The G4UZN Historic QSL Collection

French Indochina

This is a research project and if you have any information to add, please let me know.

Richard Jamas FI8QQ

FI-8QQ 1926

F8QQ 1948

No other cards from French Indochina from the 1920's survive - the 1948 card from Jamas shows that he was first active (unlicensed) as F8QQ in 1925, then licensed as F8JL. He also operated as 1C-1B and AF-1B from Saigon, in the 1926-1930 period.
There is a record of the call (FI-) 1E allocated to A. Cazes, Professeur de Lycee in Hanoi - he had a REF membership number of REF 318.

Rene Lebon FI8AC

FI8AC 1938

Rene Lebon is the only known operator from French Indochina in the 1930's. Both cards are from Hanoi from 1938.

The picture above was often attached to the back of his QSL cards, a number of which have survived.

Operations Post - World War Two

After the end of World War Two and the defeat of the Japanese Empire, France re-assumed Colonial control of French Indochina.
The first and most famous operation was by Willard Hunton as W6ODD/FI8, operating, with the permission of the Chief of Police in Saigon for three weeks from 3 July 1948. Reported that he sent out 200+ QSLs, although few have survived.
All other operations were clandestine without permission.
Paul Ferrand FI8ZZ at the French Embassy - 1948-1951. (four QSL's of some kind submitted to DXCC desk); W8QOH/FI8 two days from Cam Ranh Bay in 1949, probably from aboard ship, the s.s. Steel Rover (12 QSL's). FI8AB(F3EQ) and FI8AZ (F9TX) also noted as active.
In 1950 France prohibited Amateur Radio in Indochina and FI8 was put on the DXCC "banned country" list.
(above information from Jan Perkins' biography of W6AM).
Official licences were granted again by the French from 1st September 1952, in sequence from FI8AA -.These did not count as the old French Indochina entity, but as Viet Nam.
France abandoned Indochina after the Battle of Dien Ben Phu (March-May 1954). The Geneva Accords at the Geneva Conference (May 8 - July 21 1954) formalised the independence.