Article from Colin VK2JCC aka Professor Portable – Friday 12-Jun-2026

If there is one thing that can be said about the Friday 40-metre portable operators, it is that no two stations ever look the same. This week’s gathering took place at The Brickpit, Thornleigh, with the net being expertly controlled from the comfort of Cherrybrook by our remote Net Controller.

Our regular Friday adventures have seen us operate from locations ranging from St Ives Showground to Rydalmere Park near the ferry, proving that amateur radio operators will happily set up almost anywhere there is a picnic table, a patch of grass, and enough room to launch a wire antenna into the nearest tree.

On hand this week were:

  • Steve – VK2KHA
  • Chris – VK2YMW
  • Carmel – VK2NO
  • Al – VK2OK
  • Professor Portable himself – VK2JCC

The photo tells the story perfectly. At first glance it could be mistaken for a military planning meeting, a secret government field exercise, or perhaps a group waiting for the world’s slowest barbecue. In reality it was simply five radio amateurs comparing antenna performance and discussing the merits of coax connectors.

The star of the show was undoubtedly the Xiegu G90, appearing in a remarkable variety of disguises. One radio emerged from a rugged plastic case, another from an ammunition box, while yet another was deployed from a tactical-looking manpack. Clearly the G90 is the chameleon of portable radio, equally at home on a picnic table, in a backpack, or apparently ready for deployment on a reconnaissance mission.

A collection of 40-metre dipoles and half-wave antennas were pressed into service. Wires stretched skyward and into nearby trees, causing passing walkers to wonder whether they had stumbled across an art installation or a covert communications network.

Conditions on the band were excellent. Signals from the Central Coast were rolling in at a solid 5 by 9, while stations from The Shire were also heard loud and clear. Reports suggested that everyone was being copied well, despite occasional operator distractions caused by coffee, morning tea, and discussions about whose antenna was performing best.

As always, the social side of portable operating was just as important as the radio. The Brickpit provided a pleasant backdrop, comfortable seating, and enough shelter to keep both operators and equipment happy. The picnic tables also served their traditional role as antenna tuning benches, equipment storage racks, lunch tables, and meeting rooms—all at the same time.

By the end of the session, contacts had been made, signal reports exchanged, technical problems solved, and several new ones created for future discussion. In other words, another successful Friday portable outing.

The only remaining question is where the team will appear next week. Wherever it is, chances are there will be a collection of Xiegu G90s, a forest of antenna wires, plenty of radio chatter on 40 metres, and Professor Portable ensuring that portable radio remains anything but ordinary.

During the net Carmel switched to 7144 and got Gerard 2IO at Laureton, both 59 reports. Last week on her way to Port Maq Carmel stopped at Hexam and set up in a bush park and got an S10 report from Sydney on 10watts.

Fun 🙂