[JMS] 90711 VFO Proto Type?

[Don Buska]

Happy New Year All,

Attended a swapfest today up near Milwaukee and picked up some Millen Catalogs and product 
literature from 1947-48.  One thing that was of interest immediately was a page describing the 
90711 VFO.  The picture and description are not the same as the 711 we are all used to seeing.  I 
have placed a jpeg scan of the page at http://www.qsl.net/jms/90711p.jpg .  The literature page is 
labeled as page 7.  In the same batch of papers I have another one also labeled page 7 which 
has the standard 711 were all used to seeing.

Question.  Has any one ever seen this earlier variation of the 711?  Since they show pictures of the 
inside and back I know at least one was built.  

Here is some of my observations from the prototype literature page:

-  Uses standard Millen 10035 model Panel-Dial
- Case is like standard 90711's but taller (almost 2" taller).
- Doesn't have a buffer/multiplier stage
- Only has 80M and 40M outputs vs 160, 80, 40 and 20M on standard 90711 (result of above item)
- Has two regulator tubes vs one in the standard 90711.
- No Variarm
- Insides are a completely different layout.

If they did sell these earlier versions I, as many of you, would sure like to know who has one.  If 
they did sell this early version for a time I wonder why they never changed the model number on 
our later 711's.  Although the aforementioned wasn't unusual for Millen, as they often made some 
major changes to equipment yet numbered them exactly the same, i.e. the 90831 Modulator 
variations.  From todays marketing ploys manufacturers will change models numbers or add suffix 
designator all the time.  Kind of like the "New and Improved" used on all our household goods and 
foods. Maybe the manufacturers operating practices in those days  were so much different than 
the practices we see so much today.  Hey we could probably live with a few less Marketing 
Departments, hi.  My advance opology to those JMS members who are in the marketing end of 
business.

If your not able to view the picture well within your browser, just right click on the picture and save it 
to your computer.  Then view it in a different graphics program where your able to resize the 
picture.

73

Don N9OO