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

[mikejeep]

The St. Louis 2600/Band 41 thread has a large number of Band 41 sites identified, and somewhere back about 2 or 3 months ago, I posted a formula for converting the Cell ID from a Zing hotspot to the Site ID.  The Cell ID is reported in decimal, the Site ID is hexadecimal, and there is an offset representing the "market".  The method worked for most St. Louis sites, but there seemed to be 2 or 3 random renegade sites.

 

I have done similar conversions for Robert's initial Denver sighting, for Minneapolis, and on a somewhat larger scale in Chicago (posting in the appropriate threads as I went), but I don't remember the links off the top of my head.

 

I realize that this is off-topic (sorry, Mike), but if anyone is interested, I could post the ID method I found -- Probably best in one of the 2600 threads.

 

When the tri-band phones finally start routinely recognizing B41 and reporting it through Signal Check, we should be able to figure out coverages very comprehensively.

 

Feel free to post the ID method here, or if you think it's better placed elsewhere, throw a link to the post here. It's relevant to the app if it helps improve features!

 

-Mike

[mikejeep]

Quick note.. I think I discovered what is causing the crashing/freezing issues: alerts! I don't have any enabled, which is why I probably never experienced issues.. turned them on tonight to start testing something tonight--bam, issues. Turned them off, back to normal. That explains why most people correlated it with losing or connecting to data; those events are what trigger alerts.

 

Those of you who have been experiencing problems -- can you confirm if you had any alerts enabled? And if you disable them, does the app seem more stable?

 

Not sure what the resolution is going to be or how long that might take, but I'll be working on it. It is likely an issue with a newer version of Android, because I haven't touched the alert code in a long time.

 

-Mike

[swintec]

Ive noticed on my Nexus 5 that i do not always get alerts anymore.  This has been the case ever since I got the phone.  I only have it set to vibrate on LTE and 1x800 connection.  Sometimes it will work and vibrate but it certainly is not the norm.  1x800 vibrate alert seems more reliable.

[enyce9]

Quick note.. I think I discovered what is causing the crashing/freezing issues: alerts! I don't have any enabled, which is why I probably never experienced issues.. turned them on tonight to start testing something tonight--bam, issues. Turned them off, back to normal. That explains why most people correlated it with losing or connecting to data; those events are what trigger alerts.

 

Those of you who have been experiencing problems -- can you confirm if you had any alerts enabled? And if you disable them, does the app seem more stable?

 

Not sure what the resolution is going to be or how long that might take, but I'll be working on it. It is likely an issue with a newer version of Android, because I haven't touched the alert code in a long time.

 

-Mike

I have all alerts enabled except 1x 800 lost alerts. I am having crashing issues and now that someone else just mentioned it I did notice that LTE connection alerts haven't been consistent lately.

 

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

 

 

[MacinJosh]

I only have the LTE and 1x800 vibrate alerts active.

 

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

 

 

[JossMan]

So I turned off all alerts (800 and LTE), since then the app has been behaving.  

[JossMan]

Thought I would share my pre and post network vision signal strengths using the SignalCheck Pro app, site is about three quarters of a mile to a mile from my home.  Site has been 3G accepted still no LTE as of yet, and I don't seem to be picking up the rouge LTE signal from a few sites down now.  I guess the 3G signal from this site is now dominating and my device has no use to hand-off to another site now and re-scan for LTE.  I'm afraid if they turn on 1x 800 it may melt the shutters off my house. 

 

Pre-Network Vision Upgrades: 

 

 

 

Post Network Vision Upgrades:

 

 

[WiWavelength]

You are not gaining 20 dB on PCS solely due to Network Vision upgrades.

 

AJ

[JossMan]

You are not gaining 20 dB on PCS solely due to Network Vision upgrades.

 

AJ

Then elaborate and tell me why not because two months ago I wasn't getting these signal strengths when legacy equipment was still in use...these are outside results not indoors.  

[WiWavelength]

Then elaborate and tell me why not because two months ago I wasn't getting these signal strengths when legacy equipment was still in use...these are outside results not indoors.

 

Again, you are not gaining 20 dB solely from Network Vision RRUs. That would be more in the range of 3-6 dB. So, other tweaks or conditions -- EIRP, downtilt, foliage -- are clearly in play.

 

AJ

[JossMan]

Again, you are not gaining 20 dB solely from Network Vision RRUs. That would be more in the range of 3-6 dB. So, other tweaks or conditions -- EIRP, downtilt, foliage -- are clearly in play.

 

AJ

Thanks, foliage is probably the biggest reason, it is winter after all.  I'll see what my signals are once spring makes it way back around (can't wait by the way).  I'm sure living on a hill also helps.

[chamb]

Thanks, foliage is probably the biggest reason, it is winter after all.  I'll see what my signals are once spring makes it way back around (can't wait by the way).  I'm sure living on a hill also helps.

Jossman,

AJ is correct.   3 - 6 DB is the normal improvement for a 1900 signal when converted to NV.   He did miss one other possibility.  The old Legacy equipment could have been defective in some way.  Your -93 signal level at 3/4 of a mile looks bad for the old legacy system.   Also, the old legacy system may have had excessive downtilt and been aimed low. Since you are on a hill it may not have been aimed at you and maybe rightly so.  You were still getting a -93 which is better than really needed.  If they can see that you are getting a -93 when on a hill while they aim the antenna elsewhere, they will favor a bad area and allow you to work fine with the -93.

[jefbal99]

Could also be antenna direction. Many sites local to me have differing directed sectors with the new antennas

 

Sent from my SPH-L900 using Tapatalk

 

 

[JossMan]

Jossman,

AJ is correct.   3 - 6 DB is the normal improvement for a 1900 signal when converted to NV.   He did miss one other possibility.  The old Legacy equipment could have been defective in some way.  Your -93 signal level at 3/4 of a mile looks bad for the old legacy system.   Also, the old legacy system may have had excessive downtilt and been aimed low. Since you are on a hill it may not have been aimed at you and maybe rightly so.  You were still getting a -93 which is better than really needed.  If they can see that you are getting a -93 when on a hill while they aim the antenna elsewhere, they will favor a bad area and allow you to work fine with the -93.

I wouldn't doubt AJ at all, I know he is correct that 3-6dB gain is the normal, as other sites around my area that have been NV'd don't see a 20dB gain like that.  I just found it odd and was shocked that I was getting sub 80dB signal strengths when I am use to 92 - 100dB before the new equipment went live. So maybe there was some type of defect in the legacy equipment, or the way the new panel on the 2nd sector is now just about pointed right at me.  Either way I'm happy to see the new equipment up and running. 

[WiWavelength]

I wouldn't doubt AJ at all, I know he is correct that 3-6dB gain is the normal, as other sites around my area that have been NV'd don't see a 20dB gain like that.

 

And just to be clear, I was not trying to admonish you.  But we do not want to set unrealistic expectations for others who might be reading this.  No doubt, your signal strength improvement is associated with the Network Vision upgrade, but it cannot attributed exclusively to the new infrastructure.  Other factors must also have changed.  And those factors can cut both ways -- some could potentially lose 10-20 dB in signal strength due to adjustments associated with Network Vision.

 

AJ

[JossMan]

Mike, do you know why sometimes under Provider it just displays the numeric SID where it normally says Sprint?  

 

[mikejeep]

Mike, do you know why sometimes under Provider it just displays the numeric SID where it normally says Sprint?

That's a pesky bug that I have been able to minimize but apparently not completely eliminate yet! I thought it was fixed, but saw it pop up myself the other day while I was driving for the first time in awhile.. yelled some choice words when I saw it! I'm working on that, the KitKat crashes, and the inconsistent notifications..

 

-Mike

[JossMan]

That's a pesky bug that I have been able to minimize but apparently not completely eliminate yet! I thought it was fixed, but saw it pop up myself the other day while I was driving for the first time in awhile.. yelled some choice words when I saw it! I'm working on that, the KitKat crashes, and the inconsistent notifications..

 

-Mike

Its happened to me twice within about a weeks time, I just reboot the app which fixes the problem.  

[Jeffrey_J]

That's a pesky bug that I have been able to minimize but apparently not completely eliminate yet! I thought it was fixed, but saw it pop up myself the other day while I was driving for the first time in awhile.. yelled some choice words when I saw it! I'm working on that, the KitKat crashes, and the inconsistent notifications..

 

-Mike

The Provider showing the SID.

 

To me it happen when I was in the DFW Market and connected to LTE and than back to CDMA, I do not have LTE at home in the East Texas Market.

[mikejeep]

The Provider showing the SID.

 

To me it happen when I was in the DFW Market and connected to LTE and than back to CDMA, I do not have LTE at home in the East Texas Market.

 

Yeah, the 1X provider name and the KitKat freezing/crashing issues when alerts are enabled all appear to be related to the CDMA/LTE handoff. It has been tough to narrow it down further because each device's radio handles the process slightly differently. I think that once I find a way to fix this, it will resolve both problems at once.

 

-Mike

[mc_gusto]

Mike, is it possible to make a "prl update" button? I find myself updating prl just to force my device onto 800 1x. On my s3 it effectively resets the data connection. So sometimes it picks up lte too after a prl update. I miss your reset data connection feature since I upgraded to 4.3

 

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk

 

 

[mikejeep]

Mike, is it possible to make a "prl update" button? I find myself updating prl just to force my device onto 800 1x. On my s3 it effectively resets the data connection. So sometimes it picks up lte too after a prl update. I miss your reset data connection feature since I upgraded to 4.3

 

Unfortunately I can't add that button, that stuff is buried beyond third-party developers' reach. I've looked for a method to even make a shortcut directly to that screen, but couldn't come up with anything useful. It's very specific per-device and per-provider. If I ever figured it out, it would probably require a rooted device. Head over to XDA, do some light reading, and root your phone.. it's worth it even if you only do it for the SignalCheck reset button.

 

Updating your PRL always resets the connection and re-scans available bands, so it's the most complete connection reset you could have. Would be great if I could add it.. I don't need the PRL part, I just want the reset part!

 

-Mike

[mc_gusto]

Thanks for the response. I had a feeling you would have added it already if you could. Yeah I'm just being lazy. I've rooted other devices. But since 4.3 I haven't rooted this phone yet. Signal check would be one of my motivating factors.

 

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk

 

 

[belusnecropolis]

Mike,

I have a question, I have tried to figure it out myself for a while but I just can't seem to grasp it. The Base ID# I get that it shows up as decimal, then hexidecimal afterword in parenthesis. I just am unable to figure out the formula to figure out exactly which sector or site for that matter I am connected to. This would of course give me some more certainty as to where I am latched to signal wise. GPS offsets and all that being what they are, I am kind of lacking on a couple sites I believe I am hooked up too. I have done a couple laps around a couple close sites and notice that the second number jumps in the hexidecimal by 1 as I change sectors.

 

Seriously, this has been the one question I have been just flummoxed with, I am possibly now able to see when I am on a site as I count sectors jumping, but really no clue as to how to get certainty. Example of one here in Myrtle as I went around the site, 4359 (x1107), 4615 (x1207), 4871 (x1307). Having this obviously would help a lot in my epic spotting adventures that I now occupy my weekends doing, and maybe give me a leg up in my EE classes I just started (I owe s4gru for getting me off my ass from enthusiast to student) Thanks in advance!

[mikejeep]

I have a question, I have tried to figure it out myself for a while but I just can't seem to grasp it. The Base ID# I get that it shows up as decimal, then hexidecimal afterword in parenthesis. I just am unable to figure out the formula to figure out exactly which sector or site for that matter I am connected to. This would of course give me some more certainty as to where I am latched to signal wise. GPS offsets and all that being what they are, I am kind of lacking on a couple sites I believe I am hooked up too. I have done a couple laps around a couple close sites and notice that the second number jumps in the hexidecimal by 1 as I change sectors.

 

Seriously, this has been the one question I have been just flummoxed with, I am possibly now able to see when I am on a site as I count sectors jumping, but really no clue as to how to get certainty. Example of one here in Myrtle as I went around the site, 4359 (x1107), 4615 (x1207), 4871 (x1307). Having this obviously would help a lot in my epic spotting adventures that I now occupy my weekends doing, and maybe give me a leg up in my EE classes I just started (I owe s4gru for getting me off my ass from enthusiast to student) Thanks in advance!

 

If you are trying to decipher a way to identify sites on the Sponsor maps from SignalCheck data.. there does not seem to be a correlation. In markets where the BSL is offset, there isn't much you can do without figuring it out by driving around the sites. However, you have noticed something about the sectors in that I recently learned myself; when looking at it in hex, the third digit from the right indicates the sector in some Sprint markets (in many/most Sprint markets, it's the right-most digit). I have already implemented new options in the app to select which sector "style" you would like the app to show as a Site Hint.

 

Someone with some significant research experience in the field also passed along some information about 1X and LTE site IDs correlating with each other; it's proven true on Verizon, but I have not figured out if Sprint does something similar. Given a specific GCI, you can calculate the 1X BID that is on the same sector. Or, given a 1X BID and LTE TAC, you can determine the GCI. Again, this has only been confirmed for Verizon, but maybe there is something similar for Sprint.

 

While there is no clear-cut "which site is BID 12345" answer (yet!), I finally have some logging and mapping features working, which will help make it easier to figure this stuff out. I have made a lot of progress on it this week, but it still needs some work.

 

-Mike