For Vox, the makers of amplifers, guitars and organs, see Vox (musical equipment).

In telecommunication, a vox (short for 'voice operated switch') is a switch that operates when sound over a certain threshold is detected. It is usually used to turn turn on a transmitter or recorder when someone speaks. It is used instead of a push-to-talk button on transmitters or to save storage space on recording devices. The circuitry usually includes a delay that leaves the circuit activated when the sound stops. This keeps the circuit from turning off during short pauses in speech.

Vox is also short-hand for vocals amongst musicians.

Synonyms

• voice operated relay circuit
• voice operated transmit
• voice operated transmitter
• voice operated microphone
• voice activated relay circuit
• voice activated transmit
• voice activated transmitter
• voice activated microphone

Source: from Federal Standard 1037C and from MIL-STD-188

Vox is also the title of a novel by Nicholson Baker; see the Wikipedia article on this author for discussion.