[FADCA] Medical volunteers make use of Winlink 2000 in Honduras

[Bill R.]

Further information:

The IHS website is www.ihsofmn.org

IHS has a small coordination mission in October, but the main effort is in 
February of each year when 100 +/- people are divided into 10 +/- teams that 
go mostly to small Honduras villages.  This is a totally volunteer 
organization that has no paid staff.  It is headquartered in the 
Minneapolis/St. Paul area and about half the participants come from around 
there.  (The hams are more diverse--out of 10 or so hams on this year's 
mission, only two were from Minnesota.)

I have participated in the last three February missions as a radio 
operator/translator/general flunky.  I enjoy the work and feel like there 
are people benefiting from it.  If anyone is interested, I would be happy 
answer questions.

73,
Bill, K5TAS


----- Original Message ----- 
From: <Aa4mi at aol.com>
To: <fadca at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Wednesday, March 08, 2006 2:55 PM
Subject: [FADCA] Medical volunteers make use of Winlink 2000 in Honduras


> Medical volunteers make use of Winlink 2000 in Honduras (Mar 8, 2006)  -- 
>
> Amateur Radio volunteers with the International Health Service (IHS) in
> Honduras say Winlink 2000 has become key to effective communication. 
> "Without
> Winlink, our communications effectiveness would be lessened considerably, 
> and
> some of the service our teams provide would not occur," said Lor Kutchins,
> W3QA/HR8, while serving in Uhi.
>
> IHS each year provides medical examinations, surgery and dental services 
> to
> more than 3000 Hondurans, most having access only to IHS health care 
> during
> the  group's annual visits.
>
> "Winlink radio e-mail is serving the International Health Service very 
> well
> in this operation," Kutchins added. He said IHS deployed medical/dental,
> surgical, and eye care teams in various communities, most equipped with 
> VHF-FM  or
> HF portable gear.
>
> IHS teams travel each February to remote villages with little or no
> communication or transportation infrastructure. "We make our own 
> infrastructure  with
> what we bring," Kutchins reports. "So, as well as being a truly practical
> effort to bring health care to populations that otherwise do not get it, 
> this is
> a terrific exercise in disaster relief or EmComm in general."
>
> Before radio e-mail, all traffic was handled in lengthy voice nets three
> times each day, he said. "Now our nets are 10-minute affairs in which we
> highlight the urgent and important traffic for followup, besides 
> exchanging
> pleasantries." Winlink 2000 radio e-mail also allows an audit trail and a 
> permanent
> record, which comes in handy for planning purposes. For more  information 
> or if
> interested in volunteering, visit the IHS Web site or e-mail.
>
> 73,
> Carl, AA4MI
>
> _______________________________________________
> FADCA mailing list
> FADCA at mailman.qth.net
> http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/fadca
>