Trip

The file is only 30 bytes and thus is incomplete or corrupt. - Trip

Interesting, I missed that too. That definitely sounds like the best option I've seen so far, since I won't use any calls or texts. I'll be looking at that one closely. - Trip

I've been looking for a repeater and some of the things I've read suggest that G-block is not covered by most of them, or worse, the filter rolls off right in the middle of G-block. - Trip

Tried this idea this morning. Doesn't work, unfortunately. I'm also concerned that I may need to be in the US Cellular service area when I try to get things set up. Is the number tied to the SIM card? If so, then swapping out the SIM should solve it, I would think, and I already have a new one on the way. - Trip

Regarding 800 MHz rebanding: http://apps.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/view?id=60001347998 - Trip

Unfortunately, there is no GSM service of any kind at my parents' house. I joined Sprint in the first place because it roams on US Cellular, the only service in the area. (I stay for far more reasons, but that's still a big one.) - Trip

I have to admit I miss the spinning spark, but I'm really pleased the signal meter is fixed. That's long overdue. - Trip

Very interesting. Looking at the plans on the Consumer Cellular site, I see $2.50/month for text and data. Any idea if that's LTE? EDIT: Found some discussion elsewhere that, yes, Consumer Cellular does support LTE. EDIT2: But I see you need a $10 voice plan first. Hm. I'll think on this. - Trip

I actually want multiple phones tracking at the same time, plus I already have three phones in-hand, and my Nexus 5 for AT&T already on the way. I just need one more for Verizon and I'm done. - Trip

Well. I feel sheepish. Good thing I didn't buy one of those for Verizon! - Trip

Will send a PM. - Trip

I'll try that. Good idea. As far as getting a device, yes. The real question is whether or not those devices need service to show LTE data in SCP. Do they? - Trip

Fraydog, I saw those price points; they're really expensive for a service I'm not even ultimately going to use. I don't care about data amounts or priorities in the slightest, I just want to gather GCI/PCI/TAC. I may even go so far as to root the devices and use a firewall to prevent any data from being used, not sure yet. Robert, That's fascinating. Band 4 but not Band 13? I wonder why it doesn't populate in SignalCheck. - Trip

So as Premier Sponsors know, I've been hard at work making various cell tower maps in my spare time. Several months ago I bought a MetroPCS phone which, without activation, still connects to LTE such that I can get the GCI/PCI/TAC data even if nothing else goes through the network. I am looking to do the same thing with AT&T, US Cellular, and Verizon, probably in that order, but I have a feeling I won't be as lucky with the LTE as I was with my MetroPCS phone. (If anyone disagrees, please let me know.) I have a Nexus 5 on the way for use with AT&T as well as an AT&T SIM in hand and an H2O SIM on the way. The AT&T SIM is for testing and came from my wife's employer, and the H2O SIM is for their $10/90 days plan, but now I'm getting nervous that maybe that particular H2O plan isn't LTE compatible. (It doesn't actually say on the website, that I can find.) Any thoughts? I also have my Galaxy S4 Mini from before I left US Cellular, which is compatible with Bands 5/12/17. After it was deactivated, it now only connects to 1X for 911 calls and, since it technically has the same number as my Sprint phone, when it's powered on it causes calls to fail to connect properly on my main Sprint line. On a whim I bought a new SIM on eBay for it in the hopes that I might get lucky with the LTE as I did with MetroPCS, but I'm not counting on it. I plan to do a system reset before putting it in. Thoughts? I don't think any of the MVNOs use US Cellular, which means this may actually be the hardest one to manage cheaply. Finally, I want to do something similar for Verizon. Either pick up a Nexus 5 or some other used Verizon phone, then do something to get LTE information out of it. Any ideas here? Thanks. - Trip

I'm sure I speak for both him and myself when I say we're looking forward to it! - Trip

As a Premier Sponsor, you have access to this: http://s4gru.com/index.php?/topic/6784-trips-cell-tower-map-work-in-progress/ - Trip

Garrett County has a grand total of 3 T-Mobile sites, one of which overlooks Frostburg. Compare with at least 9 US Cellular, or 10 AT&T. Verizon has at least 3, all of which are on I-68. - Trip

Interesting. Perhaps next time I pass through I'll try to head over to Lake Monticello and see what I can see, if anything. Not sure when that will be. - Trip

The Nexus 6 is, unfortunately, a bit pricey for a cheapie phone. (My MetroPCS phone was almost exactly $100.) I have been considering a Nexus 5 though. I am just curious if there's anything cheaper, since I'm not planning to actually use the phone as a phone, but rather, to look for GCI/PCI for map-making purposes. If I can get it to connect to LTE without service, like my MetroPCS phone does, that would be a bonus. - Trip

Mike, Two things: 1) My MetroPCS phone won't roam on AT&T, but does connect to AT&T GSM when all else fails in case it needs to make a 911 call. However, when it makes those connections, it doesn't report the Provider information. Despite this, it shows the text about adding a site note, but if you tap it, it says it can't add one. Would it be possible to either have it log sites without provider information, or have it not show the text about adding a site note if it's just going to fail when I tap it? 2) Do you happen to know what phones people are using on Verizon (13/4), AT&T (2/4/5/17), and US Cellular (5/12) with SignalCheck that properly show GCI/PCI? I'm trying to buy cheapie phones to be able to track/map all carriers, like I've already done with my MetroPCS phone for T-Mobile, but SCP compatibility is obviously not something that is regularly reported in reviews. Thanks. - Trip

I rode up US-15 yesterday and confirmed that of the six nTelos sites I pass, Carysbrook, Gordonsville, Madison Run, and Orange all do not have B25. Palmyra probably does not have B25. (I saw the signal on my analyzer, but not strong enough to have been on the tower I was passing unless it was just very weak for some reason. More likely I was just seeing B25 from a distant site.) The tower at Troy, though, south of Zion Crossroads, did appear to have B25 according to my analyzer (got up to -65 dBm on it), but my phone would not connect to it. There wasn't a good place to pull over and tinker, and a profile update as I was going by didn't bring it up either. I can also confirm that the Sprint site at Zion Crossroads also still does not have B25. Finally, and off subject, but nothing pisses me off quite like dropping from B25 LTE at -105 dBm to Verizon 1X roaming in a matter of seconds, with nothing in between. - Trip

Deval, Any further information on this? Thanks again. Everyone, I went over to my wife's parents' house today for Thanksgiving dinner (she came here yesterday) and while I was there, I walked around with her father, my spectrum analyzer, and my phones. While I wasn't able to get my Sprint phone to pick up anything besides US Cellular 1X outside and the spectrum analyzer didn't show anything, my T-Mobile phone did connect to the site in question with LTE, at -122 dBm on PCS. Given that Sprint is on 800 MHz and I will be looking with a high-gain directional antenna at some height rather than a cheapie phone on the ground, I don't think the number sees unreasonable. All I need to do is pick out a booster. - Trip

Looking at the LTE data included in those files, I am pretty confident that: 0188B5 is Low Moor 0188B6 is Mallow 0188D3 is Selma Let me know if you agree and either I can add it to the LTE map or you can. I'm less confident, but think it's possible that: 0188B7 is Rivermont 0188B9 is Covington 0188C4 is Sharon 0188F0 is Cliftondale Park If some of these are correct, looking at the CDMA data in the spreadsheet now, there may be a mapping between the CDMA BSID and the LTE GCI, which would be EXTREMELY helpful if true. Note: Low Moor = 2x15 = 188B5 Mallow = 2x16 = 188B6 Selma = 2x33 = 188D3 Sharon = 2x24 = 188C4 (possible) Can't rule out a coincidence, but it sure looks like there's a correlation. I'm hoping to be able to add some data from US-15 tomorrow. Appomattox today was a bust; the analyzer showed nothing at all on G-block or SMR, so no LTE there yet. I did, however, get a few more CDMA sites pinned down as a result and just added those to the spreadsheet but did not update the map. - Trip

Were you connected to EV-DO? I only see 1X in your notifications bar, but it looks like there are too many notifications to show them all. - Trip

Well, in Appomattox with my phones and spectrum analyzer. Survey says... http://i.imgur.com/fBWHeK4.png Not yet. - Trip