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

[mikejeep]

I tell people about the app all the time. Having both numbers are awesome.

 

I know I am dreaming as the Samsung stuff has been difficult, it would be awesome for to have the EVDO PN or LTE serving cell on my status bar depending on the connection. I would easily pay $50 to that.

 

Whenever I can finally figure out how to get the data (so frustrating   ), I should be able to add those to the status bar.  It gets a bit cumbersome because each number is its own separate graphic (if there are 500 possible PN's, that's 500 graphic files), but as long as it doesn't bog down the app, I would do it.

 

With more Android 4.2 devices coming out, I'm hopeful that manufacturers will start using the built-in functionality to display the Serving Cell instead of relying on manufacturer-specific reflection hacks to do it.  I haven't given up on Samsung yet though..

 

-Mike

[kct1975]

 

 

. . . I never thought this app would get so popular, but I'm so glad that others find it useful. The free version now has over 6,000 total installs, and is growing at 100+ per day and climbing, which I think is amazing. Good stuff!

 

-Mike

 

 

Hopefully, some people are also plunking down for the Pro version. At a buck 99, it is a steal. The Reset feature alone is worth a fortune!

Hey it has a small footprint and tells you a lot.

I completely agree with both statements!

 

I also recommend you app to friends all of the time.

 

One friend, with an iPhone even asked me if there was an iPhone version in the iTunes market.

 

Sent from my HTCONE using Tapatalk 2

 

 

[mikejeep]

I completely agree with both statements!

 

I also recommend you app to friends all of the time.

 

One friend, with an iPhone even asked me if there was an iPhone version in the iTunes market.

 

Sent from my HTCONE using Tapatalk 2

Thanks for the kudos and spreading the word! I'd like to keep my efforts focused on Android for now, since I still have many things I'd like to get added to the app. I did some minimal research into an iPhone version, and from what I understand, the iOS signal strength APIs are not accessible to developers, and any apps that use them are rejected from the App Store. I'm also not very motivated to pay Apple $100/year for the privilege to submit apps to them for consideration in the App Store.

 

So, I may consider it in the future, but it would probably be distributed outside the App Store / iTunes world. You never know..

 

-Mike

[Luuminator]

Mike every person I talk to about phone info I turn them to the free app and tell them gI've that a try and if you like it buy to app. Every person that I have suggested this to I believe have bought the app. I also tell them to come to s4gru and become a member and to read up on your app along with nv.

Doug

Mike keep up the great work and again if you need a guinea pig to test just let me know I can't do anything in normal life right now so I have 100% free time for helping, and trolling this forum

[MacinJosh]

 

I completely agree with both statements!

 

 

I also recommend you app to friends all of the time.

 

 

One friend, with an iPhone even asked me if there was an iPhone version in the iTunes market.

 

 

Sent from my HTCONE using Tapatalk 2

 

Thanks for the kudos and spreading the word! I'd like to keep my efforts focused on Android for now, since I still have many things I'd like to get added to the app. I did some minimal research into an iPhone version, and from what I understand, the iOS signal strength APIs are not accessible to developers, and any apps that use them are rejected from the App Store. I'm also not very motivated to pay Apple $100/year for the privilege to submit apps to them for consideration in the App Store.

 

 

So, I may consider it in the future, but it would probably be distributed outside the App Store / iTunes world. You never know..

 

-Mike

 

It's possible that Apple has given more freedoms for signal API's in iOS 7. If you get a chance, ask a few iPhone devs around here. They may be able to tell you for sure. And if and when you do decide to release an iPhone version, I will gladly install it on my iPhone.

 

 

Sent from Josh's iPhone 5 using Tapatalk 2

[WiWavelength]

It's possible that Apple has given more freedoms for signal API's in iOS 7. If you get a chance, ask a few iPhone devs around here. They may be able to tell you for sure. And if and when you do decide to release an iPhone version, I will gladly install it on my iPhone.

 

What was it about true wireless network nerds and iPhones?

 

Oh yeah, I remember.  But we will not broach that subject again...

 

 

AJ

[MacinJosh]

What was it about true wireless network nerds and iPhones?

 

Oh yeah, I remember.  But we will not broach that subject again...

 

 

AJ

Thank you for not doing so.

[digiblur]

What was it about true wireless network nerds and iPhones?

 

Oh yeah, I remember.  But we will not broach that subject again...

 

 

AJ

 

And having to pay $100 a year to have some pimple faced fresh out of high school intern mash the red deny button on your app all day because the icon doesn't look fruity enough.

[dedub]

It gets a bit cumbersome because each number is its own separate graphic (if there are 500 possible PN's, that's 500 graphic files), but as long as it doesn't bog down the app, I would do it.

 

couldn't you do regular text push messages instead of static icons for stuff like that?

[digiblur]

 

 

It gets a bit cumbersome because each number is its own separate graphic (if there are 500 possible PN's, that's 500 graphic files), but as long as it doesn't bog down the app, I would do it.

 

 

couldn't you do regular text push messages instead of static icons for stuff like that?

Not sure what that would do but I don't want texts every time my PN changes. You have to change the graphic.

 

It's got to be a pain to create all the graphics.

[dedub]

not text as in text message, but text as in the notifications that get sent to the status bar, for example various music players that display the artist-song. Last.fm app does this when streaming.

 

Its like a pop-up toast message to the statusbar, I forget what the android terminology is, but its not an icon.

 

 

or perhaps it would be better to limit that particular information to the drop down shade instead of trying to make 500 different icons.

[mikejeep]

not text as in text message, but text as in the notifications that get sent to the status bar, for example various music players that display the artist-song. Last.fm app does this when streaming.

 

Its like a pop-up toast message to the statusbar, I forget what the android terminology is, but its not an icon.

 

 

or perhaps it would be better to limit that particular information to the drop down shade instead of trying to make 500 different icons.

 

Ahh, I've never used Last.fm, but I think you are referring to what Android calls the "ticker" text. It appears in the status bar for 1-2 seconds and then disappears? It is another option to consider, but it would only be noticed if you were watching your phone at that moment. Not a completely bad idea though.

 

Creating all of those graphics is time-consuming, but not the end of the world. If someone figures out how to get the data, I'd be happy to create the icons.

 

-Mike

[dedub]

Ahh, I've never used Last.fm, but I think you are referring to what Android calls the "ticker" text. It appears in the status bar for 1-2 seconds and then disappears? It is another option to consider, but it would only be noticed if you were watching your phone at that moment. Not a completely bad idea though.

 

 

yea something like that. well if the data is constantly refreshing or changing like signal bars, then you could simply re-display/refresh it every 10 to 30 seconds or so (optionally as the user desires), and as mentioned it could be displayed more permanently on the shade where more detailed information can be more easily shown.

 

anyway, just suggesting alternatives to creating lots of individual icons, maybe keylime pie will have better support for icons with dynamic/text/statusbar updates.

[mikejeep]

Does anyone around here happen to run SignalCheck on an Android 2.x device with LTE? Please reply or PM, I need a couple of tests. Might need someone with a non-LTE 2.x phone too.

 

I didn't think any LTE capabilities were added until 3.x, but I have been proven wrong by a Samsung Droid Charge...

 

-Mike

[MacinJosh]

Does anyone around here happen to run SignalCheck on an Android 2.x device with LTE? Please reply or PM, I need a couple of tests. Might need someone with a non-LTE 2.x phone too.

 

I didn't think any LTE capabilities were added until 3.x, but I have been proven wrong by a Samsung Droid Charge...

 

-Mike

The LG Viper was on 2.3 for the longest time, and LTE worked on there, so LTE is not limited to 3.0 and up.

 

 

Sent from Josh's iPhone 5 using Tapatalk 2

[digiblur]

yea something like that. well if the data is constantly refreshing or changing like signal bars, then you could simply re-display/refresh it every 10 to 30 seconds or so (optionally as the user desires), and as mentioned it could be displayed more permanently on the shade where more detailed information can be more easily shown.

 

anyway, just suggesting alternatives to creating lots of individual icons, maybe keylime pie will have better support for icons with dynamic/text/statusbar updates.

 

That would drive me nuts even in my market with the sparsely spaced sites.  I couldn't imagine that in a market with tons of sites.

[mikejeep]

Mike, I did some testing tonight and can confirm that the base station location does not function properly while on a CDMA1X traffic channel.

 

I ran three tests, driving from cell A to cell B, from cell B to cell C, and from cell C back to cell B. In all cases, the BSL field remained stuck on the location of the site where the traffic channel originated. At first, I wondered if this could be an SVDO related limitation, as the site in cell A has not yet been deployed with LTE. But both of the other sites have long had LTE, and even with SVLTE, the BSL stayed stuck.

 

The issue may be soft handoff. I can run some further tests to see if I stayed in soft handoff with the originating site in all cases, as that could help to explain why the BSL did not update. However, I am certain that my primary active set PN did flip to the second site in each instance, and that PN site location is really what the BSL is designed to display.

With some of my own testing and an awesome in-depth test run from S4GRU member chamb (thanks again!), I have confirmed that the SID/NID/BID values do not update while on an active 1X traffic channel (aka while on an active telephone call). This is not a SignalCheck limitation, but an Android limitation. Watching the Engineering screens while on a call shows that the PN updates appropriately, but the SID/NID/BID, and the BID location, do not.

 

I don't know if the fault lies with how the network operates, or Android itself.. but I went ahead and filed an Android bug report here: https://code.google.com/p/android/issues/detail?id=56734

 

If anyone has the time and desire, if you "star" that issue, it will raise the priority for Google to look into it. You can also put your own comments in if you have observed the behavior on your device. Just please remember that is the Android bug reporting site, not SignalCheck..

 

In addition to showing an improper BSL, another side effect of this bug is SignalCheck's awareness of an 800 SMR connection. It uses the SID to determine 800 (thank you Sprint for keeping it simple!), but since the SID becomes unreliable while on a call, I need to decide how to handle it. I may just have the app "assume" that your 800 status does not change while on a call, and try to note the possible inaccuracy somewhere. Suggestions are welcome.

 

-Mike

[mikejeep]

SignalCheck Pro version 4.03 has been released on Google Play.  It should be available within the hour here.  This version improves some 800 SMR stuff, gives some LTE love to Froyo and Gingerbread, and.. [drumroll].. finally lets users choose their own ringtone for alerts! 

Here are the changes in more detail:

Added options to allow users to select any notification tone on their device for alerts. (Pro)

Everyone has been waiting for this one, very happy to finally deliver it.  Defaults are the previous alert tones, but you can choose any notification tone on your device that you would like.  If you add a new notification tone to your device, it will automatically become available in the app.

Added status bar icons for Sprint 1xRTT 800MHz SMR service. (Pro)

If you are on 800 SMR, any 1X status bar icons will now show "1X 800".  If you are not on 800 SMR, they will display "1xRTT" as before.

Added support for LTE on Android 2.x devices.

Apologies to the folks with older devices, I had no idea it didn't work.. you should be all set now.

Resolved issue with invalid SID/NID/BID values displayed in the 1X notification icon status while on a telephone call. (Pro)

SID/NID/BID will now be hidden in the 1X notification icon "drawer" while on a telephone call, instead of displaying invalid values.

Improved handling of Sprint 1xRTT 800MHz SMR status while on a telephone call.

Due to the Android bug mentioned in earlier posts, SignalCheck cannot determine if a device is on 800MHz or 1900MHz while a telephone call is active.  Until this can be resolved, the app will assume that your band does not change while on the call.  Calls initiated while on 800 will continue to display 800 throughout the call, even if it is handed off to 1900 at some point.  Same goes for calls initiated while on 1900.  Upon termination of the call, the status will update immediately.

Disabled support for Android 2.1, aka Eclair.

The minimum requirement is now Android 2.2 (Froyo) due to methods used to select your own ringtone.
 

This version was tested more than 3.14, so there should not be any similar problems with this rollout.. but let me know!

 

-Mike

[Bob Newhart]

I would like an option to either disable the drop down icon or to put the icons side by side, instead of above each other.

On an S3, there are too many Samsung pull down icons as it is.

 

I like the small icons in the notification status bar.

[mikejeep]

I would like an option to either disable the drop down icon or to put the icons side by side, instead of above each other.

On an S3, there are too many Samsung pull down icons as it is.

 

I like the small icons in the notification status bar.

 

Can you elaborate on that?  I'm not sure what you mean about the drop down icon.  Are you referring to the pulldown list (Android calls it the "notification drawer") that appears when you flick down from the top of your screen?  That layout is handled by the ROM on your device, and out of developer control.  In the SignalCheck preferences menu, you can enable or disable the app's main status bar icon and the 1X status bar icon individually, which will make them disappear from the status bar and the notification drawer.

 

-Mike

[ericdabbs]

SignalCheck Pro version 4.03 has been released on Google Play.  It should be available within the hour here.  This version improves some 800 SMR stuff, gives some LTE love to Froyo and Gingerbread, and.. [drumroll].. finally lets users choose their own ringtone for alerts! 

 

Here are the changes in more detail:

 

Added options to allow users to select any notification tone on their device for alerts. (Pro)

Everyone has been waiting for this one, very happy to finally deliver it.  Defaults are the previous alert tones, but you can choose any notification tone on your device that you would like.  If you add a new notification tone to your device, it will automatically become available in the app.

 

Added status bar icons for Sprint 1xRTT 800MHz SMR service. (Pro)

If you are on 800 SMR, any 1X status bar icons will now show "1X 800".  If you are not on 800 SMR, they will display "1xRTT" as before.

 

Added support for LTE on Android 2.x devices.

Apologies to the folks with older devices, I had no idea it didn't work.. you should be all set now.

 

Resolved issue with invalid SID/NID/BID values displayed in the 1X notification icon status while on a telephone call. (Pro)

SID/NID/BID will now be hidden in the 1X notification icon "drawer" while on a telephone call, instead of displaying invalid values.

 

Improved handling of Sprint 1xRTT 800MHz SMR status while on a telephone call.

Due to the Android bug mentioned in earlier posts, SignalCheck cannot determine if a device is on 800MHz or 1900MHz while a telephone call is active.  Until this can be resolved, the app will assume that your band does not change while on the call.  Calls initiated while on 800 will continue to display 800 throughout the call, even if it is handed off to 1900 at some point.  Same goes for calls initiated while on 1900.  Upon termination of the call, the status will update immediately.

 

Disabled support for Android 2.1, aka Eclair.

The minimum requirement is now Android 2.2 (Froyo) due to methods used to select your own ringtone.

 

This version was tested more than 3.14, so there should not be any similar problems with this rollout.. but let me know!

 

-Mike

 

So on Google Play is this version labelled 3.15 dated 6/19 or is going to be a new version number dated 6/20?

 

Edit:  I just refreshed the page and now its dated 6/20 on Google Play page.  Downloaded the app and  I love the ability to customize the audio tone for the LTE and 800 alerts.

[Bob Newhart]

These under the ongoing title.

 

Can I make them not show up?

Or do they show up because of the two icons on the notification bar?

[mikejeep]

These under the ongoing title.

 

Can I make them not show up?

Or do they show up because of the two icons on the notification bar?

Aha.. yes, the Android Gods call that pulldown area the notification drawer. Unfortunately, there is no way to have icons in the notification bar but not in the drawer.  You either get both, or neither.. it's how Android is designed. To disable them, you would have to disable one or both of the status bar icons from within SignalCheck. Sorry!

 

-Mike

[Bob Newhart]

Thanks for the explanation.  ​ 

[AMejia1976]

Mike;

 

Suggestion...

 

First off Love the App... purchased full version... definitelly cool...

 

Can it be possible to add a notification tone for when LTE is dropped? Say when it drops down to eHRPD or EV-DO ? While driving I kinda like to keep my eyes on the road.

 

Alex