Wireless Provider RF Locator

[DaveHS]

Hello all;

Was just curious to know if anyone is aware of any PDA or Pocket PC compatible software that would allow one to bring up the location of the closest cell sites nearest to them, identify who the provider is, and indicate what the signal strength is?

One would think that with the advent of GPS programs for PDA's & Pocket PC's , and considering that virtually all cell phones have hidden codes that allow one to access hidden menu's which display the same info (ie: the DB level of the nearest cell site the cellphone is using, etc), that someone would have created a basic version of one by now, even if it does not necessarily have a GUI interface (ie: a map with icons on it or such).

The reason I ask is because my wife is currenly having some reception problems after switching providers (see July 27th post - http://forums.wirelessadvisor.com/showthread.php?t=688), however we do not believe it is a provider issue but rather a handset issue, and I wanted to send her to work with something other then a cell phone to indicate what the signal strength level of both closest ATTW & TMobile sites are. If anyone knows of any such types of applications, please feel free to share links to it with the rest of us here. Thanks

[DaveHS]

Actually, allow me to extend the question to computers in general. Anyone aware of any type of such software that one could use on a laptop, using an wireless aircard for example? Thanks

[Blue_Tech]

What you are looking for is known as a Signal Analyzer, or Cell Site Analyzer. In general, these items are obscenely expsensive, and are usually relegated to the engineering departments of wireless telcos, or governmental agencies.

Here is a good example for about $6500:

Anritsu RF Spectrum Analyzer

The reason they are so expensive is the fact that they will usually pick up and analyze any signal... whether it is analog, digital, CDMA, TDMA, AMPS, IDEN, whatever... you name it.

I have seen models which can be adpapted to a Palm Pilot, these are even more exspensive because it is in a much smaller form factor.

[DaveHS]

Thanks for the reponse BlueTech; yeah, that was generally what I was looking for. Given that a PDA exists, then in all likelyhood there must also be something for laptops, probably along with the device you linked.

I, on the other hand, have found the following, (http://www.coolstf.com/IrPass/#GSMSignalMeter ). This, too, is basically what I am looking for, something that basically gives me slightly more info then the bars on a cellphone! :-) I'm still trying to get it to work so I can take advantage of the GSM Signal Analyzer, but would be cool if they created something, even as basic as this, for laptops, that analyzes the signal the laptop is using via the aircard being used. Even if it doesn't show all the cell sites that are in my range (which in itself would also be a cool program), at least this provides some info that hidden menus on some phones would, something not all phones do, but should (Sorry, I'm bias, as I am a previous network analyst for an wireless co)! If anyone else knows of anything similar, let us know!

Dave

[ShoresGuy]

Thanks for the link to that site