Personally, I'd go for the 100 watt with the tuner.  If not, you'll need 
a larger supply and probably an external tuner.  I felt the same way you 
did when I bought my 590.  I asked hro in Debnver and they wouldn't 
install the voice board.  I called universal radio and got radio for the 
same price and they installed the board free.
73
Butch
WA0VJR
Node 3148
Wallace, ks.


On Sat, 14 Jul 2012, Harry 
Brown wrote:

> Hi all,
> Well folks, yes, I have been bitten, severely, by the hf bug.
> Now that my ham friends in my building, are back on hf with the Kenwood =
> 570, I am going to buy an hf rig!
> I've called ham radio outlet, and they have the kenwood ts480HX, that is =
> the 200 watt rig!
> I'm wondering about the vgs1 speech board, did I get that name right? =
> Anyway, I don't know how to put the speech board in, so, I wonder if ham =
> radio outlet would put it in for me?
> Or, is it something a blind ham can do?
> I bet it is, but folks, I don't want to ruin a new radio!
> So, I'm all ears!
> 73,
> Trippy, ac8s, who can't wait to get his own hf station on the air!
>
>