Phase II scanner coming?
- Thread starter DickH
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Blackswan73
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It already did. It was the Pro 668. Prices are not reduced on RS scanners, they have raised since the reorganization. Last year, the 651/652 scanners were selling for $100-150
DickH
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You surely can't equate the 668 with a Phase II version of a 652. The 652 is a desktop with a full keyboard. That 668 "thing" is nothing like it.
Blackswan73
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You mentioned the 1088. The 668 is the same radio as the 1088, sans keyboard. Also, the 652 is nothing more than a 651 in a different case. Even the display is identical, including the battery icon, even tho the 652 has no battery!
Blackswan73
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In truth, yes I can. The 668 has the same basic circuitry as Whistler's latest, the 1098. Only differences are a removable face plate, keyboard, and a mobile/base configuration. Inside, they are the same radio.
DickH
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Those differences make them a world apart, let alone that horrible EZ Scan software.
Blackswan73
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All Whistler, GRE, and RS phase 2 scanners use the same software. Only difference is RS calls it Iscan, and GRE and Whistler call it EZscan. You can take any handheld scanner, add an external antenna, and a power supply, and you have the same radio as the base/mobile version of that radio.
DickH
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Really? I use ARC500 to program my PRO-652. WIN500 can also be used.
Blackswan73
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The 652 is not a phase 2 scanner. The 652 is the same scanner as the 651, 197, 106, 500, 600, 1045, and 1065. Those scanners can all use the same software, whether it be WIN500, ARC500, or PSRedit
zzdiesel
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You won't get a better radio than the 668. You night get a radio with a keypad.
AC2OY
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Who made the 668 GRE or Whistler and repackaged it as a Radio Shack? I wish they made a base unit that did phase 2 like the Pro-197. I honistly that radio had a better sound or tone quality then my 536.
zzdiesel
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Whistler made the 668. GRE made the 18 a few years back
Blackswan73
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They did. The Whistler 1095 and 1098 are both base versions of the 1080/1088/668. I have the 536 and the 1095. The 1095 blows the 536 away in sound quality.
DickH
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Exactly. That's what started this thread.
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What I think the people are wanting are PRO651P2 and a PRO652P2 if they would make them.
N8IAA
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But, it's not the same design TAbirdman. Unfortunately, I believe that is what we have to look forward to from Whistler.
Larry
pro-668 or 1098
It doesn't matter if it's the pro-668 or the Whistler 1098 or gre psr 800 they all
suffer from the same major flaw: The P2 transmissions are twice as loud as the P1 transmissions.
if that problem existed on the uniden xt's or newer scanners you could individually adjust the volume for
those P2 Id's that "scream" into your ears, but no can do on the inferior GRE / Whistler designs.
It doesn't matter if it's the pro-668 or the Whistler 1098 or gre psr 800 they all
suffer from the same major flaw: The P2 transmissions are twice as loud as the P1 transmissions.
if that problem existed on the uniden xt's or newer scanners you could individually adjust the volume for
those P2 Id's that "scream" into your ears, but no can do on the inferior GRE / Whistler designs.
Same thing goes with GRE's horrible front end overload problem.
I don't know if they fixed that with the PSR800 when GRE was still in business or not.
I also don't know if Whistler did anything about the front end problems with their new Whistler designed models (not GRE's rebranded models). I don't own any new Whistler designed models so can't confirm if that issue still exists or not.
I do know that Whistler did not fix the front end overload problems when they rebadged the old PSR500 and 600's with their model number.
They just slapped a new case on GRE's design and called it a Whistler.
I'd imagine that saved them from needing to have the entire radio re-certified for FCC compliance which is costly and also takes time. I think they wanted to bring something to market quickly with their name on it as soon as they acquired GRE's IP rights.
I do have a PSR800 but can't say I ever used it where the front end problem would have been an issue had it been a PSR500 or 600.
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