vB Easy Archive - Can I get signal strength in dB?

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Can I get signal strength in dB?
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Posted by: rgraham1

Hello,

Sorry for the cross-post.

I have a motorola V262 and a V266.

I am in the process of installing an external Yagi cell antenna on the house.

I would very much like to be able to measre the signal strength in db with one of the cell phones so that I can properly position the antenna.

Could anyone help me to use one of the above two cell phones to measure the signal strength (I also have a Kyocera KX5 Slider)?

Would you know of a cheap/free way to test the signal strength? (using the bars just doesn't seem to do it)

thanks,
Ron

Posted by: royc

Quote:

Originally Posted by rgraham1

Hello,

Sorry for the cross-post.

I have a motorola V262 and a V266.

I am in the process of installing an external Yagi cell antenna on the house.

I would very much like to be able to measre the signal strength in db with one of the cell phones so that I can properly position the antenna.

Could anyone help me to use one of the above two cell phones to measure the signal strength (I also have a Kyocera KX5 Slider)?

Would you know of a cheap/free way to test the signal strength? (using the bars just doesn't seem to do it)

thanks,
Ron

You can read the signal strength in db using the test mode screen, which is a hidden feature on your Motorola phones. You don't say which carrier you have. If your phones are unlocked, you can enable test mode yourself.

Quickly press:

[menu]073887*
(The [menu] key is the top center key.)

The phone will ask for a security code. If it's an unlocked phone (Alltel and Verizon are not normally locked) the code should be:

000000

If that does not work, you may be out of luck.

If you successfully enter the security code, scroll down to test mode. Press select and enabled.

Exit back to your home screen. Switch into test mode by quickly pressing the menu key then the left soft key (key to the left of the menu key) in succession. Press the same key sequnce again to return to the normal screen. When you power on the phone, it will come up in test mode, but you can switch to the normal screen as described above, or disable test mode completely.

The received signal strength (in negative db) is the 3rd number down along the left side of the screen. Transmit db is shown immediately to the right of the received signal strength (displays N/A when not in a call).

This link is a good explanation of the different values in the test mode screen:

http://ridge.trideja.com/wireless/ststatus.html

royc

Posted by: rgraham1

Royc,

Thanks for the reply.

I've got USCellular as my Service Provider.

Everything went smooth until I get to the 'Test Mode'. After I select it, it asks me for a 'Subsidy Password'.

Any ideas on this 'Subsidy Password'??

I'm close...

Ron

Posted by: royc

Quote:

Originally Posted by rgraham1

Royc,

Thanks for the reply.

I've got USCellular as my Service Provider.

Everything went smooth until I get to the 'Test Mode'. After I select it, it asks me for a 'Subsidy Password'.

Any ideas on this 'Subsidy Password'??

I'm close...

Ron

That's what I was afraid might happen. I knew you weren't an Alltel or Verizon customer because neither of those two companies sold the V262 and V266 together. You might try a little social engineering with your USCC dealer, to sweet talk them into giving you the password. You might also check out the marketplace here at HoFo to see if anyone can unlock a USCC phone. Most of the unlocking services seem to deal in GSM phones only. Sorry that I can't be more helpful.

royc

Posted by: Phx_Cricket

Quote:

Originally Posted by rgraham1

Any ideas on this 'Subsidy Password'??

SEEM 55 record 1 offset 0 length 6 bytes is where it is stored in the phone. You need a data cable and software (p2kseem4v710 and MSU or PST) to get the data from the phone. Search for Mark Venture's "how to"

site for more great info. There is a way to read the SEEM using OpCodes but I have not had much success with that method due to limited info.