PLT ON IFR DEP LOST COM XMITTER ABILITY AFTER TKOF RESULTING IN DIVERSION TO NEARBY VFR ARPT.

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INTERCOM SWITCH ON AUDIO PANEL FAILED RESULTING IN INABILITY TO XMIT; RECEIVE OK. COULD NOT ANSWER CALLS FROM DEP. SQUAWKED 7700/7600 AND PROCEEDED TO OKK. LANDED AND CONTACTED GUS. ATC INFORMED THEM OF FAILURE; THAT WE HAD LANDED AND TO CANCEL IFR. ALSO ASKED THAT THEY CONTACT IND ATC AND INFORM THEM OF OUR STATUS. LATER DISCUSSED OUR HANDLING WITH IND FSDO AND IND ATC DEP CTLR WHO HAD HANDLED US. WE WERE NEVER ASKED TO 'IDENT IF YOU ARE RECEIVING.' WOULD HAVE BEEN GOOD FOR PEACE OF MIND FOR ALL CONCERNED. WE SHOULD HAVE USED THE IDENT FUNCTION AS JUST ANOTHER XMITTER WHEN WE WERE UNABLE TO REPLY. (GUS NEVER CONTACTED IND AS REQUESTED.) PARENTHETICALLY; I LEFT THE HAND-HELD TRANSCEIVER ON THE KITCHEN TABLE THAT MORNING. WX CAVU AND 'NOTHING EVER GOES WRONG.' NOT TOO BRIGHT. ON DEPARTING OKK; GUS GAVE US A NORDO SQUAWK WHICH WAS WORKED BY GUS; CHI CTR AND ZAU AND SBN ALL THE WAY TO OUR DEST AT MGC. IDENT FUNCTION SERVED VERY EFFECTIVELY AS A CONFIRMATION OF ALL RECEIVED XMISSIONS. FLT CONTINUED UNDER VFR; NOT IFR. INTERESTING EXPERIENCE AND PERFECT WX FOR MY FIRST LOST COM. NOTE: PLEASE SEND ADDITIONAL ASRS FORMS. I FIND THE MONTHLY 'CALLBACK' PUB VERY BENEFICIAL.