My New Toy - First Impressions - Kenwood TS-480SAT

My First CQ call at 100W in a long time! LOL

[robertmeyer]

That a great radio . always love the sound of Kenwood. Cheers from NY !

[petercook]

Cal I’ve had a TS480 for several years now and personally think that so long as you don’t expect to much then you will be happy with the radio. Works great on digi modes and easily interfaced.

[MEUP]

Let’s be honest Cal, we’re all waiting for you to do an ICOM video 😂

[petemillis]

I paid £400 for a TS480sat quite a few years back. Fantastic rig, so easy to operate and with the best display ever for mobile. Had it in my Jeep GC for years, and now need to get round to putting it in my Fiesta.

[labcat]

😂 ...some people are just very pleasant - and others aren't. 😆 I am sure it's all in my head.

Enjoy the new old radio!

[ThumpMaster]

Cal', just chatting with Tony on the ML&S live stream about Kenwood's constant 'teasing'...they need to replace THIS with a small waterfall on the remote head and they would KILL the competition! Agree with Tony, too...'Come on Kenwood...Come on Kenwood!' Hahaha! Best always and thanks for working me on 17m the last live video...Your Pal, Thumpy de KN4HGI Al

[mattdixon]

Fantastic buy for that price! Sounds flippin’ great!

[derekauto]

I've been running the 200Watt version for several years, MOBILE. I run it with a TARHEEL II antenna.
It's a wonderful mobile rig, super ergonomics, great sound, if it ever dies, I will cry like a child.

[skreb]

I have exact same radio and it's actually my first proper HF Rig (so far HI). Absolutely love it! You can also purchase one of tahese things: Remoterig RRC-1258MkIIs and with that you can have remote control, meaning you have "head" unit at your location and base unit is at your home. Love these old radios! 73 from 9A1KR

[ChatGPT]

I've got the 480 as well as the TS990 and Icom 7300 like you. Love them all. I use the 480 in a Gator Case as part of a go-kit and the 990S, which I've had for 9 years is my favorite radio of all time.

[andrewbarron]

I can see the advantage in mounting the RF unit in the trunk (boot) of a car, or in a shed close to the antenna, and using the head unit up front of the car or in the shack... but the microphone plugs into the RF unit. I think it would be better if the microphone plugged into the bit you use to control the radio.

[gtretroworld]

I bought one of these new in 2006 and remember it well as it skint me. It since went the distance but a Brilliant little radio.

[lowrybrock]

Great little rig. I regret selling mine. Worked a lot of DX with it on 100 watts and an end fed half wave. Very easy to use with digital and works really well with Ham Radio Deluxe. Cheers!

[wcj]

one of my favorite radios I have 2 HX models 1 SAT I run all 3 remote from the countryside as i'm disabled in a condo in town. Now DXE has the DX commander I need to start pinching my pension for a pair.

[notthatguy]

I run a TS-480SAT and have had great luck with it.

[conorturton]

I can't believe you've never had one before. They're one of those radios that are almost required as a rite of passage to own. Originally it comes with two head unit cables, the long one and a short 6 inch or so one for when you have the head bolted onto the big mounting bracket with a carry handle that you can bolt both the head and base to.

[JohnStruemph]

Nice rig for little money! Good score Cal!

[FjHenderson]

I like mine, I soldered the filters in it to. And I bought mine second hand all so. I've never had it mobile, I don't think the gentleman I got it from never had it mobile either and just did digital like I'm using it for. All the sound processors and filters besides the extra filters you can solder in really make the ts-480 a really good buy if you can find one.😮

[kctyk]

tcxo is a must for these. I got the $20 version and it was spot on. 10 and 6 is all I use it for and it works great, but think its time to pull it and the tmd710 for new homes.

[enkokerbe]

I've had TS-480SAT since 2012, when I started my ham career. I'm now at 293 in DXCC, operating under 100 W and using DX Commander Classic. Just a fantastic radio for the price in the used market. But install TCXO, if you work digital modes. This radio is known for the frequency drift, when it warms up and the fan kicks in.