“A good radio amateur is one who knows how to listen,” confides Alain Mesnier in his workshop. The Monasterian knows what he is talking about since, since his adolescence, radio contacts have been his true passion. That morning, like every Wednesday at 10 a.m., he carried out weekly contact with the Charente prefecture in his workshop, in front of one of his stations.
“There are countries that we no longer contact, like Afghanistan, since the arrival of the Taliban. »
“This is a quick, but necessary, connection to verify the quality of the equipment, as the amateur radio network can play an important role in civil society. We are the supplementary security network and we are part of Adrasec (departmental association of amateur radios serving civil security). We are around twenty members in Charente, all volunteers. »
Alain Mesnier transmitted this message from the transmitter he uses for everything relating to national connections. Then he sits in front of a second transmitter which allows contacts with all other countries. In a frame is his operator's certificate, which dates from 1966, accompanied by his designator: F6ANA, given once and for all.
In his workshop, side by side, are lined up the different transmitters that he has used since the very first time when, still a teenager, he discovered short waves. “In France, there are currently around 15,000 of us. Which is relatively few compared to England or Germany. »
An 18 meter antenna
To improve contacts, which pass by satellites, in addition to the external antenna which measures 18 meters high, he installed a satellite dish in his workshop. “The new satellite, sent by Qatar, allows coverage of all sizes, from the closest to the most distant. »
Alain Mesnier spends 2 to 3 hours listening every day and, to converse, he uses English, which he knows well, but also Spanish for South America. When these two languages are not enough, he uses Morse code: he had started learning it before going to the army. But that’s where he ended: “You had to be able to take 1,200 words/hour. »
A total of 340 countries can be contacted, according to the official list. Some have disappeared, according to changes in the political map of the world, which was the case with the two Germanys when the Berlin Wall fell.
“And then, there are countries that we no longer contact, like Afghanistan, since the arrival of the Taliban, whereas before we could. In North Korea, there was a very brief contact, but with Lebanon or Russia, despite the current conflicts, I have exchanges, as well as with Ukraine. »
Alain Mesnier keeps all these contacts in the form of QSLs, small acknowledgment cards, which he collects in large albums, with rarities such as Pitcairn Island, famous for the Bounty rebels, or Peter Island, in Antarctica during a unique expedition.
“I have 50,000 QSLs which represent my entire life as a radio amateur. » With the very precious one of Bhutan, a contact that he created and where he was invited to explore the country.
