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


mikejeep

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Also be aware that the evo 4G LTE has been criticized by other members of this forum for having poor LTE radio performance, and for having difficulty connecting to LTE when it enters an LTE-available area.

 

(And, as an aside, by wierd happenstance, I was in Sonoma yesterday doing a sales demo, and both my GS3 and my hotspot got excellent LTE, and strong connection to 800 SMR (well, the GS3 got strong 800).

I'm just going to say it once, ever since I've had the latest radio update, I've got no issues and I can hold it pass 118 dB. Say what you want but something worked

 

Sent from my EVO using Tapatalk 2

 

 

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This is a great forum. You guys as nutty as me! lol!  

 

I can mention I *was* a ham radio guy -- back in time. (no time now) So I have "a thing" for all things RF. Tommym65: I hang out in Sonoma now mostly. Small world :-)  When I hunted ATT and TMO sites I of course stumbled on Sprint here and there too, especially if they co-located. I like to grab a snapshot. It all boiled down of myself getting a visual idea of coverage, cell spacing, range, signal level in a somewhat scientific way, that made sense to me...  As you guys know, there is nobody you can ask about this -- you have to figure it out yourself.

 

So I'm kind of keen on checking out a CDMA carrier, especially Sprint since they are easier to approach than that *other* CDMA carrier. No names needed.  B)   

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This is a great forum. You guys as nutty as me! lol!   I can mention I *was* a ham radio guy -- back in time. (no time now) So I have "a thing" for all things RF. Tommym65: I hang out in Sonoma now mostly. Small world :-)  When I hunted ATT and TMO sites I of course stumbled on Sprint here and there too, especially if they co-located. I like to grab a snapshot. It all boiled down of myself getting a visual idea of coverage, cell spacing, range, signal level in a somewhat scientific way, that made sense to me...  As you guys know, there is nobody you can ask about this -- you have to figure it out yourself. So I'm kind of keen on checking out a CDMA carrier, especially Sprint since they are easier to approach than that *other* CDMA carrier. No names needed.  B)

 

Consider becoming a sponsor. (The link is on the "Forums" top page) Then you will have access to maps showing tower locations.

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I guess the only issue is that the CID is displayed in a "long form" when the connection is of type HSPA/3G (or should I say UMTS/3G connection?).  When the connection is of type 2G/Edge the CID is displayed correctly.  My understanding is that this is because Android returns RID + CID when its a HSPA connnection. But Im not a developer.  :blink:

So I think it displays something like 46162023 (instead of showing CID: 24673  =-site 2467 sector 3..kind of thing, sort of)

 

I think this issue is discussed here:

http://stackoverflow.com/questions/7240038/utran-cell-identity-returned-by-getcid

 

Perhaps useful.

 

Very useful!  I have an inactive T-Mobile phone that I use for GSM testing, and I always thought the CID looked large.  It's always connected to UMTS.  I will note that page and look into it, thanks!

 

-Mike

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Hey Mike sorry for the delay, but here are some screenshots from my market where the cache is still an issue. I can say that it usually occurs for us that are using 800 priority PRLs. I don't believe those with regular PRLs are seeing this issue. Again hitting reset connection will fix it, but it will stay this way until you do so.

 

 

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Sent from my SPH-L900 using Tapatalk 4

 

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One more thing, I'm not sure if its been discussed, but is it possible to add the option to have the 1x Icon on the status bar but not in the drop down notifications?

 

Sent from my SPH-L900 using Tapatalk 4

 

 

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I think the cache is getting stuck changing from 1900 to 800 when the signal is low. I have seen it too with 800 priority. I think what you should do is force a location clear when you change from 1900 to 800. Go blank, show lat/lon then show cache result or geocode look up. I frequently get a site about 20 miles away and 50% of the time it shows right, the other 50 it shows my local 1900 tower. I have caught screen shots that effect it.

 

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 4

 

 

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Very useful!  I have an inactive T-Mobile phone that I use for GSM testing, and I always thought the CID looked large.  It's always connected to UMTS.  I will note that page and look into it, thanks!

 

-Mike

If you ever need to check something on a GSM phone, I can check it out as well.  I ended up switching to T-Mo but I still have the HTC One.  I still use your app to see what "4g" I'm connected to when it's not LTE.  The app definitely shows less information but I guess that's the nature of how T-Mo does things.

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Go buy signal check pro! Found them at walgreens.

Man, those people have *everything*!!!

 

Yeah, if SignalCheck Pro is now available at Walgreens, Mike is really moving up in the world.

 

:P

 

AJ

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Hey Mike sorry for the delay, but here are some screenshots from my market where the cache is still an issue. I can say that it usually occurs for us that are using 800 priority PRLs. I don't believe those with regular PRLs are seeing this issue. Again hitting reset connection will fix it, but it will stay this way until you do so.

 

Thanks for the screenshots!  So do you typically only notice it when you are flipping between 1X 800?  The app doesn't really know the technical differences between 800 and 1900, so that and your PRL might just be a coincidence.  Please e-mail your cache database (/data/data/com.blueline.signalcheck/databases/signalcheck_cache.db) to support[at]bluelinepc.com when you have a chance.

 

One more thing, I'm not sure if its been discussed, but is it possible to add the option to have the 1x Icon on the status bar but not in the drop down notifications?

 

Unfortunately, that is not possible.. the icons in the status bar are intended to let you know that there is a notification in the pulldown drawer.  The two components are really just one notification item.  As has been mentioned a few times, the area for "real" status bar icons on the far left side of the status bar are reserved for the system and off-limits to third-party developers.

 

The next version (the current beta has it now I believe) will have an option to prevent duplicate 1X icons from appearing, but that's about all of the "cleanup" possible.

 

-Mike

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I think the cache is getting stuck changing from 1900 to 800 when the signal is low. I have seen it too with 800 priority. I think what you should do is force a location clear when you change from 1900 to 800. Go blank, show lat/lon then show cache result or geocode look up. I frequently get a site about 20 miles away and 50% of the time it shows right, the other 50 it shows my local 1900 tower. I have caught screen shots that effect it.

 

Hmm.. again, the app doesn't "know" 1900 vs. 800 other than the SID changing.  I will have to take a closer look at the code, but what you describe is basically what is already in place.  My guess is that somewhere along the line, a partial piece of code is not seeing the new SID and/or BID.  Please send your cache database (/data/data/com.blueline.signalcheck/databases/signalcheck_cache.db) to support[at]bluelinepc.com when you have a chance so I can take a look at it.

 

Have you happened to confirm on your engineering screen that you're actually connected to the far-away 800 site when you are seeing the nearby 1900 address?  Maybe we're not looking at the right bug, and the address is right, but the SID/BID is somehow wrong...

 

-Mike

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If you ever need to check something on a GSM phone, I can check it out as well.  I ended up switching to T-Mo but I still have the HTC One.  I still use your app to see what "4g" I'm connected to when it's not LTE.  The app definitely shows less information but I guess that's the nature of how T-Mo does things.

 

It's more of how GSM operates as opposed to something T-Mobile specific.. GSM does not have as many accessible pieces of data to display.  There is no comparable BSL function on GSM (or EV-DO, or LTE), and that's everyone's favorite piece of the puzzle.

 

-Mike

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Yeah, if SignalCheck Pro is now available at Walgreens, Mike is really moving up in the world.

 

:P

 

AJ

 

Maybe Mike was actually MIA not because he was on vacation, but because he moved to the corner of Happy and Healthy?

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Maybe Mike was actually MIA not because he was on vacation, but because he moved to the corner of Happy and Healthy?

 

Haha, more like moved to the corner of married and a new semester of grad school.. but if my new wife asks, that's Happy and Healthy!!  ;)

 

It's been a hectic few weeks, so app development has been on the back burner.  Later this week I should be able to find some time to button up a few loose ends and get a public update pushed out.  There are some new features ready to go, plus I hope to get these cache bugs squashed.  Appreciate the support and patience!

 

-Mike

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