well, if that's why kenwood doesn't bother it's pretty counter intuitive on 
their part because what is the first thing you do when you use the remote 
head on the ts480 in a mobile installation? run an extension cable for the 
microphone from the radio in the trunk to the operating position or 
whatever.
I think what kenwood did was to add a speaker in the control head instead of 
a microphone jack like the other manufacturers do.  So they sacrificed 
running mike audio back to the radio for running rx audio out to the control 
head.
Seems ridiculous to me...though I think too that the ts480 is targetted at 
either a base station market, or a portible or RV type 
installation...compared to say a ic7000 or 857D which are targetted at 
actual mobile installations.
I think Kenwood would be smart to come out with an all band all mode mobile 
radio to compete head to head with Icom and Yaesu in that market.
73
Colin, V A6BKX
-----Original Message----- 
From: John Miller
Sent: Friday, January 30, 2015 6:15 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Kenwood TS-480SAT remote head operation

The IC-706 and 7000 have mic jacks on the control head, as do about all the
commercial UHF/VHF radios with remoted control heads. You hear a lot of the
icom and Alinco HF radios with remote mounted heads in the mobile with RF
feedback though unless a lot of work is done to them, ferrite beads and what
not, Running them with no added protection other than what's from the
factory almost always leads to feedback on HF, I don't know if that's why
Kenwood just doesn't bother or if they have other reasons.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Steve Dresser" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Friday, January 30, 2015 7:50 PM
Subject: Re: Kenwood TS-480SAT remote head operation


> My guess is that they would have needed a second cable to go from the
> control head to the radio, and they didn't want to do that.  Besides, long
> low-level input leads tend to pick up hum.
>
> Steve
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Butch Bussen" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: January 30, 2015 18:28
> Subject: Re: Kenwood TS-480SAT remote head operation
>
>
>> I'd have to go look at mine, but I think it is rj12 on both ends, the
>> microphone is rj45 I think, why they didn't incorporate that into the
>> control head is a mystery.
>> 73
>> Butch
>> WA0VJR
>> Node 3148
>> Wallace, ks.
>>
>>
>> On Fri, 30 Jan 2015, Jim Gammon wrote:
>>
>>> When I had a TS480, I needed a short cable, about 20 inches long
>>> to go from the body of the rig to the control head which I had on
>>> the desk.  I found out that yes, it's an RJ12 you need.  I think
>>> it's a direct one to one correspondence no wires crossed over
>>> from one plug to the other.  However, I now have the TS590 so am
>>> no longer in need of the short cable.  The only one I could find
>>> for sale was an 18 foot one which I bought at the time from HRO.
>>> 73, Jim WA6EKS
>>>
>>>
>>