Stewart Cooper GM4AFF/GM0F

Having found that I am unable to last 48 hours awake in a contest, I set about trying to find out why not. In doing so, I have balanced what I know myself, and what others (who can and cannot last 48 hours) have to say about it. This is written from a European perspective as operators in the USA, and especially on the West Coast, have their own set of problems. There is no doubt that the human metabolism will function better over a 48 hour period of little sleep, if attention is paid to fitness and diet. Diet seems to have the most obvious and immediate effect on one’s ability to last the 48 hour stretch.

It's a proven medical fact that we should sleep in multiples of 90 minutes. Most operators sleep 90 mins on early Sunday morning, and some on Saturday morning too. In general, it is a good idea to get 3 hours in on Friday evening before the contest starts. Even better, an early night on Thursday night and a long lie on Friday morning is good too. 'Adrenelin' seems to be a big factor for some in keeping one going through the weekend. For others, the opposite is true - relaxed and laid-back gets them through. Whether you're wired or tired, it makes little difference to the final result. It's the ability to sustain concentration that matters.

Drink in moderation, but regularly. Drink to quench thirst. Do not drink caffeinated beverages. Caffeine will lower the blood sugar level thereby affecting the ability to concentrate. Coke, tea and coffee contain caffeine. Milk and sweet drinks will make talking difficult - radio and TV newsreaders avoid milk. Unsweetened fruit juice, a little often, is good. I was told that pineapple juice is a lot better at refeshing you than orange. I tried this, and it seems to be true. It's also less acidic I think, and orange juice can be a migraine trigger. It is far more difficult to waken up if you have managed to get to sleep with a high caffeine level.

When to eat? Stick to eating at regular intervals. A moderate snack every 6 hours with a small snack at 3hr intervals is good. Normal eating times (0600, 1200, 1800, etc) are also good. It's what your body expects.

What to eat? The objective is to maintain a steady blood-glucose level of around 4-5 mmol throughout the weekend, with a slightly higher than normal intake of protein (‘brain’ food). In normal healthy individuals, high blood-glucose levels lead to poor concentration and drowsiness whilst low blood-glucose levels lead to iritability, short temper and loss of aptitude. 4-5 mmol, a moderately low level, will be achieved by avoiding anything containing simple carbohydrates like sugar or bleached pure white flour. So, good is wholemeal bread, bad is plain white bread. Good is potato skins, bad is creamed potato. Good is natural fruit juices, bad is sports drinks. Good is fruit, bad is sweets/candy. Whilst sports drinks will give the body a big hit of energy, this hit is followed by a very deep low in blood-glucose levels. Any form of fat is bad, as the body requires a lot of energy to digest this. Complex carbohydrates (vegetables, fruits and grains) are good, in that they take a long time to digest, help maintain a steady blood-glucose

level and help avoid surges. So what should we eat and drink?

• sandwiches of wholemeal bread, with meat or cheese
• fruit/grain/granola bars (but watch out for high sugar content)
• pure fruit juice
• water
• nuts
• apples

How much to eat? In general, it is best to eat less food than you would normally.

Avoid smoking.

Keep fit. This is really quite important. If you are fit your body will react less badly to poor sleep patterns.

Avoid alcohol, both before and during the contest.

Avoid working on 'stuff' right up to the wire. Prepare well for the contest and 'know' that you have. There is a hidden side to knowing that you are well prepared. This will help you relax prior to and during the event, which is one of the keys to making it through the full 48 hours. It feels good to feel loud, and believe that your signal is getting through – the 'I know what I'm doing' factor. I saw a label above a monitor in (I think) the W3LPL shack which said ‘I AM LOUD’ - this works wonders!

N5TJ, HC8A and ZD8Z always sound very relaxed at the start of contests. The key here would seem to be – relax! A contest is a marathon, not a sprint.

Jose (CT1BOH) has a tip to help you stay awake on his web site. It involves pushing your thumbnail into a pressure point on your palm. I found this works quite well and gives you a boost, but only for about 15 minutes if you’ve got an 0600 ‘weary’!

Bill W4AN says, "proteins and fruits seem to work best for me. Combining fats and carbos (Pizza for example) is a sure way to put me to sleep. The past two years I have avoided carbos (bread, potatoes, etc) completely. Mostly I eat protein. It seems to work fine for me. I also avoid fats."

Then again, Jim Rhodes KC0XU says, "I have NEVER been able to last 48hr at the radio. I have learned that carbs are the best way to stay awake though. They are easily digested and converted pretty much directly to glucose over a period of time. However the turkey that I see listed in several peoples lists is quite high in L-Tryptophane, an amino acid found in most meat proteins. This is the chemical responsible for that Thanksgiving afternoon nap. Used to be sold as an over the counter sleep aid, and it worked quite well. My advice - stay away from the meat proteins if you want to stay awake." I believe Jim to be wrong, and Bill W4AN to be correct, but that’s my opinion.

I believe N6TJ recommends drinking quite a lot of water. It obviously has one bad side effect, but perhaps cleansing the system is important. I have tried this and found no benefit.

Dave N0DH says, "a brightly lit shack helps fool the body’s rhythms. I add an extra light in the shack… I have just shy of 300w burning in a 10 x 10 room."

K7FD says, "take one swig (or teaspoon if you prefer) of apple cider vinegar every 12 hours. That, combined with whatever else you eat, will keep your eyes wide open, believe me! Try it, you’ll like it."

And best of all, AA3JU says "Kim Chee (A nearly rancid cabbage dish from Korea that is hotter than all blue blazes!), Chilli (The hotter the better), Pickled Jalapeno peppers from the garden, Cheetohs (extra crunchy), Lebanon Bologna and Kutztown Ring bologna (garlic), Pickled Hard boiled eggs, Coffee 64 oz per day, Coke and Jamaican Ginger Beer. I really do eat this stuff! The high capiscain content will reduce your appetite and make you feel full without actually eating a ton of stuff. One bite of Kim Chee will last hours. Also high protein is good for you. Makes you more ‘animal’. Ok the truth - I am a human garbage pit that will eat ANYTHING and the more rank and disgusting the better. I like it! Also this stuff will give you UNBELIEVABLE gas. The kind that will drive the wife and kids out of the house so YOU can contest!"

Essential oils may have a beneficial effect, but leave the shack smelling for weeks afterwards! Here are some of the more common ones:

BASIL - Properties: Counteracts mental fatigue - wakes you up, aids memory and concentration

ROSEMARY - Properties: Banishes fatigue and lethargy, clears the head

PEPPERMINT - Properties: Clears mental fatigue, clears the head

GERANIUM - Properties: Excellent for treating general fatigue, "balancing"

BERGAMOT - Properties: Good for general fatigue, uplifting - also aids relaxation (without inducing sleep).

These oils should be inhaled, so a few drops on a piece of kitchen towel in the shack is fine.

Tablets/medication like ProPlus (in the UK) which are really just concentrated caffeine, will keep you awake but your ability to make even the simplest decision is diminished, and concentration is virtually impossible. Trouble is, I don't think you are aware of this if you have taken them! Perhaps, useful in the last 12 hours, but unlikely.

Shave on Sunday morning and take a quick shower.

Smile when you talk. Sound happy. Even if you feel like death, don't let the other guy know it! People like to call happy people. Not a lot of good on CW, of course.

Vitamin B can help you feel less tired over a period of time, and may be beneficial. I would not take this as a recommendation to take vitimins though - see your doctor first!

And finally, try feng shui! I think it works, you decide yourself after you’ve tried it. Set your shack up using the following guidelines:

The south corner - fame, reputation, new opportunities. The colours red and green are good for this, a green/red plant or best of all red flowers (this is the fire area and wood creates fire). Northwest corner - mentors, helpful people. The colours white, grey, gold and silver and especially yellow will strengthen this. Its element is metal, strengthened by earth. Some round pebbles would be good here. (Earth creates metal). East "corner" – health. This is a wood corner so a green plant would be good for energy, or a water feature - could you keep your drinking water here? (Water creates wood). And try to arrange your seat so that it points east, and avoid any sharp corners pointing straight at you (difficult in a shack I know). To clear the chi and create positive energy prior to a contest, open all doors and windows, and play loud music for 5 or 10 minutes before you start.

Learn from the previous year. Immediately after a major contest write down what was wrong, what went wrong, what was good, and what was bad. That way, next year you will be a little more prepared, and a little more relaxed.

I don't want to sound like an expert. I'm not a dietition. I'm not a top-flight operator. But I am diabetic (insulin dependent), and hence, have a requirement to keep my blood-glucose level under control. I believe this is critical in ‘sleep deprivation management’, if you’ll excuse the term. I make some fundamental mistakes in every 48 hour contest, and I am passing on what I have learnt, both from personal experience and from the experience of others. I am grateful to my friend Margaret Hille for her help. I hope others can benefit from this.