VY 73 es gd dx
His signature sign-off, wishing everyone the best and good DX
Early Years
Born in 1956, Böcki showed an adventurous spirit from the start. By age 10, he was racing in soapbox derbies, an early sign of the speed and mechanics that would define his later passions.
In his teenage years, he became a DJ (1971–1975) and drummer (1972–1976), spinning records and playing in bands. Music remained a lifelong passion, even as new adventures called.
Soapbox Derby, 1966
DJ, 1971
1975
Motorcycles & Racing
The late 70s brought a new obsession: motorcycles. Starting with a Honda CB500 Four in 1977, Böcki threw himself into the world of two wheels. Not just riding, but racing.
He competed in hillclimb races in 1978, pushing machines to their limits on mountain roads. The Kawasaki Z500 followed in 1980, then the legendary Yamaha XT500, the bike that would eventually carry him across the Sahara.
Honda CB500 Four, 1977
Kawasaki Z500, 1980
Yamaha XT500
Crossing the Sahara
The ultimate motorcycle adventure: crossing the Sahara Desert on a Yamaha XT500. In 1987/88, Gerhard navigated the Massif du Hoggar in Algeria, where volcanic peaks rise from endless sand, ancient rock paintings, and the hermitage at Assekrem.
Desert camps under star-filled skies, rocky trails that tested man and machine, and the profound solitude of the world's largest desert. This expedition embodied everything he lived for: freedom, challenge, and the unknown.
XT500, Sept 1987
Assekrem
Desert Camp
Desert Trail
The Radio Operator
Licensed in 1988 as OE1WED, ham radio became the thread connecting all his adventures. From mountain summits to ocean crossings, the radio was always there, making contacts, chasing DX, building friendships across the globe.
He earned his GOC certificate for maritime operations, achieved CEPT Class 1 in 1999, and was an active member of MFCA (#79), MF-Runde (#1018), and OE-CW-G (#96).
Maritime Mobile
From desert sand to ocean spray. Böcki trained on the tall ship STS Khersones, earning his sea legs on a legendary Ukrainian vessel. He went on to sail as skipper and helmsman across the Mediterranean, Atlantic, Caribbean, and Indian Ocean.
The Caribbean aboard SY Barbarella, the coasts of Europe, the open Atlantic. Always with a radio aboard, making maritime mobile contacts from wherever the wind carried him.
At Sea
Caribbean 2010
STS Khersones
Tall Ship
Summits on the Air
Combining his love of mountains with ham radio, Gerhard became a dedicated SOTA (Summits on the Air) activator. He achieved Mountain Goat status with over 1,000 points earned by hiking to summits and making radio contacts from the top.
From Hermannskogel near Vienna to the Hoher Dachstein at 2,995m, across Austria, Germany, Hungary, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Spain, including El Teide in Tenerife. Each summit a new adventure, each contact a connection across the airwaves.
Mountain Goat, 2017
El Teide, Tenerife
SOTA Activation
Globetrotter
The world was never big enough. Böcki trekked 150km around Annapurna, reaching Thorong La pass at 5,415m. He explored the jungles of Ecuador and Brazil, crossed the Atacama Desert in Chile, and ventured deep into the Australian Outback.
Route 66 in America. The classic cars of Cuba. Table Mountain and the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa. The Great Barrier Reef. Uluru glowing red at sunset. Every continent except Antarctica. And who knows, maybe he had plans.
Annapurna, Nepal
Uluru, Australia
Atacama Desert
Route 66, USA
Cuba
Table Mountain
Great Barrier Reef
Cape of Good Hope
Ecuador