N5OFF — R-390A Production Historian & Document Preservationist The Historian Tom Marcotte, N5OFF, is one of the most important historical researchers in the R-390 community. For years, he has been diligently amassing production data — contract numbers, manufacturers, quantities, and…
W5OR — R-390 List Manager & R-389 VLF Receiver Authority 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…
The Collins R-390A is arguably the finest tube-era military HF receiver ever built — but it was designed in the early 1950s for AM and CW reception. As amateur and military communications transitioned to single-sideband (SSB), several aftermarket solutions emerged…
R-390A Aftermarket SSB Adapters: A Comparison Guide Mike Peace · March 9, 2026 · Amateur Radio, R-390A.NET The Collins R-390A is arguably the finest tube-era military HF receiver ever built — but it was designed in the early 1950s for…
The Boatanchor Legends series honors the individuals who built, preserved, and shared the technical knowledge that keeps the R-390A, the Collins S-Line, and their sister equipment alive. From the editors of the Y2K Manual to the archivists who saved disappearing…
Boatanchor Legends — A Tribute Series Barry Hauser New York Y2K Manual Co-Editor • Reflector Voice • Community Historian Barry Hauser brought two rare qualities to the R-390A community simultaneously: the editorial discipline to co-produce the definitive R-390A technical reference,…
Boatanchor Legends — A Tribute Series DW Holtman, WB7SSN Y2K Manual Contributor Technical Illustrator • Digital Draftsman DW Holtman brought a draftsman’s precision to the R-390A community’s most important document. As a credited contributor to “The 21st Century R-390A/URR Technical…
Boatanchor Legends — A Tribute Series Gary Gitzen Y2K Manual Contributor Technical Knowledge • Community Expertise Gary Gitzen is one of the credited contributors to “The 21st Century R-390A/URR Technical Reference” — the Y2K Manual — the R-390A community’s definitive…
Boatanchor Legends — A Tribute Series Tom Norris Y2K Manual Contributor Technical Expertise • Community Knowledge Tom Norris is one of the credited contributors to “The 21st Century R-390A/URR Technical Reference” — the Y2K Manual — the single most important…
Boatanchor Legends — A Tribute Series Scott Seickel Y2K Manual Contributor R-390 Reflector Contributor • Technical Knowledge Sharer Scott Seickel holds a distinctive place in the R-390A community: he is one of only a handful of contributors credited in both…
Wei-i Li The Archivist Every technical community generates far more knowledge than it manages to preserve. Conversations happen, problems are solved, solutions are shared — and then the thread scrolls off the page and the answer that took three experts…
Clemens Stubbe Østergaard The Scholar at the Receiver The R-390A community has always attracted serious people — engineers, technicians, former military operators, and dedicated amateurs who approach the receiver with the same rigour they bring to their professional lives. Clemens…