SignalCheck - Android app to monitor your Wi-Fi/2G/3G/4G LTE/5G-NR signal strengths

[mikejeep]

I noticed this too but on my LG G2. Clearwire LTE builds are now being identified as B25. The app is showing 8T8R sites correctly as B41 although it would have been nicer to get a better site band label

 

The G2 is flaky but I think I might be able to implement a workaround that might resolve that.. I'm still working on it. It is frustrating because the app will report it properly if the device would report it properly.  What do you mean by "it would have been nicer to get a better site band label"?

 

I'm wondering how they're numbered.

 

LTE neighbor cells report their PCI. Site notes are shown for that PCI and the currently connected TAC.. so it's usually the right note, but there is a chance it could be wrong if the TAC is actually not the same. There's no way for the app check that though.

 

-Mike

[orangeblue]

Right now it shows LTE 2500 and it would be nice to see a large display of the band number

[stlman314]

The G2 is flaky but I think I might be able to implement a workaround that might resolve that.. I'm still working on it. It is frustrating because the app will report it properly if the device would report it properly.  What do you mean by "it would have been nicer to get a better site band label"?

 

 

LTE neighbor cells report their PCI. Site notes are shown for that PCI and the currently connected TAC.. so it's usually the right note, but there is a chance it could be wrong if the TAC is actually not the same. There's no way for the app check that though.

 

-Mike

 

 

If you need a G2 lab rat let me know. I can help you out if you don't have anybody in your group.

[darickster09]

Hey Mike, So just noticed something on my Galaxy S5.  Not sure its a signalcheck issue or a Samsung issue, but occasionally I will be connected to WIFI while also connected to LTE and then when i turn off WIFI the phone shows only the WIFI in Signalcheck, when I am for sure connected to LTE and WIFI is completely off, the only way i have found to fix this temporarily is by completely rebooting the phone.  This is intermittent as well.  It doesnt always happen, only occasionally.  Let me know if you need anything from me for this or if this is just something that will probably not be fixed anytime soon due to samsung.

 

Kevin

[mmark27]

Hey Mike, So just noticed something on my Galaxy S5.  Not sure its a signalcheck issue or a Samsung issue, but occasionally I will be connected to WIFI while also connected to LTE and then when i turn off WIFI the phone shows only the WIFI in Signalcheck, when I am for sure connected to LTE and WIFI is completely off, the only way i have found to fix this temporarily is by completely rebooting the phone.  This is intermittent as well.  It doesnt always happen, only occasionally.  Let me know if you need anything from me for this or if this is just something that will probably not be fixed anytime soon due to samsung.

 

Kevin

 

Lately, my S5 has been having a hard time reconnecting to Sprint Network data after being on WiFi.  One thing that does speed up the connect is to turn off the WiFi calling, then it connects up.  I'm highly doubtful that SCP has anything to do with this as SCP only reports what the phone is doing.....and in this case, I think, WiFi calling is the culprit (of many issues).

[orangeblue]

The latest version has turned into a real battery leech and I had to install it. Phone was sitting idle on my desk an according to the battery stats, the app was able to leech down 73% of all battery use in just a few hours.

 

LG G2 Stock Rom

[mc_gusto]

Mike I just noticed today as my battery was almost dead that scp doesn't have a true black background (#000000)

I know it might be negligible but since a lot of phones have oled screens now, it helps to have as much black on screen as possible when the screen is on.

 

Helps conserve battery since if the pixel is true black it's not on. And since we all use scp alot I figured why not save some batt juice whenever possible. just a thought.

[kg4icg]

I've had no program with the new app, you might have something else going on, oled screens hardly use any power under a black background. And I'm u using signal check on a tab 3

[mc_gusto]

I've had no program with the new app, you might have something else going on, oled screens hardly use any power under a black background. And I'm u using signal check on a tab 3

I wasn't saying I had any issues with the new app. I was just saying I noticed scp doesn't use a true black background. Old or new version. I agree with you oled screens hardy use any power under a black background. That's why I was asking if Mike could change it to a "real" black background. Not the current dark dark grey.

[mikejeep]

The latest version has turned into a real battery leech and I had to install it. Phone was sitting idle on my desk an according to the battery stats, the app was able to leech down 73% of all battery use in just a few hours.

There were no changes in this update that would have a significant impact on battery life.. each time someone has reported an issue like this, it has turned out to be a fluke or related to something else. It is a passive app (except for the logging features) so it shouldn't have a major battery drain.

 

If you leave it on screen for a few hours and don't do much else with your phone, I wouldn't be surprised if it was responsible for 73% of whatever battery power has been used -- but that actual use should be minimal. I run it 24/7 with logging and location features enabled and monitor my battery usage with GSam Battery Monitor Pro; I don't think I've ever seen it above 5%.

 

I'm not saying that you are wrong and it's impossible to see what you are reporting, just that it doesn't really make sense and it appears to be an isolated incident.

 

I wasn't saying I had any issues with the new app. I was just saying I noticed scp doesn't use a true black background. Old or new version. I agree with you oled screens hardy use any power under a black background. That's why I was asking if Mike could change it to a "real" black background. Not the current dark dark grey.

That's a great suggestion! I don't have an OLED device but I have heard of the power savings with true black backgrounds. The app uses a black-to-grey gradient right now, but I will add an option to change this to black and maybe other options. Thanks!

 

-Mike

[orangeblue]

There were no changes in this update that would have a significant impact on battery life.. each time someone has reported an issue like this, it has turned out to be a fluke or related to something else. It is a passive app (except for the logging features) so it shouldn't have a major battery drain.

 

If you leave it on screen for a few hours and don't do much else with your phone, I wouldn't be surprised if it was responsible for 73% of whatever battery power has been used -- but that actual use should be minimal. I run it 24/7 with logging and location features enabled and monitor my battery usage with GSam Battery Monitor Pro; I don't think I've ever seen it above 5%.

 

I'm not saying that you are wrong and it's impossible to see what you are reporting, just that it doesn't really make sense and it appears to be an isolated incident.

 

 

That's a great suggestion! I don't have an OLED device but I have heard of the power savings with true black backgrounds. The app uses a black-to-grey gradient right now, but I will add an option to change this to black and maybe other options. Thanks!

 

-Mike

 

Sorry, but I used the app on a phone with no additional app just to check if I was right. Stock LG G2 app and ONLY the Pro version installed. Battery lasted only a few hours vs the full day. After removing the app, battery life returned to normal.

LG battery stats showed the 73% usage.

[mikejeep]

Sorry, but I used the app on a phone with no additional app just to check if I was right. Stock LG G2 app and ONLY the Pro version installed. Battery lasted only a few hours vs the full day. After removing the app, battery life returned to normal.

LG battery stats showed the 73% usage.

 

I guess I don't have an answer for you then. Perhaps ensure that you have the Location Service and Site Logger features disabled and see if that improves anything? If it was a fresh stock install, your battery drain could be related to silent Google Play Services updates in the background, although that wouldn't explain why it was blaming SignalCheck.

 

I haven't had any other reports of battery drain related to SignalCheck recently, and none of the reports I've had in the past were linked to the app itself. If you have any battery logs, wakelock stats, or other data that you think might help pinpoint the issue, feel free to PM or e-mail it and I'd be more than happy to take a look at it.

 

-Mike

[bigmachine]

On my HTC M8, SCP sometimes reports a PLMN of 310-120 when my engineering screens shows 311-490.

 

I've noticed this while on certain Clear B41 sites in Los Angeles.

 

I have version 4.261

[mikejeep]

On my HTC M8, SCP sometimes reports a PLMN of 310-120 when my engineering screens shows 311-490.

 

I've noticed this while on certain Clear B41 sites in Los Angeles.

 

I have version 4.261

Next time you see that, could you go to About > Send Diagnostics and send me a report? The workaround I'm trying for the G2 might fix that, or I can at least work with HTC to fix it in a future baseband update.

 

-Mike

[Nickel]

I don't know if this has been asked before so forgive me but would it it be possible to split the PLMN into MCC and MNC? I like how Samsung uses the MCC-MNC convention.

[bigmachine]

Next time you see that, could you go to About > Send Diagnostics and send me a report?

 

Will do.  Thanks for everything you do for this community!

[mikejeep]

I don't know if this has been asked before so forgive me but would it it be possible to split the PLMN into MCC and MNC? I like how Samsung uses the MCC-MNC convention.

I stopped listening at "I like how Samsung.."

 

Do you mean just display it with the dash between the two values? I could probably figure out how to get an option for that, but it would just change that one part of the on-screen display.

 

-Mike

[Nickel]

I stopped listening at "I like how Samsung.."

 

Do you mean just display it with the dash between the two values? I could probably figure out how to get an option for that, but it would just change that one part of the on-screen display.

 

-Mike

Yeah that's what I'm talking about. I'm probably the only one who likes the MCC and MNC separated though. 

[tampaflusa]

Are you saying it only shows some Clear sites, or never shows any Clear sites? If you never see any, it's the Samsung bug. If you do see some but not all, send diagnostics next time you see something wrong so I can check it out.

 

-Mike

Sent diagnostics.

[Ascertion]

Hey Mike,

 

Just curious. There's often tines where my G2 will drop a Sprint 3G connection and go to roaming. Many times it will hide the status bar/notification while I'm roaming. Any idea how to fix this?

 

Sent from my LG-LS980

[mikejeep]

Sent diagnostics.

 

Thanks. Your S4T was not reporting any Clearwire PLMN IDs on either report; there isn't anything SignalCheck can do to recognize these as Clear sites, because your phone isn't indicating such. Either the sites are configured wrong (least likely), it's not actually B41 (maybe), or Samsung strikes again (very likely). These were the sites you reported; perhaps someone else familiar with the area can confirm if these are Clear sites:

 

GCI: 04C90E01, TAC: 19208, Waters/ArmB41

GCI: 04C8BB00, TAC: 19208, WorkB41

 

It seems strange that your phone would indicate some Clear sites, but not all.. but you'll have to ask Samsung about that.

 

Just curious. There's often tines where my G2 will drop a Sprint 3G connection and go to roaming. Many times it will hide the status bar/notification while I'm roaming. Any idea how to fix this?

 

You mean the SignalCheck notification disappears? I have no idea why it would do that.. send me screen shots and/or diagnostic reports while its happening and maybe it will give me some insight. I don't think anyone else has mentioned that.

 

-Mike

[Ascertion]

 

 

You mean the SignalCheck notification disappears? I have no idea why it would do that.. send me screen shots and/or diagnostic reports while its happening and maybe it will give me some insight. I don't think anyone else has mentioned that.

 

-Mike

Yeah, the notification display (pulldown display) and the statusbar icon disappears. I'll get a log tomorrow at work (where it's somewhat easy to replicate.) Will a logcat work?

 

 

Sent from my LG-LS980

[mikejeep]

Yeah, the notification display (pulldown display) and the statusbar icon disappears. I'll get a log tomorrow at work (where it's somewhat easy to replicate.) Will a logcat work?

 

A logcat might work, but only if something is crashing -- if you send a diagnostic report, it would include a crash logcat if one existed anyway, so that's probably best. Does it consistently vanish every time you roam, or is it sporadic?

 

-Mike

[tampaflusa]

 

 

Thanks. Your S4T was not reporting any Clearwire PLMN IDs on either report; there isn't anything SignalCheck can do to recognize these as Clear sites, because your phone isn't indicating such. Either the sites are configured wrong (least likely), it's not actually B41 (maybe), or Samsung strikes again (very likely). These were the sites you reported; perhaps someone else familiar with the area can confirm if these are Clear sites:

 

GCI: 04C90E01, TAC: 19208, Waters/ArmB41

GCI: 04C8BB00, TAC: 19208, WorkB41

 

It seems strange that your phone would indicate some Clear sites, but not all.. but you'll have to ask Samsung about that.

 

-Mike

It's definitely Band 41. One is my work tower, so far 3 out of about 15 are not showing as Band 41 so overall it's a awesome update.

[mikejeep]

It's definitely Band 41. One is my work tower, so far 3 out of about 15 are not showing as Band 41 so overall it's a awesome update.

That is very strange. It is always those three towers that do not report properly? And all 15 are Clearwire sites? It sounds more like a network/site issue than a device issue if that's the case. Or are you possibly only seeing 8T8R sites?

 

-Mike