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

[bucdenny]

My phone was 2 feet from the antenna.

 

haha crazy.  i was in the car at least 25 yards out in front of the antenna and got -30 to -34.

[mikejeep]

-40 eh?  The few rare times you have that great of a signal there isn't a need to look at the icon   I think it is due to the app not having the icon with a number for that high of a signal. 

 

Listen, if you yahoos are going to resort to climbing towers to create "bugs" for me to fix, I'm going to give up!!

 

Yes, digiblur is correct, each signal level icon is not text, but a graphic that had to be created individually.  I created icons to cover -139 through -40.  I will come up with something creative in a future release for readings better than that..

 

-Mike

[WiWavelength]

I created icons to cover -139 through -40.  I will come up with something creative in a future release for readings better than that..

 

For greater than -40 dBm, maybe the icon message should read:  PUT THE PHONE DOWN AND STEP BACK FROM THE ANTENNA!

 

AJ

[mikejeep]

A SignalCheck update has [finally] been released!  Version 4.06 should be available from Google Play within the hour for Pro users.  Lite users will receive their update in a few days.  Here are the changes:

 

Added LTE connection frequencies on HTC devices.

Not sure how useful the exact freqs are, but the uplink and downlink center frequencies will be displayed.  Feedback would be appreciated.. I found a way to get the info, so I figured I would share it.

 

Added menu shortcut to hidden system menu on Samsung devices. (Pro)

A step in the right direction for the Samsung folks!  Figured out how to get something working at last.. this will bring up a menu with many system functions, including engineering mode.  Still trying to get more functionality for Samsung devices, but it's painstakingly slow.

 

Added option for users to set the Reset Data Connection delay time. (Pro)

The default period of time the radio goes offline has been increased to 4 seconds, but now users can set it however they like (0-15 seconds) in the Preferences screen.

 

Improved BSL feature; map link is active even if the address cannot be displayed. (Pro)

The map uses the latitude/longitude, not the street address, so it should work just fine.  The street address will likely display in your mapping app once it loads.  Changed the "failing" message, since the site was being located, the app just can't connect to the geocoding server to determine the address.

 

Improved display of CDMA mobile carrier names; will now show carrier names at all times, including while roaming or otherwise connected to another mobile network.

The carrier name will now reflect whatever 1X network you are connected to; even if you are roaming or using a custom PRL that "fakes out" your phone, it should accurately show what carrier you are connected to.  No more memorizing SIDs or needing another app to check who you are roaming on.

 

Improved Reset Data Connection feature; only the cellular radios will now be reset. (Pro)

Only the cellular radios should reset now when you use the RDC function.  There is a known bug in Android that might cause your Bluetooth to continue to reset.  If so, restart your device and it should be ok.  You must activate the RDC feature at least once before rebooting for this to work.

 

Resolved issue with Google Maps 7+ displaying an error when mapping the BSL. (Pro)

The new version of Google Maps broke a lot of stuff, but I got it working again.  The BID will no longer display on the map, but I hope to implement maps in the app itself soon anyway.

 

Resolved issue with stale LTE data displayed on the HTC One after LTE connection is lost.

I am working on fixing the underlying issue with HTC's engineers, but in the meantime, a temporary fix is in place for One users.  No more bogus LTE readings frozen on the screen!

 

Resolved issue with widget always displaying GSM connection type as “N/A”. (Pro)

The widget was not displaying GSM connection types.. it will now.

 

Updated EV-DO labels to display eHRPD if connected to eHRPD or LTE.

Just trying to keep everything consistent, accurate, and simple.

 

Updated help screen to reference the online FAQ page.

This hopefully makes my life easier.  If you have questions, please look there first.

 

Updated LTE CID field to display in hex format.

CyanogenMod 10.1 users running the latest nightly on some HTC devices are now seeing the CID field implemented in Android 4.2.  Please let me know if this is not displaying properly after the update.

 

As always, please let me know if you discover any bugs, and a huge thank you to my beta testers, especially mrrogers1 who put a lot of time into this release conducting tests and providing feedback!

 

-Mike

[Fubie]

Mike you are the man. Thanks for the hard work.

 

Sent from my EVO using Tapatalk 4 Beta

 

 

[DaQue]

For greater than -40 dBm, maybe the icon message should read:  PUT THE PHONE DOWN AND STEP BACK FROM THE ANTENNA!

 

AJ

Have it play the first part of this:

http://youtu.be/KAp9sFVdERQ

[WiWavelength]

Added LTE connection frequencies on HTC devices.

Not sure how useful the exact freqs are, but the uplink and downlink center frequencies will be displayed.  Feedback would be appreciated.. I found a way to get the info, so I figured I would share it.

 

I take it you are pulling the EARFCNs, then running the calculations to produce the center frequencies.  Or did you find the device is reporting center frequency data directly?  Either way, good work.

 

And it becomes important as Sprint starts refarming its PCS A-F block spectrum for LTE.  The first time that a single band LTE device user encounters an EARFCN other than the PCS G block 26665/8665 (1912.5 MHz x 1992.5 MHz) will be a notable occurrence.  I wonder if you could incorporate a user alert into the app or even have "E.T. phone home" with a log sent back to you on such an occasion.

 

I wrote an article a year and a half ago about a second 5 MHz FDD LTE carrier in PCS A-F block spectrum.  It identified the most feasible candidate markets.

 

http://s4gru.com/index.php?/blog/1/entry-27-spectrum-analysisdoes-sprint-have-more-options-for-additional-lte-carriers/

 

AJ

[mrrogers1]

Mike you are the man. Thanks for the hard work.

 

Sent from my EVO using Tapatalk 4 Beta

AGREED!

 

Sent from my HTC d3rpONE using Tapatalk 4 Beta

 

 

[mikejeep]

I take it you are pulling the EARFCNs, then running the calculations to produce the center frequencies.  Or did you find the device is reporting center frequency data directly?  Either way, good work.

 

And it becomes important as Sprint starts refarming its PCS A-F block spectrum for LTE.  The first time that a single band LTE device user encounters an EARFCN other than the PCS G block 26665/8665 (1912.5 MHz x 1992.5 MHz) will be a notable occurrence.  I wonder if you could incorporate a user alert into the app or even have "E.T. phone home" with a log sent back to you on such an occasion.

 

I wrote an article a year and a half ago about a second 5 MHz FDD LTE carrier in PCS A-F block spectrum.  It identified the most feasible candidate markets.

 

AJ, I thought you might chime in when you saw that feature!  I discovered how to pull the DL channel, and was trying to figure out how useful it might be.  Then a little birdie (coughdigiblurcough) reminded me of your article showing how to do the calculations, I learned what an EARFCN was, and I was off to the races.

 

I'm laying out the groundwork for some sort of basic logging component with a possible cloud implementation, but its still in the very very very early stages right now.  I have some ideas that might dovetail into your thought about keeping an eye open for new LTE channel activity.

 

-Mike

[digiblur]

Call me Lil Troy...

 

Switched from a Motorola to a PrimeCo phone.

 

 

[tybo31316]

I like how you can see which frequency range you are on when connected to LTE that's going to be useful when tri band devices are released.

 

Sent from my EVO

 

 

[ericdabbs]

Can someone post a screenshot of a HTC device that shows the LTE connection frequencies.  I am curious what this looks like on the app.  I hope there is a way to get this same functionality on Samsung and LG devices.

[enyce9]

 

 

Sent from my HTCONE using Tapatalk 2

 

[ericdabbs]

Sent from my HTCONE using Tapatalk 2

 

Thanks dude.  Man hopefully this functionality will come to Samsung, Moto and LG LTE devices. 

[gr8nuguy]

 

Lol. Not the usual 1912.5 I have not been able to reproduce this though. Sent from my HTCONE using Tapatalk 2

[WiWavelength]

Lol. Not the usual 1912.5

I have not been able to reproduce this though.

 

Forget SMR 800 MHz. You got the 7000 MHz band.

 

 

AJ

[koiulpoi]

Speaking of that, I've been meaning to upload this for a couple days...

 

 

Any idea what in the world happened there? That SID in the 100k range, and my signal strength jumped up significantly compared to normal conditions in that area, but nothing was usable. I'd wager it was just the AOSP/CM RIL freaking out, but I wonder. I doubt it was a bug in Signalcheck.

[WiWavelength]

Any idea what in the world happened there? That SID in the 100k range...

That looks like a Canadian SID on steroids.

 

 

AJ

[mikejeep]

Lol. Not the usual 1912.5 I have not been able to reproduce this though. Sent from my HTCONE using Tapatalk 2

 

Good thing... the FCC might start knocking on your door if you're using those kind of frequencies..

 

In all seriousness, you actually just gave me a bug to fix.  I know exactly what is causing it, I bet AJ already figured it out too!

 

You might see it once in awhile, but it's an invalid reading.  I'm guessing you will most likely see it immediately upon connecting to LTE or right as you lose the connection.  I stumbled across another post where someone else had similar readings with a Samsung device a year ago.

 

-Mike

[lordsutch]

Speaking of that, I've been meaning to upload this for a couple days...

 

 

Any idea what in the world happened there? That SID in the 100k range, and my signal strength jumped up significantly compared to normal conditions in that area, but nothing was usable. I'd wager it was just the AOSP/CM RIL freaking out, but I wonder. I doubt it was a bug in Signalcheck.

 

If you're on a CM ROM with a Samsung device, there's a bug in SID and NID reporting that was introduced with this change: http://review.cyanogenmod.org/#/c/45784/  Yell and scream on that page and it may get fixed.

[mikejeep]

Speaking of that, I've been meaning to upload this for a couple days...

 

 

Any idea what in the world happened there? That SID in the 100k range, and my signal strength jumped up significantly compared to normal conditions in that area, but nothing was usable. I'd wager it was just the AOSP/CM RIL freaking out, but I wonder. I doubt it was a bug in Signalcheck.

 

How long did it stay like that?  I doubt it had anything to do with the app, I don't mess with the SID/NID/BID, just display the raw values the phone is reporting.  Are you on a CM nightly?  They have been tweaking the code to improve LTE data reporting on HTC devices; I know there was a recent bug where they had messed up the SID/NID/BID.  Perhaps they are working on similar features for other devices (fingers crossed).  If you see it again, check your 1X engineering screen and see what it looks like.

 

EDIT: Nevermind, lordsutch is up at this crazy hour too, and he posted a better answer while I was typing!  Hah..

 

-Mike

[mikejeep]

Call me Lil Troy...

 

Switched from a Motorola to a PrimeCo phone.

Well at least after some Googling I was able to figure out what the heck you were talking about..

 

Is that accurate, or an old entry that should be Verizon now?  I'm not going to fix it just for you, but I am curious.

 

-Mike

[WiWavelength]

Is that accurate, or an old entry that should be Verizon now?  I'm not going to fix it just for you, but I am curious.

 

Most anything PrimeCo has been VZW since the turn of the century. The exceptions would be in Chicago what became USCC, in Richmond what became nTelos, and in Honolulu what became Sprint.

 

AJ

[digiblur]

Well at least after some Googling I was able to figure out what the heck you were talking about..

 

Is that accurate, or an old entry that should be Verizon now?  I'm not going to fix it just for you, but I am curious.

 

-Mike

 

I did save you a bit of sanity by not posting the YouTube video   I got a good laugh when I saw that name. 

[koiulpoi]

If you're on a CM ROM with a Samsung device, there's a bug in SID and NID reporting that was introduced with this change: http://review.cyanogenmod.org/#/c/45784/  Yell and scream on that page and it may get fixed.

 

 

How long did it stay like that?  I doubt it had anything to do with the app, I don't mess with the SID/NID/BID, just display the raw values the phone is reporting.  Are you on a CM nightly?  They have been tweaking the code to improve LTE data reporting on HTC devices; I know there was a recent bug where they had messed up the SID/NID/BID.  Perhaps they are working on similar features for other devices (fingers crossed).  If you see it again, check your 1X engineering screen and see what it looks like.

 

EDIT: Nevermind, lordsutch is up at this crazy hour too, and he posted a better answer while I was typing!  Hah..

 

-Mike

If you look at the screenshot, you can see Halo "hiding", so yeah, I was on some sort of CM-based nightly. Yay more broken. I'm already back on rooted stock, there's been too many issues with CM lately. Glad it was just that instead of Sprint going bonkers.