[CQ-Contest] Nonstop 48 hours for SO in CQWW

[James Neiger]

Could not agree more, John.  Did my last 48 straight at age of 61, and
hoping to do it this year at age 62.  Sleep is a tool of the
devil............

Jim
N6TJ
----- Original Message -----
From: "John Laney" <k4bai at worldnet.att.net>
To: "Tautvydas Misiûnas" <tautvydas at achema.com>
Cc: <cq-contest at contesting.com>
Sent: Monday, September 10, 2001 6:56 AM
Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] Nonstop 48 hours for SO in CQWW


>
> The last time I did 48-hours straight was last CQWW CW at age 58.  The
> next time I will try it will be this CQ WW CW at age 59 (both at 8P9Z).
>
> I doubt that age has much to do with it.  The first time I did 48 hours
> straight was in 1987 at age 45.  It was suggested at a forum at the ARRL
> National Convention in Houston by Dick, N6AA.  I had not seriously
> considered it before.  The most I had prviously done was in CQ WW CW in
> 1980 from PJ2CC which was about 46 hours.  In 1985, I did CQ WW CW from
> 4V2C (Haiti) and slept only 20 minutes.  Since that year, every year I
> have been in the Caribbean single op, I have done the whole 48 hours
> without sleep.
>
> I find it almost impossible to sleep the daytime preceding the contest.
> The contest starts at 8 PM, so I am actually up about 60 hours
> straight.  I do REST on the afternoon before the contest, but can't seem
> to relax enought to actually sleep.
>
> Actually, older age may be a positive factor rather than negative, as
> long as one is in good health.  We seem to require less sleep as we get
> older and we are able to condition ourselves (or practice makes
> perfect).  I used to have  hallucinations similar to those described by
> others, but they have not been noticed in recent years.
>
> Actually, I think a 2 hour nap during the wee hours of the second night
> would probably be beneficial to most operators, including myself.  But,
> I am generally at a place totally alone, with only an alarm clock to
> wake me.  My concern is that I might lie down for a quick nap and wake
> up 6 hours later as others have described doing (W2GD?).
>
> This is not to say that I operate the 48 hours without a break except
> for a dash to the refrigerator and bathroom.  I nearly always take a hot
> shower and some years shave during the wee hours of the second night.
> Last year, I had a rig failure just before that planned shower break and
> decided to skip it after taking too much time to get the backup
> equipment on line, but was almost out on my feet and actually took the
> shower break during the Caribbean morning Europe opening.  After that
> break, I was good to go for the rest of the contest.
>
> By the way, I have actually gone to sleep standing up operating CW with
> the headphones on.  I fell onto the floor and woke up then.  But that
> was at TG0AA in 1967, when I was 25 years old, hi.
>
> So, what I am saying in a round about way is not to let age discourage
> you if you are in good health.  And experience will probably lead to
> more success each year.
>
> 73,
>
> John, K4BAI/8P9HT.
>
>
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