rt2800pci driver fails to properly scan. connects ok as if network was hidden

after the latest updates this seems to happen very frequently. right after 10.10 launched it occurred randomly and not so frequent (and turning the wifi off and on, usually resolved it. not the case any more)

steps:
1. be near a visible ssid "X"
2. scan for ssids

expected:
if shows ssid X

what happens:
it does not list ssid X (be it on network manager or iwlist)

some SSIDs will show, others will not.

if you ignore that and tell to connect to it as a 'hidden' network, it connects.

after it's connected, scanning will show all near ssids.

moving the notebook around does not change anything. it's not a reception issue.

i'm collecting more data on the access points nearby and will try to extract a pattern for which ones it detect and which it does not.

Linux 2.6.35-22-generic #35-Ubuntu SMP Sat Oct 16 20:36:48 UTC 2010 i686 GNU/Linux

01:00.0 Network controller [0280]: RaLink RT2860 [1814:0781]
        Subsystem: RaLink Device [1814:2790]
        Physical Slot: eeepc-wifi
        Control: I/O+ Mem+ BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR- FastB2B- DisINTx-
        Status: Cap+ 66MHz- UDF- FastB2B- ParErr- DEVSEL=fast >TAbort- <TAbort- <MAbort- >SERR- <PERR- INTx-
        Latency: 0, Cache Line Size: 32 bytes
        Interrupt: pin A routed to IRQ 19
        Region 0: Memory at fbef0000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=64K]
        Capabilities: [40] Power Management version 3
                Flags: PMEClk- DSI- D1- D2- AuxCurrent=375mA PME(D0+,D1-,D2-,D3hot+,D3cold-)
                Status: D0 NoSoftRst- PME-Enable- DSel=0 DScale=0 PME+
        Capabilities: [50] MSI: Enable- Count=1/32 Maskable- 64bit+
                Address: 0000000000000000 Data: 0000
        Capabilities: [70] Express (v1) Endpoint, MSI 00
                DevCap: MaxPayload 128 bytes, PhantFunc 0, Latency L0s <128ns, L1 <2us
                        ExtTag- AttnBtn- AttnInd- PwrInd- RBE+ FLReset-
                DevCtl: Report errors: Correctable- Non-Fatal- Fatal- Unsupported-
                        RlxdOrd+ ExtTag- PhantFunc- AuxPwr- NoSnoop-
                        MaxPayload 128 bytes, MaxReadReq 512 bytes
                DevSta: CorrErr+ UncorrErr- FatalErr- UnsuppReq+ AuxPwr- TransPend-
                LnkCap: Port #0, Speed 2.5GT/s, Width x1, ASPM L0s L1, Latency L0 <512ns, L1 <64us
                        ClockPM+ Surprise- LLActRep- BwNot-
                LnkCtl: ASPM Disabled; RCB 128 bytes Disabled- Retrain- CommClk+
                        ExtSynch- ClockPM+ AutWidDis- BWInt- AutBWInt-
                LnkSta: Speed 2.5GT/s, Width x1, TrErr- Train- SlotClk+ DLActive- BWMgmt- ABWMgmt-
        Capabilities: [100 v1] Advanced Error Reporting
                UESta: DLP- SDES- TLP- FCP- CmpltTO- CmpltAbrt- UnxCmplt- RxOF- MalfTLP- ECRC- UnsupReq+ ACSViol-
                UEMsk: DLP- SDES- TLP- FCP- CmpltTO- CmpltAbrt- UnxCmplt- RxOF- MalfTLP- ECRC- UnsupReq- ACSViol-
                UESvrt: DLP+ SDES- TLP- FCP+ CmpltTO- CmpltAbrt- UnxCmplt- RxOF+ MalfTLP+ ECRC- UnsupReq- ACSViol-
                CESta: RxErr- BadTLP- BadDLLP- Rollover- Timeout- NonFatalErr+
                CEMsk: RxErr- BadTLP- BadDLLP- Rollover- Timeout- NonFatalErr+
                AERCap: First Error Pointer: 00, GenCap+ CGenEn- ChkCap+ ChkEn-
        Kernel driver in use: rt2800pci
        Kernel modules: rt2860sta, rt2800pci

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 10.10
Package: linux-image-2.6.35-22-generic 2.6.35-22.35
Regression: Yes
Reproducible: Yes
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.35-22.35-generic 2.6.35.4
Uname: Linux 2.6.35-22-generic i686
AlsaVersion: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture Driver Version 1.0.23.
AplayDevices:
 **** List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices ****
 card 0: Intel [HDA Intel], device 0: ALC269 Analog [ALC269 Analog]
   Subdevices: 1/1
   Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
Architecture: i386
ArecordDevices:
 **** List of CAPTURE Hardware Devices ****
 card 0: Intel [HDA Intel], device 0: ALC269 Analog [ALC269 Analog]
   Subdevices: 1/1
   Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC0: gcb 1487 F.... pulseaudio
CRDA: Error: [Errno 2] No such file or directory
Card0.Amixer.info:
 Card hw:0 'Intel'/'HDA Intel at 0xf7eb8000 irq 45'
   Mixer name : 'Realtek ALC269'
   Components : 'HDA:10ec0269,1043834a,00100004'
   Controls : 10
   Simple ctrls : 6
Date: Sun Nov 21 00:38:42 2010
EcryptfsInUse: Yes
HibernationDevice: RESUME=UUID=9f441f05-b51c-4669-8403-5dc3fe4bec06
MachineType: ASUSTeK Computer INC. 1000
ProcCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.35-22-generic root=UUID=ad578cae-0659-49ea-902d-25f528d2744e ro nosplash elevator=noop
ProcEnviron:
 LANG=en_US.utf8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
RelatedPackageVersions: linux-firmware 1.38
SourcePackage: linux
StagingDrivers: rt2860sta
Title: [STAGING]
dmi.bios.date: 06/11/2009
dmi.bios.vendor: American Megatrends Inc.
dmi.bios.version: 1003
dmi.board.asset.tag: To Be Filled By O.E.M.
dmi.board.name: 1000
dmi.board.vendor: ASUSTeK Computer INC.
dmi.board.version: x.xx
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: 0x00000000
dmi.chassis.type: 10
dmi.chassis.vendor: ASUSTek Computer INC.
dmi.chassis.version: x.x
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAmericanMegatrendsInc.:bvr1003:bd06/11/2009:svnASUSTeKComputerINC.:pn1000:pvrx.x:rvnASUSTeKComputerINC.:rn1000:rvrx.xx:cvnASUSTekComputerINC.:ct10:cvrx.x:
dmi.product.name: 1000
dmi.product.version: x.x
dmi.sys.vendor: ASUSTeK Computer INC.