What have you found to work best in your experience?

Good lord, that's a lot of power!  I'd strongly suggest professional training before even considering meddling with that much juice.

Happy to; 6x 400V capacitors @ 470uF.  Arranged 2x wide, by 3x deep.  As rapid a discharge as possible once fully charged (Dumps to a solenoid).

Looking at hooking up some high voltage capacitors in a series parallel configuration and was hoping some of the experienced folks here could share their recommendations for how best to connect them.  I've had traces posited, as well as solid-core wires and bus bars.

If radio controlled airplanes were possible back then.  I would think it would make more sense to use a remote detonator of that variety.  Once they'd phoned or radioed and confirmed that their targets were aboard the target craft, they'd just push the button to detonate.  Trying to get a particular tone seems over elaborate with that era of tech.

One can only hope.

I agree Audio Guru.  I've reported several of these as they've appeared, but the last I saw was so prolific it was more effort to report all of them than it was worth.  Is there anything I can do to help?

Different types and capacities have different limits and requirements.  LiPO batteries are charged differently than NiMH for example.

I think that is a fascinating idea for a universal translator.

The ULN2003 IC can be used with freely available software that will run even in DOS on systems as old as a 486.  It can control easily enough axis for the project you propose.  I'll have to dig into my archives and find the name of the software.  Stepper motors can be controlled for this task.

Firstly, I must give a nod to the impressive knowledge Hero has presented concerning radio and communications.  I'd like to posit an entirely different approach that should overcome numerous complications.  I've done some study on various types of swarm robots and vision systems that I think could be applied.  In particular a computer/camera based system that identifies and tracks objects.  The software basis of this is available from the researching university, though with sufficient skill it could be replicated.  Numerous methods of identifying the players could be used, both in software and on a physical/visual level.  This eliminates signal talk times, strength issues etc, while integrating your video recording and actual tracking.  While a camera with a full view of the field from above would be desireable, it is not necessary.  Multiple distributed cameras may be used to obtain the desired effects.

I'm inclined to agree with Hero.  However, if you are determined to go this route, you might try using inexpensive external card readers.  Write a batch file program to copy the test file to each card simultaneously.  This way you can load a number of cards, run the automated test on the lot, then swap out for the next set.  Short of building custom hardware, this is likely your best option.

I believe a device of this type would be possible, but expensive to operate.  It looks like you'd be using multiple pens.  Creating a cartesian coordinate linear actuator system will be the easy part.  Processing and managing the pens will be the real burden of design.  I know of some software that is available for multiple actuator systems as well as a compatible integrated circuit that is quite affordable or even readily available as salvage.  I strongly suspect you will need to write a program to translate the images into function for your system though.  Do you have any background in programming?

Look up the Eye Writer Project.  I think you'll find some useful information.