Dr. Ludmila Gavva
Twin Daughters: Maxia and Anastasia
Dr. Alex Gavva
(The following is adopted directly from E-mail exchanges between "Smitty", W6JZU (now W6CS), and Dr. Alex Gavva, UR4LL. Alex is a MARCO member and the Head Doctor of the Zolochiv Central Regional Hospital, in Kharakov, Ukraine. In 1998 his hospital was the recipient of a large shipment of carefully selected medical equipment, instruments, drugs and supplies provided by MediShare International.)
I had very hard day today and your letter was very nice evening surprise for me (and Ludmila also). She likes to hear news from your side. I feel how intensively you work. I think that not all much younger men are so active.
(I re-read this paragraph every afternoon as I take my nap – Smitty)
It is true that starting the end of August world economic crisis arrived at first to Russia and a couple weeks later to Ukraine. During last 2 years we had not very high inflation rate and our life was poor, but predictable at least. On September our national currency, Grivna, changed its rate to USD (US Dollars) from 1:2 to 1 USD:4 Gr. It means that my salary changed from 200 USD to 100 USD. Our currency is not very strong and all business calculations are closely connected with dollar. Real price arose to 20-30%.
Our Government try very much don't print new money. Printing it is a way to terrible inflation we had 3-4 years ago. I receive very limited money for my hospital. For example, yesterday I received about 50 USD for drugs and 30 USD for a food, but I spent this money to buy petrol for ambulance and another hospital's cars. I did not receive money for August and September all personnel salary (salary for personnel). Many of them have not money in their hands a few weeks. (That's) what it means to be the state run hospital.
We have small vacations now. 7,8 November is state holidays in Ukraine. It is the 81st anniversary of Communist Revolution in Russia. Due (to the fact that) we have enough communist and socialist in our Parliament this holiday continues to exist in our country. Thanks to lack of money for salary I (issued an) order about non-working day on 6 November exepting urgent services.
Situation in hospital is not very good. Government plans to reduce its expens(es) to Health Care and it means reducing of personnel. I don't know how much because I don't know about money for next year. I understand that government Health Service is not best way, but on other hand we have not normal conditions for private practice, or another ways of developing of medical service.
Despite all problems, we have enough patients, they bought (brought?) drugs and we treat them. All department continue to work.
I live at central square of Zolochiv, named by Lenin. Monument of Lenin is situated about 200 feet from my home. Usually local communists organized their meetings near this monument. Today about 30 person 60-70-80 years old have their meeting. It means that despite very poor life conditions, new wave of economic crisis (during Aug-Oct we lost abt 50% of our salaries) our population don't support communists. They don't want return to old comparatively normal life. Ludmila continues to work as Head of her Dep. Now she feels much better herself, She works with adult patients as well as children. She overcome psychological barrier.
Today we have a great family event – 16th birthday of Maria and Anastasia. Our daughters are very nice and we had not serious problems with them yet. In the next year they will finish secondary school and plan to entrance to University.
On last week-end I visited my father. He live alone at his home. My mother's sister live not far and she and brings him hot food every day. My father like to work. He has a small bee farm and try to make a small money for his life with honey. He also very often go to fishing to local rivers and lakes and sometimes very successfully. I (my?) only trouble about possible depression periods in the future.
My amateur activity is not high. Sporadic propagation season on 6M finished, but I hope that F2 propagation due to high sun activity will be (comes) soon. Higher HF bands have plenty stations, but my HF antennas are not good and I think about new 21, 28 and 50 MHz band antennas. For my activity I use Yaesu FT650 all mode transceiver and TS50S with AT50 on HF. I was not able to dream about any modern equipment 3-4 years ago. In 1996 I bought in DL (Germany) very cheap (abt $600) new but made in 1990 FT650. This radio is very nice. I use it for 6M and as a base for 2m transverter. I also continued to dream about HF gear, but our family budget was not enough for such expensives. I solved this problem by radio amateur way. I have enough power VHF and UHF final tubes and I (ex?)changed these tubes to used TS50S with AT. Now it is possibly to make such operations with a help of our post. Despite TS50 is small radio, and earlier I usually thought as a toy about it, but now I think that it is enough for my not very high HF activity.
Last two days I spend rebuilding my home SAT TV system. I have 1.8m dish. New digital LNB was installed. I also replaced old tuner to new one and set them long time. Now I'm able to receive 30 analog programs from EU, US and Middle East. There are plenty digital programs, but digital tuner is highly expensive for me now, I hope 2-3 years -- will be able to replace it.
I started to print this letter yesterday, but was interrupted by absence of electricity. Now in cold period we have not electricity at evening time during 2-3 hours. I use accumulators (batteries) for home lighting and for a small 2m FM station.
Our best wishes to you and Aileen. Hope to see your pictures soon.
Alex