How to Use the Vox Feature on Two-Way Radios

Businesses that depend on two-way radio use are getting a hand from a technology advancement that doesn't even require the use of hands. Voice-activated transmit, commonly known as VOX, is a communication capability that enables your staff to speak in the direction of the mic of a two-way radio. When they do that, the VOX-enabled radio mic takes care of the rest. When choosing a two-way radio for your business, always weigh all the available features.

What Happens First?

As soon as someone speaks into the mic of your two-way radio, the radio will automatically begin transmitting. Most two-way radios have two methods of transmitting: either by manually pushing the button to talk (PTT); or, when VOX mode is activated, by simply talking, and allowing VOX' sound-activation technology to work its magic. VOX type headsets always keep the microphone active, so the radio will automatically start transmitting when you speak. It frees the user of the responsibility of having to press a microphone button before each transmission.

It is important to differentiate between voice-activated and sound-activated. VOX is the latter, meaning it is not just the sound of your voice which will activate VOX, but the sound of anyone's voice or any other agent in the background that might make enough noise for VOX to pick up. In a noisy environment, then, VOX will be in constant "transmit" mode.

Adjusting VOX Settings for Your Environment

Some two-way radios with VOX do have sensitivity settings so that if VOX is used in an office or a setting where there tends to be excessive background noise, setting VOX to have lower sensitivity will prevent it from picking up on every sound in the background. The lowest sensitivity setting on VOX is best for noisy locations, while the highest sensitivity setting would be used in quieter environments. VOX circuitry also includes a delay feature, keeping the circuit from de-activating when the voice or sound stops. If there is a short pause during a conversation, then, this delay feature prevents VOX from automatically ceasing transmission during that brief pause.