and addresses are incorrect, bad things can
happen. This is especially crucial during team travel times and during school vacations. Be sure to provide
the Main Contact with a secondary address, home and cell phone numbers, and e-mail addresses so we can
reach you. If any of the team contacts leaves the team, replace his/her information with new contact
information, and delete the former contact from TIMS.
© FIRST 2006 FIRST Robotics Competition Manual, Section 1- Communication, Rev A
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1.8.4 Mentoring & Team Organization
If you wish to sign up to mentor or receive mentoring through TIMS, make sure your Main or Alternate
Contact edits his/her TIMS record and clicks "yes" to the question "Share this address?" (or the e-mail, or the
phone) Find this in the primary address area.
Under "Team Information," make sure you answer the questions regarding mentoring by clicking the
appropriate box regarding the following:
We are willing to mentor other FRC teams
We would like to be mentored by another FRC team.
1.8.5 NEW: Team Names Official, Short, and Nickname Deadlines
Please read below for team name definitions, uses, and TIMS deadline. Enter the information in the TIMS
"Team Information" area.
1.8.5.1 Your Official Team Name
The official team name includes sponsors and schools. We refer to them as Partners. This name is generated
automatically when you enter the Partner information in TIMS, and appears in written materials, such as the
FIRST Program Books. Update TIMS with your partners whenever there is a change or addition.
1.8.5.2 Other Team Names for Scoreboard and Play-by-Play
Our practice and match lists must be prepared early in the season. For this reason, we ask that you enter your
short name and nicknames in TIMS by mid January.
Short Team Name: Once you have established your team partners (sponsors), remember to adjust your
twenty-one (21)-letter maximum "short team name" to include them. Whatever you put in this field will
appear on the scoreboard at each event. Remember, sponsors like and expect the recognition.
Nickname: Make sure to enter your team's nickname. The announcer uses team nicknames during the game
when doing the play-by-play descriptions.
1.8.6 Judges' Yearbook Page
The Yearbook Page is a team overview page. It is your team's opportunity to share valuable information with
FIRST and with the judges at the Regional and Championship events. Enter the information via TIMS under
the "Pre-Event" information area.
The data you enter will provide important statistics about FIRST teams. These data are very valuable for
planning events and very helpful in our efforts to procure funding. FIRST may use the robot photos you
submit in the Awards Ceremonies.
1.8.6.1 Purpose of Yearbook Page
· Provides a common starting point for judging each team
· Helps provide judges with insight into each team's workings, history, goals, strengths, and robot
· Makes judging more efficient
· Provides team data for FIRST and its archives
1.8.6.2 Enter Yearbook Page Information
The submission deadline is February 22, 2006.
Enter this data via TIMS in the "Pre-Event Information" area.
Do not wait until the last minute: Many teams wait until the deadline date to start entering their
information and have problems that they can't resolve by closing time. Since we face a strict printing
deadline preparing for events, we urge you to start and complete these pages as early as you can. If you ask
early, Team Support will have time to help. Our small staff cannot help if too many teams wait until the last
days.
© FIRST 2006 FIRST Robotics Competition Manual, Section 1- Communication, Rev A
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No Time Extensions: FIRST cannot grant time extensions to complete the information. The printing
deadline is rigid.
1.8.6.3 Required "Pre-Event" Information
To prepare for this project, you may want to gather information about your team. As you gather the data, put
it in your TIMS record. The following is an idea of the type of information you will need for this area:
· Number of years involved
· Name of the Student Leader
· Team Budget for the year
· Robot or robot and team photo
· Number of female and male students, engineers and technicians, teachers, parents on the team
· How many freshman, sophomores, juniors, seniors
· Teacher/Mentor information
· Percent of your school's student population receiving free or reduced-price lunch
Essay Portion Please answer briefly. This section requires short written descriptions of the following:
· Team history
· Team goals
· FIRST impact on the team/community
· Community description
· Team strengths
· The most significant challenge the team overcame
· Robot game and strategy
· Team is most competitive for which awards this year?
· Funding sources
· Reasons for public awareness of your team
Photo: In the designated spot on the web page, insert a single digital photo of the robot, or the team and
robot. Judges rely on these photos, and they help FIRST with media coverage and awards ceremonies.
Format: The Main Contact for each team will receive the necessary instructions for filling out the form via
TIMS. To ensure proper archiving, carefully follow the directions.
1.9 NEW: AUTODESK CONTACT INFORMATION
Please refer below for contact information for various Autodesk areas:
General Autodesk questions: Kelly Stanphill
kelly.stanphill@autodesk.com
Autodesk training or purchase questions: Anthony Theos
anthony.theos@autodeks.com
General 3ds Max questions Kevin G Clark
(NOT tech support): kevin.g.clark@autodesk.com
Autodesk Inventor installation questions: John Elliott
Phone: (503) 692-8367
john.elliott@autodesk.com
To find a Autodesk education reseller: www.autodesk.com/avar
Change software installation option: (800) 225-1327
(From a network installation to a multiseat stand-alone installation)
© FIRST 2006 FIRST Robotics Competition Manual, Section 1- Communication, Rev A
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Please watch for an Autodesk forum on www.chiefdelphi.com
1.10 EVENT-SPECIFIC INFORMATION
The FIRST Robotics website includes important information about specific events. We advise that you add to
your FRC Manual informationabout the events you will attend. Critical items such as:
Site Maps
Forms for pre-ordered lunches
Team social events
Shipping and drayageWe post specific information pertaining to Regional and Championship events on the
website regarding site directions, team socials, pre-ordered lunches, and shipping and drayage. You will be
able to download this information for the events you plan to attend. To find this information, do the
following:
On the FIRST Robotics page, click on Regional Events or Championship, find your event, and click on "Site
Info." or other links to pertinent information, such as pre-order lunch forms. Provide the information to your
team people/subteams.
a. Print the documents
b. Distribute them to relevant team members
c. Place them with your FRC Manual information
1.11 HOTEL INFORMATION - THE THS COMPANY
Each FIRST team must designate one person as the Team Travel Coordinator to manage this process. The
THS Company handles hotel reservations for FIRST Robotics Competition events. All reservations are made
on line at http://www.ths-frc.com/. Confirmations will come directly from THS.
The THS Company
866-536-6966
306 High Street
888-536-TEAM
Hackettstown, NJ 07840
http://www.thsweb.com/
1.12 FIRST LOGOS
You have numerous creative opportunities of designing your own identity. Every year we see great examples
of how teams "brand" their efforts with websites, incredible team logos on robots, T-shirts, hats, banners,
fliers, and giveaways. These branding activities are a wonderful way to include students from art,
communications, computer, and language arts classes in your team effort.
As you manage your own promotion, you may want to incorporate the FIRST logo in what you do. Because
our mark - the combination of the composite graphic element plus the FIRST wordmark - is registered, we
have a few guidelines for you to follow when using the FIRST logo.
You can find the FIRST Logo with this url, http://www.usfirst.org/4vol/FRCresourcectr/graphics/index.html
1.12.1 Logo Use
We encourage teams to develop and promote team identity. It is a great way to help FIRST judges,
announcers, and audiences recognize your team at the competitions, and it is also a way to help you create a
"buzz" about your team in your community.
Positive Promotion: Use our logo in a manner that is positive and promotes FIRST.
Unmodified: Use the FIRST logo without modification. This means that you will use our
name and the triangle, circle and square as you see it on our website or
letterhead. You can use it in red, blue, and white, or in black and white.
Refer to the FIRST logo standards for additional details including placement,
© FIRST 2006 FIRST Robotics Competition Manual, Section 1- Communication, Rev A
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size, and color specifications and incorrect logo usage.
Logo and Standards: You can download the FIRST logo from our website in JPEG (for electronic
applications) or eps (for printed applications) format. Go to www.usfirst.org
and click on FRC Communications Resource Center in the Quicklinks menu.
Select the "Graphics" Section.
Advertising Use Approval: All teams and sponsors must obtain approval from FIRST prior to
incorporating our logo in any advertising. E-mail approval requests to
Marian Murphy, murphy@usfirst.org or phone 800-871-8326, ext. 409.
1.12.2 Finding The Year's Competition Logo
Once the game has been announced, you can download the logo for this year's competition from the FIRST
Robotics Competition Communications Resource Center portion of the website under "Graphics."
1.13 PROVIDING CORPORATE SPONSORSHIP TO FIRST
Please contact Charlie Clement, Director of Development, for information regarding the opportunity to
provide sponsorship at (603) 666-3906 or (800) 871-8326, Extension 412. You can also contact him via e-
mail at clement@usfirst.org.
1.14 HOW TO VOLUNTEER FOR FIRST
Each Competition event depends on an abundance of volunteers with a broad spectrum of talents to support
operating needs and competition demands. If you have time, we can use your help. Please visit the FIRST
website page, "For Volunteers," to find out more about volunteer opportunities. You can register your
preferences for events and volunteer positions via the FIRST Volunteer Information and Matching System
(VIMS), an on-line registration system.
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