[CQ-Contest] Sleeping during ARRL DX Contest

[Scott Robbins]

>The ARRL DX contest is VERY BORING the second night from about midnight until
>sunrise (assuming you are located south of the USA).  I think it is perfectly
>normal to find it hard to stay awake during this time and planning on 5 or 6
>hours of sleep is a good strategy.  You really won't miss much - unless you 
>ignored one of the low bands the first night.  

Tree...I don't think you we're joking here (?) - but anything more than a 1
hour nap during a major DX contest strikes me as being a huge mistake.  48
hours straight is even better if the op thinks they aren't going to lose
anything on Sunday after sunrise from the battle fatigue. 

My 8P9PA log from ARRL DX CW three months ago shows 379 QSO's in the log
between midnight and 6 a.m. local time Sunday - this includes 30 minutes in two
15 minute stretches where I fell asleep in the operating chair at the key.  379
Q's/5.5 hours = 69 QSO's/hr.  I think taking a break would have been a major
error.  

It was bad enough that I lost 30 minutes, much less 5 to 6 hours. 

Scott Robbins, W4PA


W4PA Contest Blog 
http://w4pa.journalspace.com

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