[CQ-Contest] 48 hour straight contest operation and human output

Tue Oct 27 18:11:45 PDT 2009

Ive never done 48 since I have been reactivated.  46.5 was my max out in 
2006 IIRC - and i felt like crap afterwards.  Drove the 45 minute drive from 
N3HBX back to the house and I don't know how I didnt drive off the road.

I think adrenilyn has a lot to do with it. And frankly, your operating 
location partially dictates it.  Here in the states, the period 0200-0900z 
Sunday is deadly because you've worked most of the big M/Ms and hot shot 
single ops, and you're running on fumes.  A good hours during some of those 
periods is 45.  So boredom and fatigue rapidly take over.  If you were in CN 
or P40 or 8P, where you QSO count is 6500 or 7500 QSOs per weekend, you have 
an active band to focus on.

At least for this section of the cycle, there is a MASSIVE battle between 
slugging it out for 48 hours (including those 25 and 35 rate hours) and 
feeling like c.r.a.p. at 2000z Sunday when you should really be alert and on 
the ball and between saying "to hell with it," crashing for 90 minutes and 
feeling better after that nap.  My decision in the past 5 years has been (or 
would have been) to crash for the 90 so that I am not hallucinating on 
Sunday afternoon.

73 Rich NN3W

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Randy Thompson K5ZD" <k5zd at charter.net>
To: "'Franki ON5ZO'" <on5zo at telenet.be>; <cq-contest at contesting.com>
Sent: Tuesday, October 27, 2009 8:26 PM
Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] 48 hour straight contest operation and human 
output

> It is not so difficult.
>
> Even though we may be operating for 48 hours, there is still plenty of 
> time
> to stand up and make a short walk down the hall.  There are many such 
> places
> in the log where there are no QSOs for 3-10 minutes!  :)
>
> The logging programs typically count breaks as any time with no QSOs for
> more than 30 minutes. My "best" full time effort ever was from VE3EJ in an
> ARRL DX SSB Contest where the software showed 47.5 hours at the end.  I
> could barely say the word Ontario on Sunday afternoon!
>
> It does help to watch your diet and drinks if you want to maximize the 
> chair
> time during the contest.
>
> Randy, K5ZD
>
>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: cq-contest-bounces at contesting.com
>> [mailto:cq-contest-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of Franki ON5ZO
>> Sent: Tuesday, October 27, 2009 7:58 PM
>> To: cq-contest at contesting.com
>> Subject: [CQ-Contest] 48 hour straight contest operation and
>> human output
>>
>> Gentlemen, forgive me bringing up the topic...
>> Quite a lot has been written here about how to stay awake for
>> 48 hours. Some can do it, others can't.
>>
>> What I really would like to know is: how do you stay in the
>> chair for 48 hours and ignore the call of nature? I don't
>> think the human body can retain its output for 48 hours?
>>
>> I see some SOAB reports on 3830 where the operator says he
>> was on for 48 hours.
>> Does this mean he ran away for some relief a few times but
>> did not take these short breaks into account?
>> Do they have a 'special operating chair', if you know what I mean?
>>
>> This to me seems harder than stay awake. 48h straight ops:
>> how do you resist the call of nature?
>>
>> 73 de Franki ON5ZO
>>
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