Autocom PTT Question

[Albert]

I added a PTT switch (2488) to my Autocom Active Duo several days ago. I haven't had the chance to try it with accessories hooked up but I do have a basic question. When I did plug it in and activate the Autocom I noticed the VOX appeared to be working as before. That is, when I speak I hear myself in my headset. Again, there's nothing else hooked to the Autocom (just my headset) but I was thinking the mike would be dead on the PTT setting unless the button is pushed. No?

[EffBee]

Likely the 3-position toggle switch was not set in the middle position, which is PTT only.

[Albert]

Thanks Eff, I actually tried the 3 position switch in all 3 positions and there was no change. I was thinking I'd hear myself as usual in the VOX position (right), only when pushing the button in PTT (center) and all the time in continuous (left). Didn't happen.

[TomK]

That's the way mine works as well. If you don't use the vox you might want to lower the sensitivity control to prevent it from triggering too often.

[Albert]

OK Thanks Tom. I actually had a rather embarassing ulterior motive for the PTT (I don't have bike to bike). I (sheepish grin) really enjoy singing inside my helmet. Since that triggers the VOX I thought the PTT might give me a way to eliminate having my "performance" piped into my ears.

[johnlt]

Albert, I thought the PTT worked only on the Bike to Bike, not on the intercom.

[Starfighter]

Albert

I also like to sing along when I'm feeling good and............??

On the RTP I have the vox turned all the way down and no activation.

On the LT I just disconnect the mic so I don't have to fuss w/ adjusting it when two up.

[EffBee]

I added a PTT switch (2488) to my Autocom Active Duo several days ago. I haven't had the chance to try it with accessories hooked up but I do have a basic question. When I did plug it in and activate the Autocom I noticed the VOX appeared to be working as before. That is, when I speak I hear myself in my headset. Again, there's nothing else hooked to the Autocom (just my headset) but I was thinking the mike would be dead on the PTT setting unless the button is pushed. No?

Albert, I apologize. I completely misread your question when I first responded. Here's abetter answer that should serve your needs.

 

The VOX and "side tone" are two separate things. VOX opens a voice channel to BOTH the passenger and to the B2B radio whenever it senses your voice (or excess noise, thus its adjustability) at the microphone. If you don't want what you say to your passenger (or your singing along to music) to be broadcast, then you should install the PTT switch. The VOX still activates, but the PTT keeps it from going through to the B2B radio unless the PTT button is pushed or the toggle switch is set to override PTT and return things to VOX control (useful, say, if you wanted to have a long conversation with another bike and didn't want to have to hold the PTT button down for 5 minutes). Similarly, when the toggle switch is in the middle position, you're on PTT for the B2B channel (NOT for the intercom which is always VOX). OK, I hope that's relatively clear.

 

"Side Tone" is an Autocom feature which feeds your voice output into your speakers and lets you know that the VOX has been successfully activated. If you ask your passenger if she's hungry, and you don't hear yourself in your headset, then she didn't hear you either. Side Tone is also activated when you push the PTT button, which is how you know you've got the button held down correctly. If you don't hear yourself asking the other bike if they need fuel, they didn't hear you either.

 

The three positions of the toggle switch are:

 

Mic locked open. You can talk and they can hear, but you can't be spoken to.

PTT

Override to regular VOX

 

I know the PTT position is the middle position, but in all honesty I've been away from selling Autocom for a year now and I can't recall which of the remaining two settings is toggle left and which is toggle right (I ride solo and use only VOX, no PTT)

 

Anyway, I'm sorry I didn't correctly understand your question the first time through. Hopefully, this helps.

 

[johnlt]

Fernando, the continuous xmit is the right hand switch position.

[Tom B]

Fernando

 

If you can think of it like this, you won’t forget;

 

With the PTT on the left handle bar; with the switch toggled out, you are broadcasting out. With the switch in the middle (in-line with the PTT) you are in PTT mode. With the switch toggled towards you, you are in VOX mode and you VOX operate it with you voice

 

OUT is constant transmit

Facing the PTT its PTT

Facing you its VOX

 

Your voice is constantly amplified out to ALL AUX connections (accept Aux 3 on the AVI)

 

So if on a phone they will always hear you even if you don’t activate the VOX.

 

If recording your voice on a recording device it will still be recording your voice even if you don’t activate the VOX.

 

Your voice goes out full time to the bike to bike radio, even if you don’t activate the VOX, however it wont be transmitted unless you make the radio transmit, so you voice is not being transmitted while the VOX is not activated, .unless you press the PTT which causes the bike to bike radio to transmit, and then your voice is transmitted.

 

The VOX was mainly designed for turning your microphones off while not speaking, so that you get ZERO amplified noise while not speaking. Why have the microphones on when not speaking? When having them automatically switch off ensures ZERO amplified noise, so less riding fatigue and less pollution to your other audio.

 

VOX is also handy for reducing the music level while speaking, so that you don’t have to stout over it

 

Of course when you speak you need your voice amplified to the passenger (or visa-versa) and so the VOX system makes this happen. Having site-tone lets you hear your own voice with provides audio confirmation of correct microphone and VOX use/settings. It also helps you to always speak at the correct level according to ambient noise/speed conditions, which prevents unnecessary shouting that happens with none-side-tone products.

 

Of course the VOX can also be used to provide you with hands free transmission for bike to bike, which is particularly useful when riding in busy conditions, such as in town etc, when you may need your left hand for the clutch or indicators etc, and then its difficult to reliably use a PTT.

 

When set up and used as intended the superior noise cancelling design makes Autocom’s VOX very reliable and easy to use at ALL speeds.

 

The PTT was really designed so that you can momentarily disable the VOX transmit, so that a rider and passenger could have a private conversation without it broadcasting out to other bikes. This meant that while in PTT mode, if a couple on one bike wanted to talk to each other, they were not broadcasting their conversation, which meant other bikes were not being Jammed and so could carry on using the bike to bike, and you could hear them so that if they spoke you could either momentarily press the PTT to confirm something, or toggle back to VOX mode so that your passenger and/or you could converse hands free using the VOX.

 

The toggle switch really only does three things.

 

In VOX mode (facing you) it allows your voce (VOX) to transmit the bike to bike radio.

 

In the middle position (PTT) it disables the VOX from being able to transmit the radio.

 

In the outwards position it shorts the PTT contacts and so constantly broadcasts out. This is mainly only used by rider training schools who like to perform a non-stop running commentary.

 

The PTT button causes the bike to bike radio to transmit at anytime it is pressed, and as your voice is amplified out full time to the radio, pressing the PTT with transmit your voice.

 

The PTT has no effect on the VOX

 

Hope this helps

 

Autocom UK Tom

 

[Albert]

Thanks to you all. Once again great, informative information from those who know (I mean really know).