Callsign	Required
Password

If you've forgotten and/or need to reset your password, please enter your Callsign and use the button below.

If you are not a member of the eHam community

Please consider registering to e-Ham.

Manager

Manager - NA4M
Manager Notes

Reviews For: Kenwood TS-140/680

Category: Transceivers: HF Amateur HF+6M+VHF+UHF models - non QRP <5W

eMail Subscription

Registered users are allowed to subscribe to specific review topics and receive eMail notifications when new reviews are posted.

Review Summary For : Kenwood TS-140/680
	Reviews: 51	MSRP: 1,190.00
	Description: 100w, 160-10m HF SSB/AM/FM/CW rig
	Product is not in production
More Info: http://www.rigpix.com/kenwood/ts140s.htm
# last 180 days	Avg. Rating last 180 days	Total reviews	Avg. overall rating
0	0	51	4.3

K3HKR	Rating:	2008-09-07
TS-140 Mobile...			Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Bought the 140 under 300.00 at a hamfest. Put it in my F150...could not do any better if I paid 1000 dollars more......Plays great !!

K1WTX	Rating:	2008-01-30
Still a goodie			Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
The TS-140 was my first hf rig and I had little to go on, other than comments from other hams, as well as the reviews here. Yes, the receiver seemed noisy compared to those of friends radios and yes, those blasted slide controls were a pain for sure. But with experience, I learned how to work around the shortcomings. But the real surprise has come after having since used a few of the newer rigs that seem to get all the notice nowadays. To me, other than taking most of the needed features on a radio and burying them in menus and a few other niceties like DSP and extra memories, how far have we really come? If you have a need for spectrum displays and 100 memories, that's fine. But the final say comes when a dx contact gives me a 5/9 report and comments on the great audio without yet knowing what radio I am using. For a beginning ham, isn't that what really matters? This old relic has been working without fail for me every day since I've had it and in my opinion, it's had a bum rap from many over minor issues. It's bulletproof and dependable and I am pretty sure if you drag one to a field day and work beside some of the compact gee-whiz new rigs, you'll smile when all is said and done. Eventually, I want bigger and better like we all do but rest assured, when that time comes, this old girl will remain on the shelf as a backup rig, rather than be sold off. If you find one without issues, don't be afraid to buy it. 73, Jerry-K1WTX

YY1MFF	Rating:	2007-11-27
Built like a tank			Time Owned: more than 12 months.
This is a good transceiver, its solid construction as a military tank. his reception is good but somewhat noisy. his transmission very good and powerful. The temperature of this rig is always cold, even driving 100 watts of continuous power. I have been the owner for more of two years,and I have not found no problems and good Dx´s reports ... 73, Victor

K4ZJ	Rating:	2007-09-21
Average Radio			Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Bought a TS-140S and kept for about 10 years. Was a good basic radio with no bells and whistles. The frequency step/memory switch became intermittent in the first couple of years. The sliders were also an early problem. Toward the end, the main dial optical encoder started to fail. So, I sold it at a hamfest and bought an IC-706MKIIG. I would highly recommend checking out a used rig thoroughly before buying. I owned several Kenwoods, but they are way behind the other manufacturers today.

IW0GEQ	Rating:	2007-08-13
good rtx !			Time Owned: N.A.
hello, I have kenwood ts 140 give approximately 1 year. According to me the radius has a best transmission and a discreet reception, better of several 706… 847. .etc etc. The NB works well if it is regulated in the just way. Dynamics of the receiver is good, and the modulation sure between the best ones of the category. Relationship quality excellent price…! 73… Mark.

W8TOG	Rating:	2007-08-10
very easy to operate			Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have owned my 140 since 1989. It is now my second rig. I use it on MARS. For the price today you can't beat it for new hf ops. Used it on cw,ssb,rtty,fm. Never had a bad report or a problem.

N4MWY	Rating:	2006-06-21
fine rig for the money			Time Owned: N.A.
Bought mine used and have it as a backup rig. It has enough features to make it useful. It is not difficult to learn as some of the newer menu driven rigs are.

K2PGB	Rating:	2006-04-03
60 Meters			Time Owned: more than 12 months.
As previously noted I have both units and think they are great. I neglected to mention how simple the modification is for 60 meters. Cut a single diode that is very easy to find. It took 7 mins for the entire conversion. ---------------------- Earlier 5-star review posted by K2PGB on 2006-01-01 I have owned both since they came out and they remain my main radios. Also have a FT-897 and FT-817 but the menu based radios will drive you crazy. Since cw is my main mode I use MFJ audio filters on their output. These along with the 500 cycle filters in the radios make cw very easy.

NY4D	Rating:	2005-11-04
Good for the money			Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I am a long time Kenwood guy and have owned both the 140s (several) and the 680s. It is not one of my favorite Kenwood rigs, but I think many of the previous reviews missed the mark on it. The price point when new put it into the entry level rig category. For what a good used 140 goes for you get a lot of features. All the negatives have been beaten to death in the previous reviews. I found the sliders the main pain, but some tuner cleaner fixes that. I am an hf guy, and think the 680 goes for an unrealistic premium because it includes 6 meters. I think the lack of vox in the 680 cancels out the benefit of low power 6 meter access. Either the 680 or 140 have enough memory channels to be useful, decent audio, and enough features to be a useful radio. A plus for me is the ease of access to important adjustments inside the radio. Chassis opens book style and most major adjustment points are easy to access. Also easy to install an optional (plug in) cw filter when open. But maybe if you're not comfortable doing adjustments you don't need a used radio. Add a dsp box to this and it might be all the radio you'll need. For the price it goes for used it easily rates a 4.

EI5FK	Rating:	2004-11-03
Great rig at the time			Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Come on lads, this was a huge improvement on the 101ZD mk3 that I previously owned, what do u expect, was sorry when I sold it, now use an ft-847 and an ic-756pro2 but miss this radio got 5/9+20 from a few DU stations on 50mhz during the 2nd last sunspot peak with 22.5watts and a small 5ele yagi Charles

«
1
2
3
4
5
6
»

Category:

Transceivers: HF Amateur HF+6M+VHF+UHF models - non QRP <5W

Product:

Kenwood TS-140/680

Summary:

Rating:	Time Owned:
Great! Good OK Needs Help Poor Awful!	0 - 3 Months 3 - 6 Months 6 - 12 Months More than 12 Months

Remarks:

Describe your experience with the Kenwood TS-140/680 and tell us why you give it the rating you did (required). Other useful information would include your experience with similar products, infomation on a product that you would purchase instead of this one, and so on.