Cell Signal Strength Meter

[downsizingnow48]

I use a Wilson directional antenna and amplifier to pick up a Verizon cell phone signal. It works pretty well. Without the antenna and amp, I have zero signal at ground level (ranging from "no service" to -110 db). With it, I get -80 to -90 db according to the iPhone internal signal strength meter. We use a USB727 modem plugged into a wireless router for internet.

I oriented the antenna using the OpenSignal cell phone app, which shows you an arrow that points in the direction the signal is coming from.

We recently had very heavy winds that rotated the antenna about 35 degrees from where I had it aimed. The signal is noticeably improved.

What I want to do now is get a real signal strength meter, that plugs into the coax from the antenna, and then rotate the antenna while checking the signal strength. I figure this will be a more accurate way to orient the antenna than the cell phone app.

I found a signal strength meter but it costs $330:
Amazon.com: WilsonPro 46118 RF Cellular Signal Meter: Cell Phones & Accessories

So this is my question. Is there a generic and cheap signal strength meter I can use instead of the Wilson meter? I don't know enough about radio frequency electronics to figure this out on my own.

Thanks for any help!

 

[k0ua]

I use a Wilson directional antenna and amplifier to pick up a Verizon cell phone signal. It works pretty well. Without the antenna and amp, I have zero signal at ground level (ranging from "no service" to -110 db). With it, I get -80 to -90 db according to the iPhone internal signal strength meter. We use a USB727 modem plugged into a wireless router for internet.

I oriented the antenna using the OpenSignal cell phone app, which shows you an arrow that points in the direction the signal is coming from.

We recently had very heavy winds that rotated the antenna about 35 degrees from where I had it aimed. The signal is noticeably improved.

What I want to do now is get a real signal strength meter, that plugs into the coax from the antenna, and then rotate the antenna while checking the signal strength. I figure this will be a more accurate way to orient the antenna than the cell phone app.

I found a signal strength meter but it costs $330:
Amazon.com: WilsonPro 46118 RF Cellular Signal Meter: Cell Phones & Accessories

So this is my question. Is there a generic and cheap signal strength meter I can use instead of the Wilson meter? I don't know enough about radio frequency electronics to figure this out on my own.

Thanks for any help!

I doubt you are going to find a cheap accurate signal strength meter at these frequency's, But why don't you trust the app? I would. I have only been involved in this type of activity for about 50 years. For what that is worth. 73 de K0UA

 

[Piston]

This is really interesting to me. We don’t have any cell signal where we live but we use WiFi calling over high speed internet provided through fiber optic.

I’d like to add a cell phone signal amplifier and see how much signal I could pick up.

Could you post a link to your antenna and amplifier? I’d lie to learn a bit more about how this is done, how much it would be, and what the best options are.
Thank you.

 

[downsizingnow48]

This is really interesting to me. We don’t have any cell signal where we live but we use WiFi calling over high speed internet provided through fiber optic.

I’d like to add a cell phone signal amplifier and see how much signal I could pick up.

Could you post a link to your antenna and amplifier? I’d lie to learn a bit more about how this is done, how much it would be, and what the best options are.
Thank you.

Here is a link to the current model of what I got some years back. The Wilson website gives good info on whether a booster kit will help and how to figure out if it will help in your circumstances.

weBoost Connect 4G Directional Cell Phone Signal Booster | 473

 

[downsizingnow48]

I doubt you are going to find a cheap accurate signal strength meter at these frequency's, But why don't you trust the app? I would. I have only been involved in this type of activity for about 50 years. For what that is worth. 73 de K0UA

The reason I wanted to double check the cell phone app is that the best signal seems to be coming from another direction than what it shows. The cell phone app points roughly northwest up the coast, which makes sense, the closest town is about 5 miles that way. And that is where I pointed the antenna. But the wind storm rotated the antenna so it points toward the Pacific Ocean, where the nearest tower is probably Japan. And yet the signal is better.

 

[k0ua]

The reason I wanted to double check the cell phone app is that the best signal seems to be coming from another direction than what it shows. The cell phone app points roughly northwest up the coast, which makes sense, the closest town is about 5 miles that way. And that is where I pointed the antenna. But the wind storm rotated the antenna so it points toward the Pacific Ocean, where the nearest tower is probably Japan. And yet the signal is better.

What do you have for an antenna, feedline, support structure, and terrain. Are you sure where that nearest tower is? Pictures might help. Your antenna pattern may easily be skewed by many factors including feedline dress or mounting structure. I would go with the biggest signal as show on the app.

 

[k0ua]

You best be careful, when you start to learn about antennas, feedlines, and signal propagation, you will discover the more knowledge you gain the less you know. Then it can become an obsession, and you want to know more. Pretty soon you wind up like me, a guy with 50 years of experience with this and soon you realize you know next to nothing.

In other words, you can spend a lifetime of learning about this subject and still have a lot to learn. I have finally "bit the bullet" and started in with downloading EZNEC the antenna modelling software. I have avoided it for years, because I knew so much already, and I knew that if I went down this road, I would "know" even less. But I did it anyway, and it is an eye opener for sure. With it you can model your antennas, and look a 3d and 2d plots of their radiation patterns, elevation and azimuth plots and current distribution on them and much much more. Pretty exciting stuff for a nerdy engineer type like me.

And it was all so simple when I started out and "knew" all that needed to be known. Good luck on your journey

 

[downsizingnow48]

Well yes that is a daunting prospect to be sure. And when I explained what happened to my wife, she said, is it working? I said yes. She said, then forget about it. And it is true, I have plenty of other things closer to the top of my to-do list!

 

[jfh28]

they're adding and adjusting towers all the time.......could be they added a new tower that has a stronger signal in the new direction.......when we first moved here there was a very strong cell signal from our carrier......then suddenly one day it disappeared........had to walk around outside to get even one bar......when I asked around found out that the carrier had its tower cranked up high and once new towers were installed by other carriers they were forced to dial it down.....hence no more signal where I was......needless to say I switched carriers..........Jack

 

[EarPlug]

Just found a place where you can RENT a meter for $40.

SureCall RF 5-Band Signal Meter Rental (SC-METER-1R)

 

[3930dave]

SWMBO has a great point...... if it works better "broken", just go with it. :thumbsup:

I can relate though.... I do like to instrument "things" I'm working on. Rough guess, about $300 is what I'd expect to pay for something useful/reliable/accurate in this frequency range..... I've seen older Satellite Techs use a basic analog RF inline meter, but can't say I've seen one for cell (haven't looked hard though....)

Did see this one, same price range (I've never used it, don't know the Manuf):

Robot Check

Chews up batteries was the main complaint I saw listed, in the first page of Comments. AAA will be more runtime limited, but probably won't matter in your case - you're doing one antenna, not trying to install 10+ in one day.

Rgds, D.

 

[downsizingnow48]

Thanks guys, I learned what I needed, that is, no cheap way to do what I had in mind. "If it's not broke don't fix it."

 

[k0ua]

$40, don't seem like that much to me if it is really bugging you. Kinda looks like a bargain. Would I like to have one of those instruments? Yep. One can never have to much test gear.

 

[PILOON]

Very interested in this tread as I am in a poor reception area.
I have found some Chinese sites selling booster systems for under $100. that greatly interest me.
They very much resemble Wilson rigs at 5X the price.
2 types offered, 900 mhz and 1800 mhz and from there some confusion for me.
I'm on Bell which suggests they will drop the 900 come April.
Bell and their agents are useless for any help.
Pls educate me.

OH, I do get very poor reception at some spots but if I move or turn around I drop signal.
LOL, can't use my cell for pics as it wants to search all the time.

 

[pmsmechanic]

following this!

 

[LouNY]

following this!

Same here I can go from 4G and several bars to 1X in a step or turn in places

 

[orezok]

Out in the Mojave where I live, the cell signal was very weak. -112 or worse. About a year ago, Verizon built a new tower about a half mile away. I can see it from my house.

BUT, when I use the Opensignal app to locate it, the app points about 35 degrees to the right of the tower. Maybe there is a glitch in the software when the signal is very strong.

 

[downsizingnow48]

Out in the Mojave where I live, the cell signal was very weak. -112 or worse. About a year ago, Verizon built a new tower about a half mile away. I can see it from my house.

BUT, when I use the Opensignal app to locate it, the app points about 35 degrees to the right of the tower. Maybe there is a glitch in the software when the signal is very strong.

Now that's interesting. My Opensignal app also points about 35 degrees right of where the good signal seems to be coming from. I have assumed there is no tower in that direction (the ocean is 2 miles away downslope) but there could have been one installed along the coast highway (CA-1). Will have to check this out.

 

[EarPlug]

Cell tower antennas are not omnidirectional. They are usually set up with multiple antennas that have radiation patterns that goes out in a loop pattern. Just because you can see a tower doesn't mean you can receive a usable signal. You might be 90 degrees off the pattern. Many times they will be set up to track up and down a highway or canyon (think of a north/south orientation). They have determined that there is little need to cover east/west of the tower.

In urban areas they put up multiple antennas on a tower to create omnidirectional coverage