The Mystery (Sprint) Signal

[EntrepreneurKid]

I'm here looking for answers to a simple question. Where is this mystery Sprint signal coming from? For the past few weeks I've received a signal on multiple Sprint devices, two Sprint devices with roaming turned off, and two Virgin Mobile phones and Virgin Mobile phones can't roam, the other rate plans might be able but I'm talk about Virgin Mobile devices from before they introduced all those other plans. What I'm making clear is these devices have to be picking up a Sprint signal, plus I've downloaded the SignalCheck Pro app which has indicated two different signals 1XRTT and 1X800. 

 

The signal only last for about 8 hours each morning and begins coming in and out towards the end of each morning. I try making a call and it fails, and it doesn't get any data at all. I try each device and they all do the same thing they have a signal and very strong signal with no data, and voice doesn't go threw, I haven't tried sending a text figured no data, no voice then there must be no text.

 

I read about some "projects"  that Sprint has going on Project Ocean and Project Cedar. Since Project Ocean is suppose to be taking place in Missouri and I live so close to the Iowa, Missouri line, I figured if there is a tower going up maybe it is possible I'm getting a signal from it, in the early stages. I really don't know what is going on, if Sprint is launching service, putting up new towers and that signal finally comes, and stays, and works. I'll be back full time on the Sprint ban wagon. Unfortunately, I live in an area not served by (according to experience and coverage map) Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile and Sprint. Not even the two Iowa carriers i Wireless or Chat Mobility serve my area, go 10, 15 or 20 miles in any direction your good, here, wireless dead zone, no choice of carriers. And if Sprint puts a tower here if I finally get an answer and learn that signal will soon come and stay and work I'll finally have a choice.

 

So if anyone has any ideas, has experienced this in other parts of the country or has any idea what could be going on please say. Any information is better than not knowing, and together maybe this will be answered.

[WiWavelength]

What is your location?  Where are your SignalCheck Pro screenshots?  If you want help, we need more info for diagnosis.

 

AJ

[bmoses]

yes, please post signal check screenshots of the signal and your location. if you can make sure the screenshots have the BSL address in signal check on them. so far in iowa (at least in the des moines metro where i am) the BSL addresses have stayed accurate to tower locations.

[dedub]

If it's not sprint testing something, its probably a stingray used by the police/fbi/nsa/anyother3letteracronymagency.

[joshnys8913]

First off welcome to S4GRU's site!! We are here to help you, if we have information. Sprint is adding about 9,000 more towers in the areas you mentioned and some old Nextel and Clear sites as well (information is available on here which you said you have looked at). I dont think anyone has any specifics yet but every carrier adds sites to its foot print where it thinks it is most needed. 
 
Hope others can give you more information then I can right now, but welcome again, hope you enjoy the site!! 
 
Also a small donation can give you access to sponsor maps!! (Just putting that out there for you it COULD help). 

[caspar347]

If it's not sprint testing something, its probably a stingray used by the police/fbi/nsa/anyother3letteracronymagency.

I thought those were GSM-only...?

Or at least the versions I read about were I think?

[dedub]

I thought those were GSM-only...?

Or at least the versions I read about were I think?

 

I'm sure they want people to believe that.

[bobo37]

I've noticed something weird like this in Longs/Little River SC. There's one spot where I've even dropped a 1x800 call to give you an idea of the coverage at this spot. I've seen on multiple occasions a full Sprint signal but days apart, ironically it's right at a tall site which I think has VZW, ATT, and poss TMO but not Sprint. This morning I was driving at this spot and received a call and had full signal and call quality was great. The odd thing is I've picked up this full signal in the past with roaming turned off but signal check said VZW and no roaming indicator was there. This site could also service my house but I've never got a signal from it at home unless I'm roaming on VZW. Sprint really needs a site here, I could only hope. This is the only spot I've ever seen this.

[EntrepreneurKid]

Since the signal only shows up during the morning hours around midnight that will be when I'll be able to get the screenshots, I'll get screenshots on all 3 of the devices I have that are compatible with 1X800 and 1XRTT,unless anyone knows if the Samsung Epic 4G is compatible with 1X800 I won't use it, plus it is a lot older than the other devices I have. Samsung Galaxy Victory 4G LTE, Samsung Galaxy S3 and LG Optimus F3. I plan to purchase a new Spark compatible device as soon as possible so I can keep and eye out, I also plan to go driving around in northern Missouri where according to Sprints coverage map its roaming I'll take screenshots if I get a signal in an area that "shouldn't" be getting one. My location is Seymour, Iowa, I'm about 10 miles away from the Missouri Iowa boarder. The nearest town Unionville, MO would be where I'd expect to get a signal out of since that is where the nearest T-Mobile, Verizon and AT&T tower is. I've also used the SignalCheck app to try to get the tower location, but when it goes to map it, it is at a house in Kirksville, MO which I doubt that person has a Sprint tower in their house that is able to reach me about 30 miles away.

 

So tomorrow morning I'll post those screenshots. But again I repeat I get a signal but can't use it, NO DATA, and voice calls don't go threw, and I haven't tried sending a text. figured if voice and data don't work probably neither will text, but I'll be sure to try when the signal comes back. Which shouldn't be long now.

 

I plan to call tech support and see what they say, maybe there is a new tower going up, but it has been quite a while I first noticed this signal a few months ago, if there is a new tower going up I would figure it would be online and working by now.

[bmoses]

definitely interested to see what this ends up being.... the "closest" current sprint tower to you (and i use the term closest loosely) is by Lancaster, MO. There isn't even a sprint tower in Unionville, MO. on the iowa side you have ottumwa, IA and I-35 near decatur city, IA.

 

so yeah, either some fluke, a new tower, or some roaming partners service thats now showing up as native.....

[EntrepreneurKid]

definitely interested to see what this ends up being.... the "closest" current sprint tower to you (and i use the term closest loosely) is by Lancaster, MO. There isn't even a sprint tower in Unionville, MO. on the iowa side you have ottumwa, IA and I-35 near decatur city, IA.

 

so yeah, either some fluke, a new tower, or some roaming partners service thats now showing up as native.....

 

I know I've looked at the network.sprint.com website hundreds of times, and there is no tower anywhere within range of me and now I'm getting a signal, a really really good signal, that shows up only during the morning hours and is usually gone by 8am and back around midnight. And I can't use it, calls don't go threw, I don't get a data connection, and again I haven't tried texting but will when it comes back.

[JossMan]

Could this be a USCC conversion and a site that is in testing? 

[Mr.Nuke]

I know I've looked at the network.sprint.com website hundreds of times, and there is no tower anywhere within range of me and now I'm getting a signal.

network.sprint.com isn't a complete list of sprint sites*. We have what we believe to be an accurate list at our sponsorship level here.  We should be able to tell what is happening with the SCP shot. 

 

 

* In this case it doesn't matter as there isn't a native sprint site nearby.

[Mr.Nuke]

 the "closest" current sprint tower to you (and i use the term closest loosely) is by Lancaster, MO. There isn't even a sprint tower in Unionville, MO. on the iowa side you have ottumwa, IA and I-35 near decatur city, IA.

You and I have both picked up 1x800 from further away than that tower though. Right now a 1x800 to the Missouri site would be my best guess.

[bretton88]

You and I have both picked up 1x800 from further away than that tower though. Right now a 1x800 to the Missouri site would be my best guess.

I got a very strong ehrpd signal in Bloomfield, IA last year, where we don't have a registered tower nearby. I've always meant to go back there someday and follow up on it.

[WiWavelength]

CDMA1X is subject to "cell breathing."  The lighter the loading, the larger the coverage radius.  Late at night, this very well could be a distant CDMA1X 800 site.

 

AJ

[EntrepreneurKid]

CDMA1X is subject to "cell breathing."  The lighter the loading, the larger the coverage radius.  Late at night, this very well could be a distant CDMA1X 800 site.

 

AJ

  

If it is "cell breathing" how can it reach around 30 miles threw tons of trees, and 2 thick walls and stil give me dBms of around 80 to 90, sometimes even in the 70s. And why can't I use the signal, I try a phone call, it says dialing and after a while it fails. And I don't get any data connection. Another post said something about a USCC tower being converted. The towers Sprint bought from US Cellular are arn't near me and I'm surrounded by US Cellular towers, my Verizon phone always connects to them because there ain't any Verizon here. And I put the Sprint device and Verizon device side by side and the signal isn't anywhere close to each other. I will be posting the screenshots of the signal with the SignalCheck app open, at this point I keep thinking it has something to do with Sprints Project Ocean, but if so why does the signal disappear and why isn't it running, this has been going on since I moved here in August of last year, I noticed it about a week or so after. I've only been watching for it more closely since last week.

 

I'll also be sure sometime soon to head over to Bloomfield, IA and see what I get, I'll do so when I get a new Spark compatible device within the next few weeks.

[WiWavelength]

If it is "cell breathing" how can it reach around 30 miles threw tons of trees...

 

Some may say this is mean, but I cannot resist.  It could be a tall boomer site -- with a long throw through those trees.

 

 

AJ

[EntrepreneurKid]

Well the signal is back, and I'm taking screenshots now. Though the signal is weaker than other times, but it could be the weather.

[gusherb]

I can't wait to hear about what this is.

 

When I was driving through West Texas last June I was easily hanging onto 1x800 from 30-40 miles or so from any nearest Sprint site. On the NM portion of that same trip where I was roaming on VZW, their towers had to have been spaced at least 50 miles apart and 1x 850 had no problem covering me across all that distance. So to find out it's a distant site wouldn't surprise me, though it sounds like something else is possible too.

[EntrepreneurKid]

I can't wait to hear about what this is.

 

When I was driving through West Texas last June I was easily hanging onto 1x800 from 30-40 miles or so from any nearest Sprint site. On the NM portion of that same trip where I was roaming on VZW, their towers had to have been spaced at least 50 miles apart and 1x 850 had no problem covering me across all that distance. So to find out it's a distant site wouldn't surprise me, though it sounds like something else is possible too.

 

Well I'm still taking screen shots and I can say it is acting differently than it has any other time I've watched it. I'll be posting the screenshots device by device later on. Give it some time to maybe get a stronger signal, bad weather just passed. And the signal usually doesn't go away until 8am and it does get stronger sometimes as the time goes on. So I'm just going to wait, watch and take screenshots.

[EntrepreneurKid]

I got a very strong ehrpd signal in Bloomfield, IA last year, where we don't have a registered tower nearby. I've always meant to go back there someday and follow up on it.

 

I looked back at one of my screenshots and it gave me a location of Wyacondah, IA which is incredibly close to Bloomfield, IA. The connection was only 1XRTT when it would switch to 1X800 the location would change to one of two. Still taking screenshots, waiting for the signal to come back. Was only around for about 10 minutes, enough time to take about half a dozen screenshots on three devices. Again I'll post the screenshots later on. Waiting for the storm system that is currently east of me to move away.

[EntrepreneurKid]

The signal is gone again like it does each day, though it is gone earlier than usual and it was weaker than ever. Will try again tomorrow but in the mean time I'll post what I got. Here are screenshots with the SignalCheck app and the signal info in the settings on my LG Optimus F3.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And there it is. I'll post the screenshots from my Samsung Galaxy Victory 4G LTE and Samsung Galaxy S 3 soon.

[Yuhfhrh]

I'm going with AJs theory on cell breathing, which is why you only get these signals at night. You're probably not going to be able to make a phone call/text/data past -106dBm on 1X. It is cool how far that signal must be traveling to get to you.

[travismheim]

I haven't seen any phone connect to a signal that weak, but I'm not surprised you can't use it.

 

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