A poor man's hand switch
You wanna save an easy 20 bucks? Well next time you have a mic without PTT, or use a boom mic that needs a hand switch or foot switch do this;
Opt for the hand switch, then go to Rat Shack and buy a "soft touch" momentary switch, it's really a nice switch about the same feel and amount of pressure needed to key it as the PTT on a Heil Goldline mic, it's just not as pretty but functionally it's just as good as Bob's. Get the appropriate plug for your rig, the W2IHY gear needs an rca plug, I used a piece of RG-58 out of the junk box for my cable, but anything with 2 conductors will work. I just made the handle out of electrical tape. It's very comfortable and formed to MY hand over the years, so it doesn't get much more comfortable than that! The switch is softer to the touch than the ones I have spent 25 plus bucks on, plus shipping, it's not uncomfortable at all on long transmissions where you would otherwise have a thumb going to sleep.

I have less than 5 dollars in this one. You would be a fool to buy a hand switch unless you are one of those who need "pretty" things, but if functionality is priority first with you, this is a real money saver. I am boom addict, once you use a boom, nothing else will do, I don't use vox and the modulator cable I use on the EQ Plus doesn't allow the VOX to work anyway, but a foot switch is out of the question for me, I have a bad back and sometimes I like to lean back and put my feet up on the desk, a foot switch wouldn't work for me.
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