NyxCC - I think what you said
Still, I think you are probably having two forces at work here and they are opposing each other - desensitization vs expectation
is absolutely hitting the nail on the head! thanks for this - as it is a really good reminder that I can use expectation to increase the likely hood of picking up the signal. I think this is maybe what I need to focus on more during the wbtb, particularly as the vibe nites become more routine as time goes on.

anyways this is what happened a couple of nights back

vibe nite 24/e2
wbtb at 4.00am (bed at 11pm), short vMILD then set the IC to II strength, 21min intervals 5 secs duration and returned to sleep. The vibe being at the increased strenght repeatidly woke me up - but interesting to try it. It hit at least 2 REM period and cut straight through it - one minute your in dreamland the next I'm awake from the vibe - so again shows its pretty easy to hit an REM period just using an interval timer - but good in that it increased my recall and the vividness of the dream - in that I immediately remembered what had been happening with a clarity almost reserved for lucidity.

Had some interesting dreams but no lucids - interesting narrative story one about the blitz during the second world war - 3rd person coherent story and very vivid with explosions, fire, romance of the characters, and a twist, and a nice one with wifey in it, but the most interesting from the vibe point of view was another very vivid FA

FA - pretty much everytime the stronger vibe went off I woke up but I generally just waited the 5 secs and returned to sleep. At one of the vibes going off I decided I'd tone it down, so reached down pulled the IC off my ankle and reset it for the lower viberation setting and returned to sleep. About 40 mins later the vibe woke me up - and now I think - hold on, if I'm still getting woken up but the vibe it can't be at the lower setting.....and I suddenly click that the last time was a super vivid FA - I do a reality check now (why NOW!!! why not THEN!!!) and its normal (DOH!) and check the clock and it still on vibe II - so yes missed another good FA!

but at least I got some interesting dreaming in - and I guess Ive decided unless I want to try DIELDing I'm better to leave the vibe at strength I, and maybe work on trying to build up my anticipation/expectation during the short wbtb in bed (unfort I can't get up out of bed for fear of waking my wife - but its starting to get lighter in the morns here so this helps increase awareness anyway).

I've decided to try a different pattern of cues tonight as well. Previously I liked using the 5 sec interval on repeat as often when it gets incorporated into a dream it gets distorted so just by 'listening' to the vibe you can tell if you are dreaming or not before even doing a R/C. But I'm wondering if by making the cues different, and slightly irreg spaced intervals it might be easier to get them incorporated - I'm worried the repetivite and predictable nature of the current system means its easier for my brain to tune it out.

Worth a try. Really want to stay lucid for longer next time, I am hoping I am getting closer to turning the corner, but as with everyones lives there are lots of things competing for my attention, I don't want to put LDing on the back burner and some motivating successes would really help to keep me on the straight and narrow

anyways - on with the show...