🔨Mounting Your Radio

Overview

Properly mounting your radio is an important first step to making sure your robot connects to the field and remains connected throughout a match.

Here are some initial considerations when thinking about where to mount the radio on your robot:

Consideration	Reason
The radio should be mounted against a metal tube or plate.	Heat can build up inside the radio. By mounting the radio against a metal surface, you can conduct heat away.
Do not block the visibility of the status LEDs.	These LEDs are used by field staff to diagnose connectivity problems. Without these LEDs it becomes much harder to troubleshoot why your robot may be having connection issues.
Avoid having objects within 12" of the radio (Not including the back of the radio, opposite the status LEDs).	The antennas inside the radio have a radiation pattern. Having objects pass too close the radio can alter this radiation pattern, and adversely affect how well the radio is able to communicate with the field.
The radio should not be fully enclosed by a case or mounting solution.	This traps heat in the radio and can cause the radio to overheat. When the radio is overheating the latency will increase.

It is recommended that teams mount against a metal tube/plate to act as a heatsink for the radio during extended operation.