Picture this. A beautiful tropical island, rugged mountains with cascading waterfalls and a profusion of colorful , exotic plants spilling over garden walls and lining the roadsides. The Caribbean Sea can be viewed from any high point on the west side and the Atlantic Ocean from the east side. Both are a deep azure blue with a ruffle of white waves along the beaches.

Now, picture this. You are on this island at the site of the new radio club house in Roseau, the capitol of Dominica. It is also up on the side of a mountain overlooking the Caribbean. It has 2 bedrooms, a bath, kitchen, radio room, conference and meeting rooms. The club has rented this room to you for your vacation and you can make contacts all over the world using either your equipment or theirs.

Sound like a dream? Well, at the moment it is, but it won't be long. The ground breaking for the club house was held on Tuesday, Feb. 5, 2002. The club house will be located on the side of a mountain overlooking the Caribbean, have 2 bedrooms, a bath, kitchen, radio room, conference and meeting rooms. When completed the club will rent a room to you for your vacation and you can make contacts all over the world using either your equipment or theirs.

The Dominican Amateur Radio Club (DARC) is very active and involved in many community activities. There were about 35 members at the ground breaking, along with government officials and four members of FAIRS (Foundation for Amateur Radio Services) from the United States.

The main speaker was the Honorable Reginald Austrie, Minister of Communication and Works. Other Officials present were Paul A. Brown, Organization of American States; Daniel T.C. Liao, Charge D'Affaires Embassy of Republic of China; and David Larsen, Director of FAIRS.

During the FAIRS visit in 2001 Mr. Clement Pierre Louis J73CPL, David and Gaynell Larsen met with Minister Austrie and he promised to help secure a plot of land for a permanent location. He has kept his promise with a land grant of about 1/4 acre in an excellent location. About one mile from the ocean - good access - power - water - one mile from Canefield airport and very close to the capital Roseau. The club has a 99 year lease on this land valued at about $45,000 for a very modest annual payment.
The FAIRS goal is to " Build Global Friendship" between people and nations using Amateur Radio. At the Ground breaking David Larsen FAIRS Director announced a $2000 donation plus and additional $3500 from individual donor for a total of $5500 to assist in building the new club house.

David KK4WW and Gaynell KK4WWW Larsen and Don KE4UGF and Kay KF4EKH Clemens all of Floyd, Va. have been actively involved in raising funds through FAIRS for several years. This was our fourth trip together to the island of Dominica, during which we have brought radio equipment, generator, handy-talkies, HF radios, antenna, solar panels, repeater battery bank, coax and lots of tools. We are well known at the airport.

Now, Dominica has Internet Repeater Link Project (IRLP) capabilities and they are also up to date with two meter and 440 across the island and with connections to surrounding islands. Members of the club are very friendly (English speaking ) operators who depend constantly on their handy-talkies for staying in touch with each other. We heard Australia, USA and talked to an Amateur in Vancouver BC on the IRLP. It certainly is an exciting use of the Internet and amateur radio. Look at web site www.IRLP.net for more information about how to build and use an IRLP link.

Our hosts Clement and Hetty Perrie Louis, J73CPL and J73HPL live in a beautiful home in Wotten Waven - a community of about 280 people. It is located at 900 feet elevation and 4 miles from Roseau on the west or Caribbean side of the island. Clement has a small farm with many varieties of tropical fruits and vegetables. The view from their home of the lush green mountains is really spectacular. Sleeping up on the mountain with no sounds except the cool air and forest sounds was really nice. Hetty treated us to great Dominican meals - much of which was grown on their farm. We really can't say in words how much we enjoyed visiting and staying with Clement and Hetty, b but it was so relaxing and enjoyable - they were really just great to us!!

Our hf radio operation took place at the station located in the home of Clement and Hetty Pierre Louis. Don J79UGF and Dave J79WW helped Clement and Hetty set up the station in 2000. The station consists of a 2-element triband beam up 30 feet on a pole. The beam also has a single element on 12 and 17 meters. For 40 and 80 a G5 RV is used. Their home is at a wonderful location for ham operations. It is also near the end of the power line and a very quiet location with almost no local RF noise - the S meter does not show any noise! The equipment is an Alinco DX 70 HT - Ameritron 500 watt solid state amplifier and MFJ antenna tuner. The four of us made over 3000 contact in our limited "spare" time during the 10 day stay. I was surprised to work so many ORP SSB stations many with only 1 or 2 watts.

Clement has been busily constructing a guest house behind his home. It should be completed by April. It will have trhee bedrooms, two baths and kitchen and if you rent it you can use the antennas we used during our visit. It puts out a mighty strong signal, as indicated by the contacts we made all over the world. A tower and beam are in the works to be installed at the guest house however the present antennas are very good. Contact Hetty J73HPL for more information on their amateur radio guest house. Whether you come by cruise ship or fly into Melville Hall from connections in San Juan, Puerto Rico you can rent a car and spend time touring the beautiful corners of this small island. (Fifteen by thirty miles.) There are also several diving and snorkeling businesses which would be happy to have your business.

73 and 88's
Don and Kay Clemens KE4UGF/KF4EKH, and Dave and Gaynell Larsen KK4WW/KK4WWW

PS; We would be delighted to have join FAIRS as a member and be a part of these and other interesting Ham Radio Goodwill projects.