ATC PROVIDES EXCELLENT SVC TO ACFT WITH A XMITTER FAILURE.

Narrative

I LOST XMIT CAPABILITY ON BOTH RADIOS. I WAS ON FLT FOLLOWING WITH ZOA (128.7). ZOA MADE 4 ATTEMPTS TO ALERT ME OF THE CLOSE PROX TFC. ON ALL 4 OCCASIONS I PRESSED THE YOKE PUSH-TO-XMIT BUTTON AND ANSWERED THAT I HAD THE TFC IN SIGHT; IT WAS A SINGLE ENG; RETRACTABLE GEAR; PIPER; AND THERE WAS NO CONFLICT PROB. AFTER THE 4TH CALL FROM ZOA AND MY ATTEMPTS TO RESPOND; I REALIZED THAT I HAD LOST XMIT CAPABILITY ON BOTH RADIOS. HOWEVER; I COULD STILL RECEIVE AND HEAR ZOA CLRLY ON BOTH RADIOS. I MADE THE FOLLOWING DECISIONS: 1) DID A 180 DEG TURN AND HEADED BACK NWBOUND TOWARDS SALINAS ARPT (SNS) FOR AN EMER LNDG. I HAD PLENTY OF FUEL ABOARD AND THE ENG AND ALL OTHER SYS WERE WORKING PROPERLY. I DSNDED FROM 5500 FT MSL TO 4500 FT MSL. 2) SQUAWKED CODE 7600 SO ZOA WOULD KNOW I HAD LOST COMS WITH THEM. SMART MOVES. ZOA IMMEDIATELY CALLED RECOGNIZING THE 7600 CODE. ZOA CORRECTLY DETERMINED THAT I COULD HEAR THEM AND REQUESTED THAT I RESPOND YES OR NO VIA THE IDENT FEATURE ON THE XPONDER. BY USING THE XPONDER IDENT FOR YES AND DOING NOTHING FOR NO; ZOA DETERMINED THAT I WAS AT 4500 FT MSL AND HAD TURNED AROUND AND WAS HEADING BACK TOWARDS SALINAS ARPT FOR LNDG. ZOA THEN HAD ME RETURN TO MY ASSIGNED SQUAWK CODE OF XXXX. USING THE IDENT FEATURE ON THE XPONDER TO RESPOND TO ZOA; ZOA TOOK EXCELLENT CARE OF ME BY ASKING YES/NO QUESTIONS AND: ALERTED MONTEREY APCH OF MY SIT; REQUESTED MONTEREY APCH TO ARRANGE FOR MY LNDG AT SALINAS; KEPT ME INFORMED OF MY PROGRESS AND ATC ACTIONS ON MY BEHALF; AND ADVISED ME THAT SALINAS ARPT HAD BEEN ALERTED AND WAS ANTICIPATING MY ARR AND LNDG. AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME; ZOA ADVISED ME TO MONITOR MONTEREY APCH (133.0). WHEN MONTEREY APCH CALLED ME; I RESPONDED WITH A XPONDER IDENT. MONTEREY APCH ADVISED ME WHEN TO MONITOR SALINAS TWR (119.4). WHEN I ARRIVED AT SALINAS ARPT; THE TWR IMMEDIATELY CALLED TO LET ME KNOW I WAS CLRED FOR LNDG ON RWY 26. I LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. AFTER LNDG AT SALINAS; I TELEPHONED MY HOME BASE ARPT; SAN CARLOS; CA (SQL); AND ADVISED THEM OF MY PROB. THE CTLR AT SAN CARLOS TWR AGREED TO ACCEPT MY ARR USING A BATTERY OPERATED HAND HELD TRANSCEIVER. COORDINATING WITH THE SALINAS TWR; I SUBSEQUENTLY DEPARTED THE SALINAS ARPT AND FLEW TO SAN CARLOS ARPT; USING A HAND HELD RECEIVER FOR COMS WITH SAN CARLOS TWR. I LANDED AT SAN CARLOS ARPT WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. AT FAA WINGS AIR SAFETY SEMINARS I HAVE HEARD INSTRUCTORS TALK ABOUT HOW ATC BENDS OVER BACKWARDS TO ASSIST PLTS IN TROUBLE. THIS WAS THE FIRST INCIDENT IN 828 HRS OF FLYING WHERE I HAD WHAT I CONSIDERED TO BE AN INFLT EMER REQUIRING ATC HELP. WOW. THE SYS REALLY DOES WORK. MY THANKS AND PRAISES FOR THE WAY ATC TOOK CARE OF ME. ALL OF THE CTLRS REALLY DID A FANTASTIC JOB TO ENSURE MY LNDG SAFELY AT SALINAS. THE TROUBLE TURNED OUT TO BE AN ELECTRONIC FAILURE IN THE 17 YR OLD INTERCOM. THE YOKE PUSH BUTTON-TO-XMIT FEATURE WHICH IS INCORPORATED IN INTERCOM AND SUPPORTS THE HEADSET MIKES HAD FAILED. IT IS NOT REPAIRABLE. I NOW HAVE TO INSTALL A NEW INTERCOM IN THE AIRPLANE.