VICTORVILLE, CA. — If you are eager to follow the happenings in the challenge, you got to thank Mark LaGrone and Danny Burgess of Broadpoint. Thanks to them I am sitting comfortably in a motorhome in our pit and writing this note. I hope to bring you daily events as soon as they happen.Broadpoint has provided us with a satellite dish and subscription to the Internet service. The day before the bot left Lafayette I called Mark, my former student and neighbor, requesting a satellite hookup. Next morning 8:00am it was all ready to be picked up, with tech support instructions and all.
I was surprised how nice and compact the whole package was. Just three pieces. A satellite dish, a big suitcase with all the electronics, and a cardboard box with stand for the antenna. All I had to acquire on this side was sandbags to hold the base down.
Setting up the satellite dish was easy too. At least Dallas made it look easy. He is another multifaceted person. A computer science major, who is part of a rock band, does house renovation, great with logistics, and can climb up the RV to setup satellite dish.
While getting the dish setup on the roof of a RV is physically challenging task, for someone like me, the big work in setting up the dish is pointing it to the right satellite and setting up the correct orientations. Thanks to Broadpoints technology this was a breeze. Mark has given us an instrument called Birddog. With this instrument, you just punch in a few numbers, and it does all the work needed to talk to the satellite.
Isn’t that great. Another Ragin’Cajuns supporter stepping up to the plate to give a little helping hand to Team CajunBot.
Judice Middle students - I have read your comments on the blog. You can EARN T-Shirts, CajunBot visit to the school, and even an invitation to CajunBot’s homecoming celebration. All you need to do is find some creative way to thank my sponsors (individuals and companies that have helped my team).
Lets start with Broadpoint. Show me what you can do to make them proud of supporting us. I have other sponsors too. So get started fast. I’d be reeling out other names once I see your spirit. You help me with appreciating the sponsors, and you can earn a visit to Cajunbot’s homecoming on November 8th.
In case you need it, Broadpoint’s address is 113 N. Pat St., Scott, LA 70583.
The above offer is open to students of other Lafayette area schools as well. Please don’t mind my bias towards Judice Middle. My wife works there, and I couldn’t have done what I am doing without her support.
- Arun Lakhotia
We will get started after I get my new foster dogs!