[UK-CONTEST] Operating a 24 hour contest and staying awake?

[Andy Cook, G4PIQ]

Hi Keith,

Are you doing September single op then?...

My recommendations off really aimed at 48 hour events, but applicable to 24
hour ones off the top of my head and in no particular order are

1. Stay off caffine for up to 2 weeks before hand. Use coffee in later
stages of the contest only

2. Eat small amounts at a time, and make sure it's low in fat

3. Get as much rest as you can before the contest - don't be doing hours of
physical work immediately before the contest (I never manage this one)

4. Keep the shack brightly lit and not too cold or too hot

5. Keep hydrated

6. No alcohol

7. Get physically fit

8. Always keep active doing something and thinking about how to push the
score on - SO2R helps a lot at HF

9. Do this regularly - your body gets used to it in the end

10. Stand up for a few minutes every hour to operate

11. If you really get tired - take a short break (say 90 mins) - can make
the world of difference.

12. For SSB - use a voice keyer as much as you can

73,

Andy, G4PIQ







-----Original Message-----
From: uk-contest-bounces at contesting.com
[mailto:uk-contest-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of Keith Maton
Sent: 30 August 2010 21:02
To: UK Contesting
Subject: [UK-CONTEST] Operating a 24 hour contest and staying awake?


I'm shortly going to be pulling a full 24 hour operating shift for an SSB
contest, do any of the old hands have any hints, tips, suggestions, advice
(apart from "don't do it") that would be useful for keeping awake and as
alert as possible for the duration?

73
Keith, G6NHU
Martello Tower Group, G0PKT
http://www.martellotowergroup.com






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