Our New ADAPTIVE VOX (Adaptive Voice Operated Switching) Intercom offers something different for the pilots of very noisy ultralight or microlight aircraft (trikes).  This intercom uses some unusual methods to overcome the tradition problems that have plagued the use of VOX systems in these machines.

VOX (Voice activated switching, where the intercom detects speech and switches the intercom ON while you speak) tends not to be used in ultralight aircraft because of the difficulty in adjusting the level at which the voice triggers the squelch.  The sound levels in some ultralights, especially tandem machines, tend to vary very wildly, from about 60dB when the engine is off to extreme (110dB+) at climb-out.  In addition, not only do most GA/VOX intercoms only take GA headsets which are often too sensitive for ultralights, but when the VOX is triggered, both microphones become simultaeneously active, so everyone hears all the noise that leaks in through both microphones.

Our ADAPTIVOX intercom addresses these concerns in an unusual way.

• An Internal microphone (inside the intercom) measures the engine noise level and automatically increases the squelch level as the ambient noise increases.   In most GA intercoms, the squelch level is fixed once set. This means that if you set their squelch to be useful in climb-out, you often have to talk quite loudly at other times to trigger the mike. and often there is a significant delay in which the first syllables are missed.  In the AdaptiVox, the threshold is increased as the engine noise increases.  This means that there is no delay and no need to speak louder as engine noise decreases.  In fact, with the engine off, the mikes are always open!

• Each headset has its own independent squelch control. This means that only the microphone of the person speaking is active, so that no additional engine noise will be heard through the other microphone.

• Includes a sharp band-pass filter for restricting sound to those frequencies relevant to voice recognition.

The AdaptiVox has been kept deliberately simple.   The only controls are the two squelch knobs and a volume knob. There is no on/off switch, so it needs to be wired through the aircraft master switch.

At the rear of the unit, sockets are provided for attachment of a headset loom, so that different kinds of plugs may be used and can be remotely located, and for a GA radio attachment.  Standard GA radios or many UHF radios can be attached directly via a single cable and PTT switch.  If you wish to use two radios and/or an auxillary input, an additional module is available that adds a switch box.

The AdaptiVox can be dash mounted or can be stashed away under the dash after initial adjustment, with just the headset sockets visible at any place you choose.

The AdaptiVox is mounted in a robust anodised Aluminium case which also provides excellent RF shielding.  It may be panel mounted.

Options:

The AdaptiVox has no headset sockets. It is designed for separate headset sockets to be remotely mounted.  The following headset socket mount options are available:

• Standard General Aviation sockets on remote leads (length to your specification)

• 6.5mm Stereo sockets on remote leads

• RJE 6x4 sockets on remote leads

• Panel mount face for Adaptivox with additional space for any of the above sockets.

In addition, a Dual Radio interface module is available.

• Input/output via AdaptiVox, standard GA intercom or a single GA headset

• Output to one GA radio and one UHF CB or similar transceiver (some models not supported)

• Connection to CD line output with automatic muting of CD input during radio reception (fades in over 7 seconds after radio transmission ends)

• Auxillary Voice output to recording instrument (video recorder etc...) option.

• Switch on panel selects target radio for PTT

• Tx and Rx LED's

USING AND ADJUSTING THE ADAPTIVOX

As the AdaptiVox detects engine noise, adjustments are best made with the engine at full throttle in a climb, which is the most extreme noise that is likely to be encountered.  The squelch control for each headset should be adjusted so that at climb-out, speaking into the microphones will just break the squelch.   Once adjusted for this situation, you should not have to adjust it ever again if you continue to use the same headsets in the same pilot positions.

With some GA headsets, depending on the noise cancellation capabilities, you may find that having adjusted as above, the squelch will break (mikes will become hot) when you are idling.  This should not generally be a problem, as the amount of noise picked up by the mikes in this situation is very low.

*NOTE: The AdaptiVox is not TSO'ed so cannot be used in GA aircraft for IFR flight.

Price and availability: To be announced.