Flying on the Cheap - VOX

VOX - - Voice-Operated Xmitter (ie, transmitter) - - is often favored
among those who dangle under the wings they fly.

The Maxon PTT/VOX model CA-1482A, which is known to work with most Icom
and Yaesu HT's, is presently being offered for $3.50 as new-surplus
by All Electronics (www.allelectronics.com) Their catalog # is VOX-2.

The Maxon CA-1482A is a well designed unit that uses a combination of
SMT and traditional components. It is powered by an internal,
rechargeable NiCad cell that is recharged in a novel manner. The
standard Maxon wall-wart, their CA-1410D, delivers 14.5vdc @ 60mA via a
2.5mm phone plug, designed to recharge the Maxon SP- and CP-5000
radios. But by plugging the wall-wart into the MICROPHONE jack of the
CP-1482A, the 14.5vdc is fed through a series of diodes and dropping
resisters so that the NiCad cell sees a suitable voltage for recharging
- - which takes about 12 hours, assuming the battery is dead, which it
will be when you receive the unit from All Electronics. Just plug it
in and leave it over-night before trying to use it. Once charged, the
VOX is good for about ten days of normal use.

If you don't have the standard Maxon charger (ie, their CA-1410D),
All Electronics carries a suitable replacement, their catalog #
DCTX-1211 @ $3.00.

I originally purchased the VOX module only for the molded dual-plug
connector. (!!) At $3.50 the cost of the VOX was less than the price
of individual mini-phone plugs and wiring. And while the VOX units
I've purchased (four, so far) all worked perfectly well, their
primary purpose is to provide an inexpensive source of parts for
fabricating aviation head-sets for a gang of youngsters.

-R.S.Hoover (KA6HZF)