recorded the action in that corner on a
laptop. The second change was the use
of two flat screen TVs (Figure 6) to
make it easier for people in the pits to
see what was happening in the arena.
Last year, we had a single old CRT; the
much bigger flat screens were a huge
improvement. The only real problem
was a lack of true hi-definition due to
the limitations of the S-Video output
utilized.
Next year, we will have to see if
we can fix that and perhaps also add
another monitor showing what the
blind-spot laptop is recording.
Safety inspections were over by
about 11:00 am, and after a drivers
meeting, the main event got underway
before noon.
This year, there was a large
increase in the numbers of bots in all
classes, but the Beetleweight class saw
the greatest growth. Twenty-one
Beetleweights competed in 2014 and
now there were 37. A lot of old
favorites like Grande Tambor (Figure
7), Kitbots kits Weta, Trilobite (seen
with Hobbyweight Isotelus Rex in
Figure 8), Play’n Crazy, Mondo Bizarro,
Devastating Moment (Figure 9), and
Thunder Child (Figure 10) were back.
There were a number of
impressive new bots, like the twins
Project Excelsior (Figure 11) and
Project Darkness (Figure 12),
horizontal spinners, In the Margins
(Figure 13), Silent Spring (Figure 14),
Enterprise (Figure 15), and Dick
Dastardly (Figure 16), plus wedges
Speed Wedge 3 (Figure 17) and
Terrapin (Figure 18), and even a ring
spinner Smitti Werbenjagermanjensen
(Figure 19).
In the competition, many of the
Figure 9.
Beetleweight -
Devastating
Moment.
Figure 10. Beetleweight - Thunder Child. Figure 11.
Beetleweight -
Project Excelsior.
Figure 7. Beetleweight
- Grande Tambor.
Figure 8.
Weta,
Isotelus
Rex, and
Trilobite.
36 SERVO 05.2015
Figure 12. Beetleweight -
Project Darkness.
Figure 13. Beetleweight -
In the Margins.
Figure 14. Beetleweight
- Silent Spring.
Figure 15. Beetleweight - Enterprise.
Figure 16.
Beetleweight -
Dick Dastardly.