Kevin:
On the higher end rigs, the vox can be really taylored and can sound pretty
good.
On my TS570, i can use vox without the other operator being aware of it most
times...
that is partially because i speak different when using vox...you must talk
differently, inserting pauses, and speaking perhaps more quickly or flowing
different words together in order to make sure that things dont get choppy.
I think many operators haven't perfected this and so they tend to just leave
a big long pause instead of keeping the vox enabled by speaking.
I find that when an operator is using vox, they certainly tend to leave
bigger pauses which leads one to sometimes think they are done...whereas,
most guys when they are using a microphone dont pause and even if there is
no back ground  noise, you can generally tell when they are done because
there is a long pause without audio....
Also, i think with a microphone, operators tend to use over or back to you
more then with VOX...there is some amount of assumtion that when using vox,
the faster more flowing conversation can take place without long pauses
between transmisions...and for some this works, but for many its just an
irritant.
I have heard stations operating in almost a full duplex mode by having the
vox set just right and knowing the other operator, allowing just enough
pause there to let him get the comments inserted right into the other guys
sentence and still be heard.
Anyway, as i said, on the 570, the vox is very clean...i almost wonder if
there isn't some sort of circuit which catches the audio coming from the
microphone and then once the radio keys up, sends that audio, a time delay
circuit which helps to prevent that choppy sound that accompanies the
operator speaking and the radio keying up a milli second later.
In large live sound applications, delay circuits are used to prevent that
choppy sound of a gait being engaged or to prevent allot of echo from the
delay between mike and the speakers that occurs due to line loss and having
to go through various components.
A cheaper vox circuit may not have these time delays built in, so it doesn't
compensate for the time it takes the radio to key up after you begin
speaking.
73
Colin, V A6BKX