Hi, I’m a new member and this is my first post. I recently bought the Motorola MR350R and found the VOX feature basically useless- it didn’t seem to work at all (I did not true yelling into the mic).
I’m trying to get a set of two way radio to use for hiking with my family (does not need incredible range, we stick fairly close together since we’ve got a 5 and 1.5 year old). Since I’m buying these radios I thought I would take advantage of the VOX feature and use it as a baby monitor on occasion. This would be useful when I’m working in the garage at night and can’t hear the little one.
Are there any models that have a VOX system that might work better than the MR350R I tried?
Hi Che, welcome to the forum!
While it is true that VOX circuitry, sensitivity and overall performance can vary depending on the make and model of the radio, simply swapping one radio for another for won’t necessarily get you what you want.
VOX is a tricky thing, and it isn’t simply a matter of turning it on to get the feature to work properly on any radio.
You didn’t say how you set it up, what your configuration is and whether you were speaking directly into the mic built into the radio or using a mic on a headset, so I’m just responding with general information.
For starters, it isn’t for loud noise environments, as any ambient sound can activate it. the sensitivity levels need to be configured for your specific situation and some experimentation will be required to get the level where they will work best, or at least marginally operational.
Also, VOX works best when using headsets or earbuds with in-line VOX capable mics. Note that I said VOX capable. Not all headset microphones will work with VOX, so you need to bear that in mind when choosing a microphone headset or earpiece for a VOX enabled radio. It does not work as well with the mic on the radio itself for the same reasons mentioned in the previous paragraph.
I have heard that some do use radios equipped with VOX as baby monitors, and depending on the equipment and the environment, it can work. However, handheld FRS/GMRS radios are not specifically designed for this use, so don’t be disappointed if the results are not what you expect.