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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
KD5SRL Rating: 2004-05-03
One Fine Rig - Thanks Kenwood! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I've owned this rig for only a month, however, long enough to realize it is one fine rig. For one thing, the seperate control head is a decent size that allows one to navigate fairly easly through the menu(s) without having to go through hidden drill down menus like Yaesu's FT-857 "hidden menus". If you need one a upper function, just hold down the button for two seconds, then the function comes up. No fumbeling for a function button like on my TS-2000 while driving down the road.

The filter(s) are located in one compact place with 4 button and give a superb range of options along with a seperate RF Gain knob to adjust in those noise filled bands we deal with on some days.

As for RX goes, I truly think it does a better job than my TS-2000 does. I'm not "Honey Mooning" here eiter. I run this rig with a Tarheel Model 100 antenna with AMAC's SC-1C controler. Two HF antenna ports are nice touch as well.

TX, well that another good thing... 200 watts out of the box. What more can I say except "nice for the price".

I also have a TM-D700A that is capable of interfacing with the TS-480HX if I want to cross band and use VHF / UHF... nice, something I'll try later when I get the rig completely figured out and become boared.

On a negative note, however, not worthy of dropping the 480HX's rating, is the short power cables that come with the radio. Kenwood could have done better, instead if giving us the "option" for purchasing the longer ones.

I love the looks of this radio and can't understand why others think it's ugly. Get out of the dark ages fellow hams and get over it. This radio is one of the best Kenwood has put together in recent times. On a final note, the price has dropped $200.00 since it was released for sale. I'll be willing to bet you can even get even more off at the 2004 Dayton Hamvention. Either way, in my humble opinion, you can't go wrong with the TS-480HX.

73's
KG4ROQ Rating: 2004-02-16
What a Receiver! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I just picked my Kenwood TS-480HX up at the 2004 Orlando Hamcation. I actually put it into the truck the day I purchased it as I we replacing my Kenwood TS-B2000 with this beauty.

I really do not understand how anyone would not think this radio was not the most beautiful radio especially in the sense of a mobile application. The remote head of this unit in my opinion is a work of art. Beauty aside, it is a very functional piece that is layed out perfectly with it's failry large buttons and you have to love the large rotary control knob that makes you almost feel you are not working a "mobile rig". I cannot actually believe my ears when I listen to this receiver. I thought I could not do better then the TS-B2000 in the truck but wow I was wrong. This receiver(in my truck even) is comparable if not better then the TS-870,TS-2000,TS-950SDX,FT1000MP MkV,and IC-781 I have run in my home. Do not take my word for it though. I am able to pull out the weak S2 and S3 signals without a bit of engine noise thanks to the DNL filter that drastically reduced any engine noise(not that I had an awful amount to begin with with all of the grounding in my truck). I have to say that having 200 watts out of such a small box is simply amazing as well. Signal reports from Orlando to New York were 10-15 over S9. I was pleased.

I will say finally that this is the most exciting and surprising rigs I have ever purchased and I really look forward to the years of fun ahead.
NA6R Rating: 2003-12-28
Fantastic Radio! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I have owned both the TS-480HX and TS-480SAT for a week now. I have the HX model in my van and the SAT model in the house. The HX (200 watt) has worked great in my vehicle with no problems at all. The extra power mobile makes a big difference. I have used just about every mobile rig you can think of and this one is right at the top of the list. It is much better than the 706 in every respect. All the controls work smoothly and the radio is very easy to use with NO menus other than the main menu which you set up once and leave it alone. I get very good audio reports and signal reports. The noise blanker works well as does the beat controls. The real big surprise is what Kenwood calls the DNL (Digital Noise Limiter) which works very well. The DSP in the rig is also very good and can eliminate most all the interference you might come across. The only real negative I can say about it so far is that it DOES NOT have a noise squelch which for a mobile rig is just down right stupid. If you listen a lot on FM like I do on 6 meters then you will have the squelch opening up a lot with no signal present. It is however a much better squelch than the 706. I don't consider this enough to knock it down to a 4 as most people will never notice this. I would highly recommend this radio and give a lot of credit to Kenwood for bringing out this radio. P.S. The next version please add a real noise squelch!
KQ6FU Rating: 2003-12-27
I love it Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Hi all, I'm not one who normally runs out and buys something as soon as it comes out but.....
I was in HRO recently and saw the rig sitting on display. I played with it a bit and immediately noticed that it seemed to be much easier to use than my 706MKIIG.
I had to return to HRO a few days later and ended up buying the rig.
Its maiden voyage was over the x-mas holiday. I took it (with my 706 as a back up) with us up to visit my granny. She lives on 80 acres outside of Redding California and I normally set up a station while visiting.
Anyway, from the get go, the rig was neatly packed in the box with all of the accessories and was easy to assemble with its base mount etc.
If you use a 706, you'll want to stuff it in your closet after operating this rig. When you would normally have to search through various menus on a 706, the 480HX has a button for it!. It's slightly larger than the 706, much nicer looking and way easier to operate. Where it counts is being able to change something while in qso with someone and not miss a beat.
I have the cw and ssb filters on order. The dsp is nice but I prefer the filtering of a crystal filter. It works nicely though.
I chose the 200w version because I normally use a Hygain tape dipole and I'm normally flat on which ever band I choose.
The cw auto tune feature is cool. Punch a button and you're perfectly zero-beated with the other station. The manual says "plus or minus 50hz" or something but it was dead on.
I made a couple quick contacts on phone on 40m to the southern part of California and my audio reports were great. I hadn't touched any of the default mic settings at that point nor had I activated any of the TX mic equilizer gismo's.
I've operated portable many times, mostly with my 706 but I've also used our FT920 and our FT1000MP MkV so "fancy features" aren't new to me. I think this rig will be quite popular and we'll be seeing a lot of people dumping their 706's to buy one. Oh, this rig is also ready for the new 60m band, although I hadn't tried it. No, it doesn't have vhf/uhf but if you want that, stay home and play on the repeaters.
Keep in mind, if you choose the 200w version, you'll need a hefty power supply for the rig alone. It actually has TWO power cords and I believe it draws about 42amps running full smoke. I used my RS-50 supply with no problems.
So there you have it, if I were rich I'd buy a second one. Feel free to email any specific questions you have about the rig.
Tune for maximum smoke!
Sean
KQ6FU
K2KOQ Rating: 2003-12-26
step up from 706 mark2 Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Receiver clearly better than my Icom 706 mark 2
menus a bit easer to navigate. Getting excellent audio reports with supplied hand mic. 200W is nice even gets a full 50w on AM with good audio reports Excellent little radio equivalent to a kenwood 950. Noise blanker works well, digital noise reduction adds to much strangeness to the audio for my taste. Approximately the same size as a 706. No 2M or 440 if you need VHF not the radio for you. If you want top performance on HF and 6M this is the Mobile radio you want. Decent little speaker built into the head unit but think I would want a larger separate speaker.

strangely the head unit does not connect to the main unit. There is no Mic connection on the head unit. There is only a headphone jack on the head unit. To get full speaker volume you need to run a wire back to the main unit. For mobile operation you need to get cable extension accessory (long Mic cable plus long Head to main unit cable and long power cable)