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write your own review of the Kenwood TS-140/680.
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AA7BI
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Rating: 5/5
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Feb 29, 2012 23:51
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24 years & Going Strong
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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Bought this rig new in 1988 for $589 with narrow CW filter to celebrate my Extra ticket. I expected it to last a lifetime because I'm independently unwealthy. It has.
Two noise blankers, CW filter, an outboard DSP and a Timeworks ANC-4 antenna noise canceller help me deal with just about any QRM the ozone can dish out. I've performed all the mods on it with ease and am particularly happy with the all-mode squelch and 60 meter capabilities. It took me some years to realize that I needed to boost the drive and audio to full in order really get out a good signal. I have used it in contests as a QRP rig and had no trouble setting the slider pots (probably because I have long, thin fingers). I've also seen this rig adapted quite nicely for Handi-Ham operators so the pots could be more easily manipulated.
I've played with more expensive radios but have great difficulty justifying the price difference to any small performance that might be gained. While I've often wondered if I should sell it and upgrade to keep up with the Jones', I believe that would be like giving away the family dog. I am tempted to get a smaller rig, but at my age I now need the larger TS-140 readout and controls. It's been with me 24 of the 37 years I've been a ham. I'm keeping it. It's a classic.
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W4IDW
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Rating: 5/5
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Nov 9, 2011 13:09
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Wish I still had it
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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bought new in 1988 or 89, for over a thousand bucks.. used it mega hours per week for over 10 years, with no problems... thought it was a really nice SWL receiver too. I've kicked around alot of spare rigs since then and think I'm going to find a used TS-140 for a spare rig soon!..
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AC6CA
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Rating: 5/5
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Sep 21, 2011 14:58
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Awesome little HF rig.
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I bought mine used almost 20 years ago in great condition. It's my only HF rig and it continues to perform great. I'm still able to get through a pile up on it so I'm happy. It's a simple, no frills radio that gets the job done. And it's cheap.
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G7RHF
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Rating: 5/5
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May 4, 2011 15:28
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solid performer
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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Have this little radio for a number of years now ,no frill does what it says on the tin rig ,easy to use the slider can be fiddlery but u get used to them ,good audio on phono very good nb switching that works a treat ,ive taken the rig with me to john o groats in my glove box work brilantly on the road trip ,working 80 and 40 mobile ,curently it is doing psk and rtty and sstv on hf ,its the only orignal radio i still have ,most proberly last longer than me ,switch on use ,no faffing simplys .........see one grab it
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WE2E
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Rating: 4/5
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Jan 6, 2011 03:53
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Nice rig
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Time owned: 3 to 6 months
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If you are a ragchewer, remove the CFJ455K14 Murata filter and install a CFJ455K12. I tried this swap on my 680s and it really improved the transmit and recieve audio. My buddy swapped the Murata out on his 140S and it also sounds great. The filters are still out there, I advertised for one and got multiple responses, paid $40.00 shipped for the last one. I also changed to an led bulb for the signal strength meter, and I would highly recommend that also.
I run mine with an unamplified d104 with a source follower and it sounds amazing. For $200.00 to $350.00 on the used market the rig is a steal, with a minor change it can sound and recieve like a "big" rig.
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WA0ZZG
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Rating: 4/5
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Oct 23, 2010 20:09
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Good Standby
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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I purchased a defective TS-140S very inexpensively. The transmitter was dead. Original owner commented about letting the smoke out. Found the rig very clean inside and out. Easy to open up. Folds out like a book. Downloaded the service manual and started in the PA. I found some loose hardware, several cold solder connections, way too much heat sink compound in some places, none in others. Eventually found one of the PA transistors was very leaky. Nearly shorted. Ordered a matched pair from RF parts and cleaned and inspected the board. Got the new transistors installed and reset all the PA biases. Transmitter came back up to 110W. Started checking the rest of the radio. Receiver sounds noisy. I think this is bacause of the cheap MuRata SSB filter and too much IF gain. Works better if the 20db pad is left in, on the lower bands. Found the speech processor distorted because of a cold solder connection. I found that a lot of the slide controls will have the most affect in just a small portion of their travel. Makes them touchy. Digital display is right on frequency via WWV. No drift noticed. The wide filter gives it good audio, but there's also some blow-by. Haven't yet decided if I'm going to keep it or try something else. I do like the MC-50 Mic.
Dave....
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AUSHAMUSER
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Rating: 5/5
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Feb 2, 2010 13:28
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Great radio for the price
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Time owned: 6 to 12 months
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I have owned this rig for a while now and couldn’t be happier, easy to use and does the job it was intended to do. As for the slider controls, like anything different it will get criticism but once you get used to it you won’t even notice, great rig for the beginner or expert.
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2E0BXO
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Rating: 5/5
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Jan 10, 2010 10:40
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Excellent rig
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Time owned: 3 to 6 months
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I bought a TS-140S from a local Scout Group. As a new Ham it does everything I need. Immediate QSOs up to 2,000 miles on a Mickey Mouse aerial with 50W (sort of inverted V). The IF shift is useful and the scan works very well.
I also like the ability to switch between Ham bands and general coverage if using as a receiver.
Built like a tank too - great for a rig nearly 20 years old.
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KB4WEC
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Rating: 5/5
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Oct 13, 2009 06:29
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A Real Keeper
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I bought it used back in 1988, the only issue I have had was a loose display cable that was fixed by Kenwood East in two day's.
Great rig , that I feel was ahead of it's time. Yes a lot of people have issues with the slid pods, you really don't need to move them that much, except the out put power one for tuning the ant.
I have always received great auto reports, and you can really adjust the power to get down to QRP levels if you want, work 10 meter F.M. and the little rig is great on A.M.
I run it with a D104, adjust the key down output to 40 watts and adjust the mike gain to get a swing in output to 80 watts, and the old guy's on 80 meter 3885 CAN NOT tell it apart for a high level A.M. rig.
Just a great little rig, I will NEVER get rig of !!
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WS4B
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Rating: 4/5
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Feb 17, 2009 15:00
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Great starter rig !!!
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I have been using a TS-140S off an on since the late 1980's, so I feel I have some expierience with this little rig. It is now the back up rig to my Kenwood TS-950SDX. That radio is getting work done to it, so I dusted off the TS-140S and I'm using it full time for a while. Here are my thoughts......
If you are new to this wonderful hobby, by all means purchase this rig if you can find one at a good/fair price (I would say $400 or under). This is one of the easier rigs you will ever operate and it will give you a good hands on feel to the world of HF. I know that's what it did for me. The radio is what it is, and I don't feel its fair to compare this radio to the newer rigs of today with all the filters and other bells and whistles.
The reason why I am rating this radio as a "4" instead of a "5" is because I feel there are better back up rigs out there now if you are a seasoned HAM. I feel the later Kenwood models would better suffice in that department. We all know about the 140's sliders, and the reception on this radio is not as good as other available used radios that cost some few hundred dollars more. Those radios are a little harder to operate, making this the perfect starter rig for someone breaking into HF.
73 de W4BJM
Brad
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