The List Manager
Don Reaves, W5OR, served as the manager of the R-390 mailing list — the primary online gathering place for the R-390 community for many years. In this role, he was responsible for keeping the reflector running smoothly, managing subscriptions, moderating discussions, and handling the inevitable technical issues of maintaining an internet mailing list serving a passionate community of vintage radio enthusiasts.
The R-390 mailing list, hosted at qth.net, became the central forum where restoration techniques were debated, historical research was shared, parts were sourced, and newcomers were welcomed. Don’s stewardship of this infrastructure was essential to everything else that happened — the Pearls of Wisdom compilation, the reflector archives, and the free flow of technical knowledge all depended on the list functioning reliably.
The R-389 Authority
Don’s personal passion extended beyond the R-390A to encompass the rarer Collins R-389/URR VLF receiver — the low-frequency sibling in the R-390 family, covering 15 kHz to 1.5 MHz. He created and maintained r-389.com, a dedicated website for this uncommon and fascinating receiver. The site hosted the original Collins Final Engineering Report for the R-389/R-390 project — a 106-page document from Collins’ R&D Laboratory prepared for the Signal Corps in 1953, scanned by Bill Hawkins and Al Tirevold WA0HQQ in March 1999.
The Final Engineering Report provides a rare window into the original design philosophy behind the R-390 family — the “nitty-gritty of an HF receiver’s engineering,” as one forum member described it, made available 53 years after it was written.
Broader Interests
Don’s collecting interests reflected the breadth of Cold War-era military communications equipment. He owned a Racal RA6790/GM and an R-2174 VLF receiver, and was active on the Racal mailing list as well as the R-390 reflector. His practical contributions ranged from helping new members configure their email clients for plain-text posting to sharing technical knowledge about the R-389’s unique VLF circuitry.
His role as list manager meant that Don’s contribution was, in many ways, invisible — like good infrastructure, a well-managed mailing list is noticed only when something goes wrong. But the community that formed around that list, and the knowledge it generated and preserved, owe a debt to the person who kept the lights on.
Key Contributions
- R-390 mailing list manager — maintained the community’s primary online forum
- Created and maintained r-389.com — the R-389/URR VLF receiver reference site
- Hosted the Collins Final Engineering Report (R-389/R-390, 1953)
- Bridged the R-390, Boatanchors, and Racal mailing list communities
- Practical community support including email configuration guidance for list members
Boatanchor Legends Tribute Series • vk6ada.com.au
Mike Peace VK6ADA / r-390a.net Administrator
Compiled March 2026 from the Hollow State Newsletter, R-390 Reflector Archives, and r-390a.net FAQ