I'd be willing to pay such a fee as well for a decent update that does something worthwhile.
Pro-668: Pro-668
- Thread starter buddrousa
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I'd be willing to pay such a fee as well for a decent update that does something worthwhile.
KF5CHD
Member
I bought my 668 just because it had RS on it and got it off eBay at that. I haven't had a scanner since 1998.
I'll return to my popcorn bucket now. And, oh yeah, if you are wondering, it was brand new for 175 plus free shipping. Deal in my book.
I'll return to my popcorn bucket now. And, oh yeah, if you are wondering, it was brand new for 175 plus free shipping. Deal in my book.
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- Apr 26, 2015
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What is your source for this information?
Do you have a link to the source?
I can tell you that employees in the stores are not a reliable source at this time.
I also know that Radio Shack store that will remain open and not Sprint cobranded have scanners in stock.
Also on their site they were " Out Of Stock Online " and priced at $299.00
Now the web site says IN STOCK and price is back to retail $499.00
KF5CHD
Member
A LOT, in fact a MAJORITY of the folks even listening to these 558 threads have been AGAINST these radios . And yes I'm well aware of what I'm calling to me. �� question is why are you guys against this radio?
Ok Ratahack has been dying for over a decade. You and I know it. So what. If they support a radio built and then bought by another company who can't even support they own junk, then who cares. You can buy a scanner that decides that tdma crap for 200 or less, and those that bought those high dollar uniden pos, that pisses you off.
I don't care. It's the luck of the draw every time you buy an electronic device. You want uniden to fail? Don't buy they junk. Want RS to fail. DONT BUY THEY JUNK.
Enough already. It's like babysitting my brothers kids or something...
Ok Ratahack has been dying for over a decade. You and I know it. So what. If they support a radio built and then bought by another company who can't even support they own junk, then who cares. You can buy a scanner that decides that tdma crap for 200 or less, and those that bought those high dollar uniden pos, that pisses you off.
I don't care. It's the luck of the draw every time you buy an electronic device. You want uniden to fail? Don't buy they junk. Want RS to fail. DONT BUY THEY JUNK.
Enough already. It's like babysitting my brothers kids or something...
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- Apr 26, 2015
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You know how it is, haters are going to hate.
Nothing wrong with the 668 and Radio Shack is still around.
KF5CHD I do not hate the 668 not the 558 I paid in TN $485.00 including tax the day it was released I did not by in the cut rate close out days I supported RS the only problem I have is mine is generation one with a build date of sept 2014 and it eats batteries 2500 mil batteries last 4.5 hours. It has good range and as long as I have my 8000 mil usb battery backup it works great in the field. I am just trying to find support fo me and others. Whistler built the scanner for Radioshack. Radioshack does not build scanners. I support our local Franchise Radioshack I have bought over $4,000.00 in scanners from RS and
still have and use them.
THANKYOU
still have and use them.
THANKYOU
AtlasFBG2
Member
buddrousa
Just curious what the serial number of your 668 is?
I have 5 of the 668 all have a build date of 10/14 with serials between 1780 and 4879.
The one with the serial of 1780 had the original 2.2 firmware on it. All of them last average of 10 hours on 2400mah batteries.
Just curious what the serial number of your 668 is?
I have 5 of the 668 all have a build date of 10/14 with serials between 1780 and 4879.
The one with the serial of 1780 had the original 2.2 firmware on it. All of them last average of 10 hours on 2400mah batteries.
Mine is in the 4400's with my firmware of 2.2 which I update out of the box I have all the lights off and vol at 10 to 11 this does not matter. I can take any 3 of the batteries out of the 668 put them in my 436 and get 10 to 12 hours with all programming the same. I can take the same 4 batteries out of the 668 put them in a pro 18 and get 10 hours out of them I can tack the 668 batteries out and put them in my pro 106 and get 10 hours out of them. It just does not make sense to me.
Why the fuss over batteries?
Someone help me understand all the fuss about battery life. I understand that this radio is a "hand-held" unit and designed to clip on your belt and stay with you all day, but what are you guys doing that it cannot be placed on electrical (115V using tranformer or 12VDC using a car power plug? I rarely ever need mine on battery only. If I'm home or in my shop it's on an AC transformer, if it's in the car it's plugged into the 12VDC power connection in the car. I guess if you're about in the yard and do not have access to your home or car I can see the need for batteries that last a period of time but it seems that some of you run it only on battery power no matter if you're home, in your car or anywhere. Just trying to understand.
Someone help me understand all the fuss about battery life. I understand that this radio is a "hand-held" unit and designed to clip on your belt and stay with you all day, but what are you guys doing that it cannot be placed on electrical (115V using tranformer or 12VDC using a car power plug? I rarely ever need mine on battery only. If I'm home or in my shop it's on an AC transformer, if it's in the car it's plugged into the 12VDC power connection in the car. I guess if you're about in the yard and do not have access to your home or car I can see the need for batteries that last a period of time but it seems that some of you run it only on battery power no matter if you're home, in your car or anywhere. Just trying to understand.
DJ11DLN
Member
People want their scanners to work as they are designed; the 668 is a portable, hand-held scanner, i.e. it should work on batteries for an extended period. I understand that, even though mine, and my other hand-helds, are usually running on external power. But I occasionally take one of them with me on batteries. With the updated settings developed by PSR-800 owners over the years, mine will run 10+ hours on 2500 mAh batteries...but if it only ran for 5 or so, I'd just take an extra set of batteries along with me. The fact that any scanner you can hold in your hand and put in your pocket will do the things that modern digital trunking scanners do kind of offsets any angst I might have over battery life. And yes, I know a 396 will last longer on 3/4 of the cells, and that a 106/651 will last longer on the same number as the 668. Everything is different.
I guess working with commercial gear over the years has made me kind of jaded when it comes to battery life. I've carried H-T's that would last literally a couple of days on a charge (given little or no TX time) and others that would barely get through 8 hours before they conked out. And even worse; I'm currently the custodian of an EFJ H-T that has never lasted more than 6 hours on a charge since it was brand-new. And it's battery pack weighs as much or more and is about as big as the whole package with some of those other radios. But it's a digital trunking radio so it consumes more power, I suppose, just to function. Yes, the battery's been replaced, the new one was no better than the two that came with it. So I have 2 spares to pack along when I get a run, which ought to last me...
My 668 is s/n 38XX and came with v.2.2, upgraded to 2.3 the day I got it, if that helps any. I run the volume pretty high all the time (yeah, I'm kinda deaf) but no backlight if I'm on batteries. Tried that once on medium level and got about 7 hours, IIRC...
I am not in my car 10 to 12 hours a day my job in not in a office 10 to 12 hours a day my job requires me to be in locations where I do not have access to 110 volts ac or a 12 volt car battery. I work for a living on my days off and I need to know when and if I am needed why I am needed and where I am needed and what I can expect when I get there. When I am on duty I find it very helpful to know when I can get an Ambulance, Helicopter, or Police Officer and how long I may have to wait for backup from another town. As you see I like to know all of the above to better serve the people of my district.
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- Apr 26, 2015
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- 182
I don't understand it either, but I guess if you must find something to complain about and battery life is what the find then the scanner itself muse be a pretty damn good unit.
I carry other handheld communication devices .... two-way radios.
You want to complain about something with short battery life - try a Yaesu FT-1DR.
Even with it's 'extended' battery .... life is short.
I even understand why .......
There is some unnatural need to make everything small, pocket sized as it were. This limits you on space for things like batteries.
In comparison I have two Icom IC-W32A's .... they are ancient relatively speaking but they are hand-held two way radios that are not " pocket sized " but they carry a substantial battery pack.
If battery capacity is truly a problem get something like this .......
Radio Shack Water Resistant Portable Power Bank
Dual Output 10400 mAh
Part Number 230-2424
Gary that is something like I carry works all day
After reading this thread, I am not so sure the 668 is the best idea for my next scanner purchase. I didn't think firmware or updating was that big of a deal, as my pro-106 has never been updated and I don't think I am missing anything?
Any reason not to buy a 668 other than the firmware or perceived battery life? For what I listen to, it seems like a good deal for $200ish and will do P2 if I ever need it.
Can anyone elaborate on the programming software...I use the Win500 now, is the 668 different and if so more complex?
Any reason not to buy a 668 other than the firmware or perceived battery life? For what I listen to, it seems like a good deal for $200ish and will do P2 if I ever need it.
Can anyone elaborate on the programming software...I use the Win500 now, is the 668 different and if so more complex?
You may have missed but my 668 is a great scanner and mine seams to be one of the few that has a battery issue. I bought mine before the filing and paid $485.00 with tax for mine. I bought and mine was in the first batch shipped out of the RS warehouse. If you can find one it would be hard to beat for the $200.00 If you use Don's win500 it is a small curve it is more like downloading from RR with the ability to do the same with out a computer.
DJ11DLN
Member
I'm very pleased with my 668 and would have bought it whether or not RS had gone into receivership. Getting a deal on it was just gravy. And as I think has been stated elsewhere, this basic design has been around awhile, so most of the bugs -- things firmware/DSP updates would be needed to address -- have been dealt with. I may buy another if they go on sale again; it's a good scanner and does the job quite well.
foo9777
Member
I bought a Pro 668 on May 20 at a Radio Shack Store for $249.00. It was the only scanner in the store, the clerk said they just got it in. I know that because I was in there a week ago and it was not there.
It has the RS software. Now I just have to understand how to use it. The manual that come with it isn't all that clear to me. I downloaded a manual from Whistler but it is a little different. I can not find another or a better manual on line. I will check out Mark's EZ to read manual andd see if that will help.
Jim
It has the RS software. Now I just have to understand how to use it. The manual that come with it isn't all that clear to me. I downloaded a manual from Whistler but it is a little different. I can not find another or a better manual on line. I will check out Mark's EZ to read manual andd see if that will help.
Jim
johnnyelectron
Member
- Joined
- Dec 19, 2002
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- 201
Can somebody point me to where I can get my Windows 8.1 computer to talk to the PRO-668? I keep getting a "not responding" - even after trying to bypass the certificate signing and all that jazz.
Does it prefer one COM port over another?
Does it prefer one COM port over another?
I don't know why there is all this fuss about battery life on the pro-668,
The pro-668 like it's cousins the PSR-800 and WS 1080 all have the same vocoder and it simply sucks.
The p-25 decode sounds very robotic unless you're lucky enough to find a "sweet spot" before the transmission ends, Also the p2 decode is extremely loud in volume compared to p25 phase 1 or analog.
My bcd436 hp and bcd325p2 decode better period! No robotic sweet spot search and equal P1 and P2 volumes. This is more important than battery life.
It's a shame though, because the pro-668's LCD screen trounces all the unidens.
The pro-668 like it's cousins the PSR-800 and WS 1080 all have the same vocoder and it simply sucks.
The p-25 decode sounds very robotic unless you're lucky enough to find a "sweet spot" before the transmission ends, Also the p2 decode is extremely loud in volume compared to p25 phase 1 or analog.
My bcd436 hp and bcd325p2 decode better period! No robotic sweet spot search and equal P1 and P2 volumes. This is more important than battery life.
It's a shame though, because the pro-668's LCD screen trounces all the unidens.
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