12/12/2005 | N8CPA The hams in the mid-latitudes
liked 10 meters a lot.
But the Grinch in the ionosphere did not.

"Oh no," said he,
"It's THAT time of year.
The second weekend this month
I know what I'll hear.
The hams down below
will all get on the air.
CQ TEST CQ TEST
Really gets in my hair!
As if that's not enough
To keep my rage steeping
Some of them talk
With that darned
BEEP, BEEP, BEEPING.
They'll talk north to south.
They'll call west to east.
It's a weekend that I
Cannot stand in the least.
So I must have a plan,
And I make this vow,
I'm going to stop propagation
But how?"

So the Grinch pondered
And the Grinch stewed
And took out on the ionosphere
His brutal, Grinchly mood.
Thus signals from here
Could not get to there.
The CQs we sent
got swallowed mid-air.
Stations south and coastwise
Seemed quite okay.
But the stations midwest
Had really tough play.

And now that it's over,
Let my log tell the story
All of my efforts
So much vainglory!
69 contacts was all
That I logged.
For 20 hours of effort,
Not much of a haul.
But I still won't say
The mean old Grinch won.
For in spite of his tantrum
I still had fun!

73 til next TEST -- N8CPA