Biography

Hello, my name is Gaël, and I am a former radio operator in the French Army, trained in 1988.

I served in the 1st Parachute Hussards Regiment for 9 years, during which I worked professionally with radio, including telegraphy. After changing job, I put radio aside for a long time, 22 years in fact, but I always promised myself I would get my ham radio license before turning 50.

So, in 2019, after 5 months of preparation, I passed the exam and immediately wondered why I hadn’t done it sooner.

I quickly rediscovered the joy of radio, especially telegraphy. How could I have gone without it for so long? Today, I’m making up for lost time. During my early days in ham radio, I was fortunate to be guided by two excellent ham radio friends nearby, and I can never thank them enough for their valuable advice and the great times we spent together. Ham radio has also allowed me to meet wonderful people all over the world.

What I love most about ham radio is operating in nature during my hikes. I use relatively light and autonomous equipment, mostly for QRP telegraphy. From time to time, I activate SOTA or POTA spots near me. I also build my own antennas, with results that are, more or less satisfactory.

I run a YouTube channel called "Rando QRP," where you can follow my little adventures and crafts. I show how I make my antennas and explain, more or less, how they work. I also demonstrate my radio contacts and other things.

Today, I live in the small town of Domfront En Poiraie in the northwest of France, in the Orne department of Normandy, not far from the D-Day beaches of 1944 and Mont Saint-Michel. Occasionally, I go paragliding in Clécy, in an area nicknamed "Suisse Normande," where the terrain is perfect for this sport.

I have many projects and experiments in mind, with the goal of one day, maybe, becoming an accomplished ham radio operator. There is so much to learn and discover!

I hope to see you on the air! Sending you my most cordial greetings from Normandy, France.

73,
Gaël – F4IHG

Worked DXCCs: