John,

I don't know if they're cheaper, but they're a lot smaller than the
8-pin connectors.  I think size is the important issue in new
radios.  There's so much stuff crammed in to a very small space, and
even if it looks like there might be room on the front panel, there's
probably none behind it.

Steve

On Monday 10/10/05 11:59 John Miller wrote:
>they'll all be that modular connector in time, vhf/uhf has been that way as
>long as I've been in the hobby for the most part, I don't like them but I
>expect all radios across the board will have them in time. Must be cheaper.
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Butch Bussen" <[log in to unmask]>
>To: <[log in to unmask]>
>Sent: Monday, October 10, 2005 11:55 AM
>Subject: Re: TS-480 Questions
>
>
>IThe radio comes with just a stock hand mike, up down buttons.  I don't
>know about the ts50, but the connecter is different from all of my other
>Kenwood radios, 440, 690, 850, 130--which all used the same connecter.
>Sadly, this has changed on the 480.
>73s
>Butch Bussen
>wa0vjr