vB Easy Archive - Need help translating Field Test on Tilt...

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Need help translating Field Test on Tilt...
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Posted by: damba98

Could anyone post a primer on how to interpret the Fiest Test app for the Tilt? I am familiar with how to interpret the old field test mode on my ancient Nokia GAIT phone (6340i). I could determine frequency based on channel number, channel strength, connectivity to TDMA/AMPS, etc. Now all I really would like to see is what channel I'm using that could determine whether I'm using 1900 or 850 UMTS.

Thanks in advance,
Pedro

Posted by: CeluGeek

How do you get into Field Test mode on the Tilt?

Posted by: singhnx

There's an app called FieldTest, you can search for that and install that on your Tilt. Some ROMs have it built in (Alex's Full AT&T ROM for example)

Posted by: RF9

Wirelessly posted (ATlT Tilt: 8900a/1.2 Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows CE; IEMobile 7.6))

My Tilt has it. It's the standard AT&T ROM (not a special cooked ROM or anything.). It showed up when I installed the update posted on HTC's site.

There's no short cut to it, but the app is in the /windows directory.

I'm not sure what half the info means.... and there's A LOT.

Posted by: damba98

FWIW, my refurb Tilt did not have the Fiest Test included on its ATT ROM.

What I *have* figured out is that when activated, you need to go into the lower right corner and choose group > WCDMA when the 3G indicator is visible above. Selecting Group > GSM will only apply in areas w/o 3G, or when you've somehow told your phone to only use the GSM network. That's the part I have not yet figured out how to manipulate. Luckily, UMTS is pretty good where I use ATT service the most. I am partially certain that I am using mostly 850 MHz UMTS, but I need the channel numbers to verify. I believe they have been between 100 and 499 thus far.

-Pedro

Quote:

Originally Posted by RF9

Wirelessly posted (ATlT Tilt: 8900a/1.2 Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows CE; IEMobile 7.6))

My Tilt has it. It's the standard AT&T ROM (not a special cooked ROM or anything.). It showed up when I installed the update posted on HTC's site.

There's no short cut to it, but the app is in the /windows directory.

I'm not sure what half the info means.... and there's A LOT.

Posted by: singhnx

You might want to upgrade your refurb Tilt to the new ROM that was released for AT&LT on Feb 15th.

Posted by: damba98

I'm thinking about that, actually

Quote:

Originally Posted by singhnx

You might want to upgrade your refurb Tilt to the new ROM that was released for AT&LT on Feb 15th.

Posted by: singhnx

Quote:

Originally Posted by damba98

I'm thinking about that, actually

I would recommend doing more than just thinking about it.

You could always come back if you don't like it. Or you might find a different ROM altogether to fall for.

Posted by: RF9

Quote:

Originally Posted by damba98

What I *have* figured out is that when activated, you need to go into the lower right corner and choose group > WCDMA when the 3G indicator is visible above. Selecting Group > GSM will only apply in areas w/o 3G, or when you've somehow told your phone to only use the GSM network. That's the part I have not yet figured out how to manipulate. Luckily, UMTS is pretty good where I use ATT service the most. I am partially certain that I am using mostly 850 MHz UMTS, but I need the channel numbers to verify. I believe they have been between 100 and 499 thus far.

-Pedro

When you have the 3G icon (and you're on WCDMA) you can and may also have something on GSM. GSM is not disabled when you're on WCDMA. In fact I think both radios remain on and monitors GSM so it's always ready to kick back to it when and if the WCDMA signal drops.

Also, as in my case right now. I'm on GSM and I have a weak WCDMA signal as I can see in the WCDMA stats. But it's too weak for my phone to switch over to it right now. So I a seeing both GSM as well as (some) WCDMA signal stats. Of course when actively attached to WCDMA, there's a lot more data.

But you're right, these groups show the different radio and data channel status, and I don't understand half of it. I understand the GSM group very well, but the WCDMA stuff is greek to me.
For example the GSM has 6 "NCell InfoX" items. These stand for "neighboring cell" for the neighboring sites within range. This is so it can hand off to the next one when it's the best time. -##dbm is the signal strength. The lower the number, the higher the signal strength.

MNC/MCC is just that, the carrier ID.

Etc.

But for WCDMA, the only ones I think I know are the following:

RRCstatus: 0/1: Disconnected/Connected (whether or not you're connected to WCDMA)
Serving AGC: -##dbm (the signal strength of the WCDMA site)

That's all I got. I'm going to hit up wikipedia and google for the rest of them.

The thing is I don't totally understand WCDMA. It doesn't used fixed channels like GSM (TDMA) does. It uses a wide band of multiple channels at once.

For neighboring site, I think you have to go to another group>3G Neighbor List Status
Same with 3G DCH status.

Ahh... I don't know what I'm talking about. If I figure anything out I'll post here as I decipher some of it.

Posted by: damba98

Good stuff. Thanks for your help

. I did not know that GSM & WCDMA would be active at the same time. I'll also google around a little for the other fields that are greek to me at this point.

-Pedro

Posted by: FlugPoP

When your on WCDMA I don't think there is a way to tell what band your on. If someone knows otherwise please let us know.

Posted by: RF9

Quote:

Originally Posted by damba98

Good stuff. Thanks for your help

. I did not know that GSM & WCDMA would be active at the same time. I'll also google around a little for the other fields that are greek to me at this point.

-Pedro

It appears that when on GSM, the 3G radio is on and monitoring the signal strength of the 3G sites, but that's all. It appears to simply be listening, presumably in a low power state.
Then when the signal strength goes above a certain level (dbm,) it kicks on and and takes over the connection.
At least that's my conclusion watching the information with this tool

But yea, you have two physically separate radios. A GSM radio and a 3G radio. It's really like having two phones in one. It has to be this way because GSM is so completely different and incompatible with WCDMA (for all good reasons.) And both have to be able to operate at the same time in order to seamlessly transition between the two.

That's about all I know.

Posted by: damba98

Won't the channel numbers indicate whether or not your using 850 or 1900MHz UMTS(?)

Quote:

Originally Posted by FlugPoP

When your on WCDMA I don't think there is a way to tell what band your on. If someone knows otherwise please let us know.

Posted by: FlugPoP

Quote:

Originally Posted by damba98

Won't the channel numbers indicate whether or not your using 850 or 1900MHz UMTS(?)

There is no channel numbers that I see unless its on another screen.

Posted by: damba98

Next time I try it I'll either transcribe it or figure out a screen grab...

Quote:

Originally Posted by FlugPoP

There is no channel numbers that I see unless its on another screen.

Posted by: FlugPoP

Posted by: damba98

OK. Thanks for posting that

. Sometimes when I'm in a 3G area, I see the 'ServingPSC1' (etc.) field indicate similar channel numbers like on my 6340i GAIT phone. I've seen 186, 168, etc. (850MHZ channels in my area), and 652, 634 (1900 MHz channels where I live). The weird thing is for me is that I don't often see values in those three particular fields. Only when I'm on GSM do I see the channels numbers more clearly visible. I'll try to post that sometime. Anyway, in my area you at least know which channels place you in a particular GSM band.

-Pedro

p.s. what proggie are you using for screen grabs on the Tilt(?)

Quote:

Originally Posted by FlugPoP

Posted by: FlugPoP

I'm using remotedsp.exe. and using the standrard print screen command and croping it. On the GSM screen it tells you what band your operating on without even looking at channel numbers which is nice. Just wished they had done that for WCDMA.

Posted by: damba98

you're right- I see band:2 PCS now.

remotedsp= remote desktop?

Quote:

Originally Posted by FlugPoP

I'm using remotedsp.exe. and using the standrard print screen command and croping it. On the GSM screen it tells you what band your operating on without even looking at channel numbers which is nice. Just wished they had done that for WCDMA.

Posted by: FlugPoP

Yah you can control your Tilt with your keyboard and mouse on your computer. Its a little buggy sometime but it works. On Vista you can even control it with bluetooth if you have it set to sync with the bluetooth. Neat progam I don't remember where I got it from but if you google the name I think you can find it.

Posted by: pecnj

Confirming it all with CommMgrPro, I found FieldTest.exe
on my HTC (Tilt) does display the LAC and the CID.

Starting up Windows/FieldTest.exe go to the GSM Group
display for the LAC value.

Then select the Group -> WCDMA and find the CellID.

Here's the twist, the CID is in Hexadecimal. Go to http://www.parkenet.com/apl/HexDecConverter.html
or some calculators and convert the Hex to Decimal.

Now you have the CID and the LAC direct from FieldTest.exe.

Note: I had to turn on the FileExplorer option "Show All Files" to see the FiledTest.exe under the main memory \Windows folder

Posted by: REAL

Quote:

Originally Posted by RF9

what update is this? where can you download it?