Make Phone Calls From Your Tractor

Make Phone Calls From Your Tractor SPECIALTY/SERVICES Specialty/Services 3-6-25 With the new Vox-A-Phone from Vox-Systems, Decatur, Ind., you can "patch" your mobile communications base directly to your telephone and call anywhere in the world right from your tractor, truck or car CB with no additional telephone charges. "We've just manufactured the first 100 units," says Richard Woods, representative of the Vox Company, adding that cost will be a big advantage of the Vox-A-Phone. "Conventional mobile telephones cost a fortune and its easy to run up a large monthly phone bill. With this lower-cost system, farmers can take care of business while doing field work, or call directly to hired help in the field back home while on a trip. Also, when equipment breaks down in the field, you can call direct to town to explain the problem yourself to the dealer or his parts manager," Woods points out. The Vox-A-Phone requires someone at the base station to dial calls for you, and to place the phone receiver on the speaker's unit. Wood explains that technically, such help can be eliminated but FCC regulations prohibit an unattended phone exchange that would let anyone with a CB use any phone equipped with a Vox system. "Systems that let you call anywhere - dialing right from your tractor, pickup or car, can be developed but government regulations prevent their being sold," he says. Here's how the current system works: You call your mobile base on your CB and someone there dials a number, then cradles the receiver over a special "hands off" _ mike. Shortly before the end of three minutes, a tone sounds, warning that your call will be cut off if the button on top of the Vox console is not pressed by the base operator. If the button is pressed, you have another three minutes to talk. "The limitation, again, is a result of FCC rules limiting use of airwaves owned by the general public," Woods points out. A more advanced model, wired directly to the phone lines without a cradle for the receiver, will be released when government testing is completed. Someone will still dial for you, but direct phone line contact means cleaner communications, says Wood. He also notes that any type two-way communications band, such as the business band, will work with the Vox-A-Phone. "One big advantage of the system is that you can telephone and talk to all of your hired help, no matter where they are, if they have two-way radios," points out Woods. "It's still one-way communication like between two CB'ers, so you can't talk at the same time. But one person can talk on the phone, or on one radio, and everyone can hear." The Vox system sells for $329, f.o.b. the factory. For more information, contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Vox Systems, Route 4, Box 266, Decatur, Ind. 46733 (ph 219 565-3825):

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