Report From an IHS Field Team, Auka, Honduras

Our Medical/Dental International Health Services (IHS) team is operating in Auka Honduras Feb 19 - 26. We are in the Mosquitia region of NE Honduras, not far from the Nicaragua border. Our team consists of a doctor, RN, two pharmacists, two translators, paramedic, radio operator, and two general helpers. Besides our specialties we all share in cooking, water purification, washing dishes, filling sun showers, burning trash.

The radio set up is a station for both HF and VHF -- an Icom 706. We also have a HT for monitoring VHF. The HF antenna is a G5RV Jr at about 15', hung between a cashew tree and a palm tree, with an automatic antenna tuner. The VHF system is an Elk Antennas dual band 2M / 440 5 element log periodic at about 25' on two tree trunks spliced with duct tape.

Our VHF system is an IHS installed repeater at Puerto Lempira with antenna at 100' on 200' FM broadcast tower. Repeater power output is 60-70 W. Line of sight distance from Auka to the repeater is about 25 miles, and with the 706 we have full quieting. The HT at 5 W won't do the job. It's used for monitoring while the 706 is used for Winlink e-mail or when on battery rather than generator. We have an antenna switch in the VHF line to quickly go between 706 and HT.

Our power source is a Honda 2000 inverter generator which runs all of the time in 'econo' mode, meaning the engine runs only fast enough for the power demanded. The generator inverter gives us 110 VAC 60 cycle at all times. The battery is a motorcycle size lead acid battery. It is shipped dry; we activate it here, and leave it with a villager. It would not survive storage for year, and would be dangerous to ship back.

HF propagation within Honduras has generally been in the dumper. For the last 2-3 years, most of our traffic between teams goes by Winlink e-mail; we can send/receive anytime without a net, its accurate, and can be printed if need be. My best Winlink station to work has been N5TW in Georgetown TX. He is supporting us with stacked 40 M beams and stacked 20 M beams pointed at Honduras. This combination gives us nearly 24 hour support!

In the past I've been able to talk to our bush pilots on the VHF antenna on my opened up 706. This year I cannot; either the log periodic SWR is too high @ 118.7 MHz AM, or my 706 has changed.

We have sent 13 patients by bush plane from Auka to the our IHS surgery team in the hospital in Puerto Lempira. These have ranged from benign tumors to gastro scoping, to abdominal surgery.

The team uses the Winlink e-mail capability to stay in touch with family and friends. At the end of the day there is a rush to get to the computer to read mail and send replies.

Voice traffic on VHF is to coordinate plane transport for patients, check on patient status at the hospital for parents, and for doctors of different team with different specialties to consult on what they are finding.

This is certainly a rigorous demonstration of the value of ham radio and Winlink in locations with no other communications.

Dave Houser HR8/WA9OTP Team Auka