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Reviews For: Kenwood TS-480HX

Category: Transceivers: HF Amateur HF+6M+VHF+UHF models - non QRP <5W

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Review Summary For : Kenwood TS-480HX
Reviews: 125MSRP: 1499.95
Description:
All mode AM/FM/SSB/CW, HF/VHF (six meters), 200 watts, detachable face, 13.8 VDC, DSP.
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.kenwoodusa.com/Communications/Amateur_Radio/HF_Base_Mobile/TS-480HX-480SAT
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
151254.8
chris carroll Rating: 2005-02-07
VERY GOOD Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
A VERY WELL DESIGNED RECEIVER WITH GOOD CLOSE IN DYNAMIC RANGE AS WAS TESTED DURING CQWW SSB IN OCT04. I COULD COPY 5/3 SIGS EASILY WITH 20/9 SIGNALS A COUPLE OF KC AWAY. THE RECEIVED AUDIO IS EXCELLENT WITH AN EXTERNAL SPEAKER AND THE SSB NARROW FILTER WORKS MUCH BETTER THAN PREVIOUS KW FILTERS.A GOOD 200W PEP OUT GIVES THE RIG PLENTY OF TALK POWER AND AT 200W PEP THE OUTPUT THIRD ORDER IMD PRODUCTS WERE AT LEAST 30DB DOWN ON A 2 TONE TEST WHICH IS MUCH BETTER THAN MANY MODERN RIGS ON THE MARKET. ERGONOMICS ARE EXCELLENT AS IS THE DISPLAY AND THE COOLING SYSTEM IS WELL ENGINEERED TO PREVENT THE RIG EVER GETTING MORE THAN JUST WARM.OVERALL A SUCCESSFUL DESIGN EFFORT BY KENWOOD AND WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE NEXT GENERATION OF THE TS480 WITH IF DSP AND A NARROW ROOFING FILTER AND 300W PEP. THIS RIG IS I BELIEVE ALMOST TOO GOOD TO GO MOBILE IT IS AN EXCELLENT BASE TRANSCEIVER!
73 FROM CHRIS
W1XZ Rating: 2005-02-04
Very nice radio Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I bought the TS-480HX as a replacement for my FT 990 Yaesu. The 990 is a pretty good transceiver, but I wanted to try something new, and after looking at the stats and reviews the 480 caught my eye.
There are some different things about the new Kenwood. It has 2 final units that each require 20.5 amp 13.8 vdc power supplies. You can use one large supply or 2 separate ones, but there are 2 power cords and both have to be used.
The other peculiatity is the detached head. Much has been said about this, and all I would add is that I really like the setup. I move the head around on my desk to suit how I am operating; up close to my right hand for contesting and up out of the way for shooting the breeze.
There has been a bit of posting about the output power of both of the 480's. Using a PEP watt meter I see the proper amount of output from my HX. I use a Heil #5 element in a boom mic, and have compared it to the hand mic that comes with the radio. The hand mic gets good reports, but when I put on the Heil everyone likes it better.
The receiver is always the most important link, and I can say I am very satisfied. I did some side by side comparisons with the FT 990, and the 480 is the winner (but only by a nose and a half.) The 480's DSP while only at AF makes a difference in crowded band conditions, and makes the audio pleasant to the ear in differing conditions. If the adjacent channel interference signals is in the passband of the receiver all you can do is make it more palitable. No radio at any price can do much about the "guy who moves in next door." The HX 480 does make the experience easier to deal with.
There are the usual IF shift knobs and menu driven DSP functions and they work as advertised. The fidelity is good and quite easy to listen to. I use the 480 for some SWL'ing, and the AM quality is good. (I have had a few AM QSO's on 75 and got surprisingly good audio reports.)
I installed the 500 HZ CW filter. I was surprised to find out it was solder in. Kenwood radios are known for oxidized contacts, so the solder in filter is a plus. I have seen complaints about this, but if you can't solder in a CW filter perhaps another less complicated hobby is for you. The filter is automatically put in service by the DSP control. That at first didn't sit well with me, but after using it I must say that I don't even notice the difference. The 500 HZ filter is more than enough for me, but the avid contester/DXer might want the narrower choice.
Overall the ergonomics take a bit of getting used to, but everything makes sense after a fashion.. The menus are well thought out and not too different from any on the new radios. If someone just got back on the air after 25 years there will be a learning curve, but if you figured out how to hook up the cabling and run a Drake B line, you can get the hang of a 480.
I decided on the TS 480HX afetr doing my homework. For the money I don't think there is a better deal out there. There are those who think this radio was designed as a mobile radio with base operation an afetr thought. I think they have it backwards: This radio is a fine base that might just work out OK in the car or camper.
Buy this radio if you aren't afraid of something different or learn something new. At $1039 I give it 2 thumbs up.
N2DY Rating: 2005-01-20
Works Great in the Mobile Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
The 480-HX outperforms an Icom 706MKIIG that I had in the mobile. The 200 watts is nice. One wouldn't think that 3 db means much but when you are operating 75 meter mobile, every little bit helps. The receiver is indeed an improvement over the 706MKIIG. It is more sensitive and has much better adjacent frequency rejection capabilities. It even has a noise blanker that works! Icom needs to beef up that feature on their rigs. The ergonomics are excellent for mobile use. You rarely need to enter a menu. All the controls are right there on the face of the rig. I read about some others mentioning that they were not seeing 200 watts of output while transmitting on SSB. I put mine on a true Bird PEP meter and the rig is indeed throwing out 200 watts on ssb. The meter in the rig does not seem to indicate as much output. Overall, this is a terrific product from Kenwood. It has made mobiling effortless and fun. I only briefly used the radio in the base but I see no reason why it would not make a great base station as well.
KK8B Rating: 2005-01-13
great radio, good audio, outstanding cw , clean receive Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
great radio, good audio reports even on hand mic, receive is clean, cw qsk is smooth,nice to have 200 watt output.you cant beat this radio for the money,good job kenwood. 73
K6PS Rating: 2005-01-01
Unsure About Audio Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I bought my TS480HX from R&L electronics mainly for CW and listening use. The unit is very well constructed, and quite compact. A handy MB480 accessory bracket is not widely promoted, but it allows the radio's remote control head to be "joined" to the RF deck of the rig for a more traditional configuration. A friend of mine bought the lower power 100 watt TS480SAT model and he felt that it had poor audio "punch". I am not able to make valid audio comparisons, and therefore not able to comment on the supposed audio "issues" regarding te TS480 series. If anyone has more detailed information on the audio, and how to resolve any supposed deficiencies, I'd be keen to read more about it here. Fine radio overall at a great price. 73 de K6PS
KC9ANQ Rating: 2004-12-29
UNHAPPY Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I bought mine at Dayton 2004. I have been unhappy with the radio. The RX is all that its talked up to be but I have had bad audio reports no matter what equalization I use or do not use for that matter. Modular mic plug? WHY? bought the adapter and ran the MC-60 with the same reports, muffled bassy or muffled tinny audio depending on the eq settings. maybe it was just my voice? I am glad I got such a deal on it at Dayton, I was able to sell it for $100 more than I payed and went back to a Kenwood TS-2000.

FOOTNOTE: I think Kenwood dropped the ball on this one, They should have added VHF/UHF and compete with Yaesu and Icom to give use more of a choice for a "all in one radio" Look how popular the 706 857 897 817 847 2000. Heck even the 703 seems a flop.

Fix that audio and add VHF/UHF and maybe they would have a radio worth using mobile IMHO :(
VK3HKV Rating: 2004-09-14
Disappointing... Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I may have been unlucky and got a lemon.....
My 480HX has a very ordinary output on SSB. Using various settings on mic gain and TX tailoring I am able to squeeze only 60-80watts PEP. I have since read in other forums of this issue [Mods DK] and beleive it may relate to the ALC. I drive it with a 50 amp power source which runs other similar equipment with no problem. If anyone has any solutions / ideas please email me [verngate@hotmail.com]].
Apart from that it is great to operate from my mobile [with no improvement in output] and has excellent receive and filtering.
Regards
Ken VK3HKV
N5ZC Rating: 2004-08-27
Nice Rig Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I purchased this rig for my remote controlled station. I wanted the 200 watts so I wouldn't have run an amp. The other reason I picked this rig is that the rig can be turned on/off with software.

The rig is easy to use and does a nice job.

W4GNS Rating: 2004-08-27
Love this radio Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
Installed the 480 hx in my 18 wheeler and get good reports .Reception of signals is also great,im able to use the filters to knock out alot of the noise generated by the truck.Which i could never do with the 706mk2.Im using this radio with and without a mobile amp with good results
WA9DGM Rating: 2004-07-14
PROBLEMS Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
FIRST FIRED UP AND RAN FOR 6 HOURS RECIEVE ONLY. PUT BACK IN BOX WAITING ON CW FILTERS,SO-3 AND VOICE BOARD. INSTALLED OPTIONS. TRIED TO POWER UP NOTHING. DC POWER IS TO RADIO. SUSPECT INTERCONNECT CABLE BTWN RADIO AND FRONT PANEL. SENT TO KW SERVICE THIS AM. RCVR PERFORMANCE EXCELLENT.