Kenwood TS-480SAT

Name: Kenwood TS-480SAT
Brand: Kenwood
Availability: InStock

Kenwood launched the TS-480 in 2004 in two versions. The TS-480HX runs 200 W with no tuner and wants two power supplies. The TS-480SAT runs 100 W and has a relay tuner built in for every band. Both split into a small TX/RX box and a separate control panel, so you can bolt the radio under a seat and put just the panel on the dash. The panel connects with modular cables, and the PG-4Z kit stretches them further. Inside it's a double-conversion receiver with IF DSP covering 30 kHz to 60 MHz, and it transmits from 160 m to 6 m. There's no 2 m or 70 cm. Kenwood kept fixing the firmware until 2017, including tighter tuner matching on 10 m and 6 m and distorted audio just after tuning.

TS-480SAT (100 W, built-in tuner)TS-480HX (200 W, no tuner, two supplies)

Spec at a glance

Maker: Kenwood
Type: HF transceiver
Launched: 2004
Covers: 160 m to 6 m incl. WARC; receives 30 kHz–60 MHz
Modes: SSB, CW, AM, FM, FSK
Power out: 5–100 W (5–25 W AM)
Layout: TX/RX unit plus a separate control panel
Tuner: Built-in relay tuner, all bands
Power supply: 13.8 V DC, 20.5 A on transmit
Weight: 3.2 kg radio, 500 g panel
Also listed as: TS480SAT, TS-480 SAT, TS480
Typical eBay ask (Oct 15, 2026): $775–$850

Bench check

Power, receive, finals and supply

Transmit power: Kenwood rates the SAT at 5 to 100 W on SSB, CW, FM and FSK and 25 W on AM. Ask for a wattmeter reading into a dummy load on 80 m, 20 m, 10 m and 6 m. A radio that only powers up hasn't shown you its transmitter.
Receiver: General coverage receive runs 30 kHz to 60 MHz, double conversion on SSB, CW, AM and FSK and triple on FM, with IF DSP. Ask whether it hears signals on every band from 160 m to 6 m, on both antenna leads. A dead band points at that band's filter or relay.
Finals: Kenwood's service manual lists a pair of 2SC2782 transistors (Q4, Q5) on the 100 W final unit. The manual warns that transmitting without an antenna or matched load may damage the radio. Ask what antenna it ran on and whether it was a mobile install.
Power supply: It needs a separate 13.8 V DC supply good for 20.5 A on transmit. Kenwood's matching supply was the PS-53 (22.5 A). The 200 W TS-480HX is the version that needs two supplies.
Dial and display: The display and controls sit on the separate panel, joined to the radio by modular cables, and the PG-4Z kit extends them for a remote mount. Ask for a photo of the panel lit, with the cables in the picture. Kenwood's last firmware is 1.07.
Filters and options: The relay tuner is built in on the SAT and works on all bands. Optional crystal filters were the YF-107C (500 Hz CW), YF-107CN (270 Hz CW) and YF-107SN (1.8 kHz SSB), plus the VGS-1 voice unit and SO-3 TCXO. Ask for a photo under the cover to see what's fitted.

Should come with it

The supplied hand mic with modular plug
DC power cable
Modular cables for the control panel
Panel and mounting brackets
Instruction manual

Check the listing photos against this list, and ask the seller about anything you can’t see. A missing piece should come off the price.

What to check

Kenwood's firmware notes list distorted receive audio just after the tuner finishes, fixed in 1.06, and better tuner matching on 10 m and 6 m from 1.01. The manual warns that transmitting without an antenna or matched load may damage it.

01Power out: Ask for a wattmeter reading into a dummy load on 80 m, 20 m, 10 m and 6 m. About 100 W on each shows the 2SC2782 finals are healthy.
02Receive on every band: Ask whether it hears signals on every band from 160 m to 6 m, on both antenna leads. Even signals across the bands are what you want.
03Built-in tuner: Ask the seller to run the tuner on a few bands and report the SWR after tuning. It should match quickly, with clean receive audio afterward.
04Panel and cables: Check the photos for the control panel and its modular cables. The panel holds the display and every control, so a radio sold without it is incomplete.
05Firmware: Ask which firmware it runs. Kenwood's last version is 1.07, and 1.06 fixed distorted audio after tuning.
06Options: Ask whether a YF-107 filter, VGS-1 or SO-3 is fitted, with a photo under the cover. These were the factory options.
07Mic and supply: Look for the modular-plug hand mic, DC cable and manual in the photos. You'll need a 13.8 V supply good for 20.5 A, and an 8-pin Kenwood mic needs the MJ-88 adapter.
08MARS mod: If the title says MARS mod, it was changed to transmit outside the ham bands. That's only for authorized MARS or CAP stations, so ask what was changed.
09Model number: Check the label reads TS-480SAT. The TS-480HX looks the same but has no tuner and needs two supplies.

New to used rigs? How to check a used ham radio covers power out, receive, the finals and the display, and what power supply a used rig needs explains the 13.8 V supply most rigs need.

Buying guide

Which one to buy

§ Oct 15, 2026

Two listings aren't a market read, and both are in Europe. We'd lean to rcbtjacob's at $764 delivered from Belgium, a 100% seller whose photo shows the control panel lit, over the $848 one from France whose card printed no seller name or feedback. Neither title makes a test claim, so ask for a wattmeter reading into a dummy load on 80, 20, 10 and 6 m, and check the photos for the panel, its modular cables and the hand mic. It runs on 13.8 V DC at 20.5 A, so budget for a supply like Kenwood's PS-53, and check the label reads TS-480SAT, since the HX has no tuner and needs two supplies.

Listed now: 2
For parts: 0
Typical ask: $775–$850
Full range: $725–$848

Cheapest
$764.26est. delivered
The lower of the two at $764 delivered from Belgium, from a 100% seller, with the control panel lit in the photo. No mic, cables or test claim are titled, so ask what comes with it.
Kenwood TS-480SAT
View on eBay ↗: Kenwood TS-480SAT$764.26 est. delivered

Delivered prices include shipping as eBay quoted it to a US address on Oct 15, 2026. Many sellers charge by distance, so your total may differ. eBay shows yours before you pay.

Snapshot

For sale on eBay

2 of 2 listed

Checked Oct 15, 2026. Some may have sold.

Delivered prices include shipping as eBay quoted it to a US address on Oct 15, 2026. Many sellers charge by distance, so your total may differ. eBay shows yours before you pay.

Used
- Cheapest
Kenwood TS-480SAT
$764.26est. delivered
$725.21 + $39.05 shipping
Buy It Now$725.21
Good buy
Ships from Belgium. Photo shows the control panel lit. No test claim.
Seller: rcbtjacob
100% positive
View on eBay ↗: Kenwood TS-480SAT
Used
- Check the seller
Kenwood TS-480SAT
$847.93delivered
$847.93 · free shipping
Buy It Now$847.93
Check the seller
No seller name or feedback printed. Ships free from France. Photo shows it lit with a hand mic.
Seller: Seller on eBay
Check feedback on the listing
View on eBay ↗: Kenwood TS-480SAT

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Brand

Type

Launched

Read

Kenwood TS-480SAT

TS-480SAT (100 W, built-in tuner)TS-480HX (200 W, no tuner, two supplies)

Spec at a glance

Maker

Kenwood

Type

HF transceiver

Launched

2004

Covers

160 m to 6 m incl. WARC; receives 30 kHz–60 MHz

Modes

SSB, CW, AM, FM, FSK

Power out

5–100 W (5–25 W AM)

Layout

TX/RX unit plus a separate control panel

Tuner

Built-in relay tuner, all bands

Power supply

13.8 V DC, 20.5 A on transmit

Weight

3.2 kg radio, 500 g panel

Also listed as

TS480SAT, TS-480 SAT, TS480

Typical eBay ask (Oct 15, 2026)

$775–$850

Power, receive, finals and supply

Transmit power

Kenwood rates the SAT at 5 to 100 W on SSB, CW, FM and FSK and 25 W on AM. Ask for a wattmeter reading into a dummy load on 80 m, 20 m, 10 m and 6 m. A radio that only powers up hasn't shown you its transmitter.

Receiver

General coverage receive runs 30 kHz to 60 MHz, double conversion on SSB, CW, AM and FSK and triple on FM, with IF DSP. Ask whether it hears signals on every band from 160 m to 6 m, on both antenna leads. A dead band points at that band's filter or relay.

Finals

Kenwood's service manual lists a pair of 2SC2782 transistors (Q4, Q5) on the 100 W final unit. The manual warns that transmitting without an antenna or matched load may damage the radio. Ask what antenna it ran on and whether it was a mobile install.

Power supply

It needs a separate 13.8 V DC supply good for 20.5 A on transmit. Kenwood's matching supply was the PS-53 (22.5 A). The 200 W TS-480HX is the version that needs two supplies.

Dial and display

The display and controls sit on the separate panel, joined to the radio by modular cables, and the PG-4Z kit extends them for a remote mount. Ask for a photo of the panel lit, with the cables in the picture. Kenwood's last firmware is 1.07.

Filters and options

The relay tuner is built in on the SAT and works on all bands. Optional crystal filters were the YF-107C (500 Hz CW), YF-107CN (270 Hz CW) and YF-107SN (1.8 kHz SSB), plus the VGS-1 voice unit and SO-3 TCXO. Ask for a photo under the cover to see what's fitted.

Should come with it

The supplied hand mic with modular plug

DC power cable

Modular cables for the control panel

Panel and mounting brackets

Instruction manual

Check the listing photos against this list, and ask the seller about anything you can’t see. A missing piece should come off the price.

What to check

01Power out: Ask for a wattmeter reading into a dummy load on 80 m, 20 m, 10 m and 6 m. About 100 W on each shows the 2SC2782 finals are healthy.

02Receive on every band: Ask whether it hears signals on every band from 160 m to 6 m, on both antenna leads. Even signals across the bands are what you want.

03Built-in tuner: Ask the seller to run the tuner on a few bands and report the SWR after tuning. It should match quickly, with clean receive audio afterward.

04Panel and cables: Check the photos for the control panel and its modular cables. The panel holds the display and every control, so a radio sold without it is incomplete.

05Firmware: Ask which firmware it runs. Kenwood's last version is 1.07, and 1.06 fixed distorted audio after tuning.

06Options: Ask whether a YF-107 filter, VGS-1 or SO-3 is fitted, with a photo under the cover. These were the factory options.

07Mic and supply: Look for the modular-plug hand mic, DC cable and manual in the photos. You'll need a 13.8 V supply good for 20.5 A, and an 8-pin Kenwood mic needs the MJ-88 adapter.

08MARS mod: If the title says MARS mod, it was changed to transmit outside the ham bands. That's only for authorized MARS or CAP stations, so ask what was changed.

09Model number: Check the label reads TS-480SAT. The TS-480HX looks the same but has no tuner and needs two supplies.

New to used rigs? How to check a used ham radio covers power out, receive, the finals and the display, and what power supply a used rig needs explains the 13.8 V supply most rigs need.

Kenwood TS-480SAT

Spec at a glance

Power, receive, finals and supply

What to check

Which one to buy

For sale on eBay