Biography

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

I served in the 1st Parachute Hussards Regiment for 9 years, during which I professionally did radio,
including telegraphy. I put radio aside for a long time after changing job, 22 years in fact, but I
always promised myself to take the amateur radio license before I turned 50 ...

So I passed the exam in 2019 after 5 months of preparation by asking myself afterwards
why I had not done it sooner...

I very quickly found with pleasure the sensations that I had previously experienced with telegraphy...

How could I do without that during all this time? Today I'm trying to make up for lost time ... I made two great
amateur radio friends near my QRA, we make a great team, we complement each other and have a good time by doing CW QSOs
between us! I also meet beautiful people all over the world through the radio!

My traffic conditions are modest: I use an old IC-730 and an inverted V-dipole, a KY-116 keyer,
I stretch out pieces of wire in the garden ...

Sometimes I use for the portable operation, despite its 17 kilos, a British RT320 military man-pack
whose chirp is characteristic ... This radio is amazing and surprising! I had the opportunity to do beautiful DX
with it...

I gradually equip myself, I am quite attracted by the QRP for the hiking side that there is behind ... I also like
the vintage equipment...

Today I live in the small town of VIRE-NORMANDIE in the north west of France, in Normandy, Calvados department,
not far from the D Day 1944 beaches and LE MONT SAINT-MICHEL, I love hiking with my wife or friends,
I sometimes paraglide in CLÉCY in a place nicknamed "Suisse Normande" where the relief lends itself perfectly
to this activity, I own two cottages there that I rent all year ...

Many projects and experiments in mind to one day become an accomplished ham radio, there are so many
things to do and discover!

See you soon I hope on the air, I send you my most cordial greetings from Normandy France 73 F4IHG Gaël

Worked DXCCs: