FM – Fort de France, Martinique

Dates: 11 to 16 July 1996

Callsign: FM/WJ2O

FM – Fort de France, Martinique 2025-01-20T00:47:56-05:00
This was the first time I ever got to take advantage of my frequent flyer miles. The programs the airlines offer really do work and I received this flight absolutely free!

I planned to operate the IARU contest from the home of my friend Leonce, FM5DN. This saved having to bring down a lot of equipment. However, I brought along my Kenwood TS-940 anyway.

I stayed at the Hotel la Bateliere. It was a fine hotel but a bit on the expensive side. It would have been too fancy to set up a ham station, so it’s a good thing I was not planning to.

They were obviously suffering from the same bad economic climate as the rest of the Caribbean. Out of approximately 100 rooms, I’ll bet no more than 20 were rented. You didn’t have to worry about overcrowding at the pool or the beach. Oh, about the beach . . . it was topless . . . I was speechless!
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Hotel La Bateliere

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Hotel pool
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Ocean Cove. This is a small beach at the hotel where many fine looking YL’s considered their bikini tops unnecessary.

My Host

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Seated at his home station that he was very kind enough to let me operate for the contest.
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FM5DN antennas

FM5CD, Michel

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This is the store owned and operated by Michel, FM5CD. It is in the heart of the city.
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Inside the store
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Michel and his displays
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FM5CD Home ham radio station.
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Book Reading.Here Michel and his daughter, Virginia, are reading my 2nd Edition of “DXpeditions with WJ2O”.

Rum Factory

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Martinique’s Largest Industry. Making rum here at the J.M. Rhum Company.
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Factory Machine I don’t know what it does but very impressive.

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Dave, WJ2O, trying to blend with all the finished barrels of rum.

Island Tour

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First Stop, The ATM In most all countries I have visited, the ATM machine always has a lot of activity around it. Martinique is no different.

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Local Village.
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Fishing Village
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Boast and traps
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Denis, FM5GU. By chance we caught him at home. He is often heard in many contests.
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FM5GU antennas
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Leonce, FM5DN with cannon.
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An ocean view.
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An another
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Power Station. The only one on the island.
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Victor, FM5DP. He is located in Schoelcher.
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Laurent, FM5BH. He is a school teacher and very active on 160m. He is a regular contester and the manager of the local contest call TO5T.
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Collecting Coconuts Laurent and Leonce are preparing a feast.

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Collecting Coconuts FM5BH antenna

Heading Home

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Martinique Airport
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Inside the terminal

FM/WJ2O QSL Card

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At the bottom is a letter from the Minister of Telecommunications in France. It basically says that licensed radio hams from the US have a reciprocal agreement and are allowed to operate in France or any one of its territories for no charge and without notifying them provided your visit is not longer than 3 months. France’s territories consist of FG, FH, FM, FP, FR and TK.
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FM_Operating
Equipment:
Kenwood TS-940 Transceiver
LK550ZC Amplifier
486-DX Laptop Computer
Heathkit Micromatic Keyer
Cushcraft A4S Yagi
40 Meter Dipole
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The certificate says “Phone Only” but I was really mixed mode.

Customs

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The customs in this country was simply a walk by. But, I wasn’t carrying my usual grouping of bulky travel cases nor my ski bag for the antenna on this trip, so I probably looked like a “regular” tourist.