Constructing the Dodongotron

We used Tetrix structural elements to construct this robot. As folks not previously acquainted with electronics of any variety, Matthew Davis and myself didn't really know what we were getting into when we joined the Norwich Free Academy Ham Radio Club. However, we found a warm welcome with open arms that promptly directed us to a project in the world of robotics. Our first project, the Dodongotron, is a simple robot that is operated remotely using an RC transmitter. It is capable of land-based navigation and includes a wireless transmitter that broadcasts to a television present in the NFA Ham Shack. The camera and the tread system are both operated using the controller, which is connected to an antenna to increase the effective range of operation. We encountered numerous difficulties as we went through rebuild after build trying to ensure a stable relationship amongst systems. It was a unique challenge, and this exposure is not something that I will forget anytime in the near future.

Here is a video of one of our trials, after making modifications to the camera assembly.