Signal Level Meter for Novatel card

[cyberbob]

That's so cool, I just downloaded it and started it without any 3G card inserted and without VMC started, it still said it detected the card. Maybe it just detected that I have the driver installed, not the actual card present:

Checking for precense of Novatel U630 datacard ...
card detected
Trying to detect primary Novatel Port ...
port detected
Trying to detect secondary Novatel Port ...
port detected
opening communication port ...
failed to open port


card inserted, VMC not open:

Checking for precense of Novatel U630 datacard ...
card detected
Trying to detect primary Novatel Port ...
port detected
Trying to detect secondary Novatel Port ...
port detected
opening communication port ...
port opened

With the little antenna on the side of the laptop screen I get:
CSQ 9 -95 dBm

When I unplug the little antenna:
CSQ 4 -105 dBm

VERY NICE, so cool to see the little free antenna making a difference !!


I would change "precense" to "presence" in the application.

Are you making a version for Option cards, too?

hmm ... I'll fix that bug, as it is actually checking for the driver rather than the card ... will make it check that the card is inserted too

 

[vodacom3g]

I've been using the antenna for a few days now, and it difinitelly does help a lot!!!

Is it installed inside or ourside?

 

[cyberbob]

the antenna is rigged up on my balcony ... I think when I 1st tried it, there might've been some issues on the network, because it reallys seems to be great now ...

 

[cyberbob]

I have now uploaded an updated version of the app, that basically now checks that the datacard driver is installed, and checks that the card is connected, before trying to continue

if there are any other bugs or feature requests, please let me know

 

[vodacom3g]

Did the URL change?

 

[grubsner]

Cyberbob, the app works great! worked first time on both Lappy and desktop!

Earlier in this thread nicovdw mentioned building an antenna...sounds like something I have been thinking about but, and this is the problem, how do you go about setting the SWR ratio? My equipment only goes to 1.2 GHz.

Unless you have access to a 2 GHz SWR meter and ensure a SWR ratio of atleast 2:1 there is a real possiblity of damaging the transmitter in the card.

Very low loss coax cable is also a good idea, otherwise all the gain from the antenna gets lost through the attenuation of the coax.

Please be careful with home built antennae.

 

[goodgirl]

hmm feature requests

you could make it minimize to system tray, if one likes to keep it open for a while

you could make it show the network currently in use and the name of the cell
(distance to base station can that be estimated?)

you could make it show the IMEI, driver and firmware version of the card

 

[goodgirl]

Did the URL change?

http://srva.red24.info/robert/ftp/

it's there as an .exe now

 

[cyberbob]

Did the URL change?

oops, and just to confuse one more time ... I'll change it back to a .zip (will stay that way from now on!)

 

[cyberbob]

you could make it minimize to system tray, if one likes to keep it open for a while

Will consider this for the next release ... would anyone else like to see this feature?

you could make it show the network currently in use and the name of the cell
(distance to base station can that be estimated?)

I don't know how to get that info from the card ... particulary the distance from the base station (@v3g - is that even posible to do?)

you could make it show the IMEI, driver and firmware version of the card

again, if I can figure out how, I'll consider it

the thing is, this could get really "ugly", if it needs to support multiple cards too

 

[goodgirl]

You could also make it log the data with a timestamp to a file as an optional feature, and then implement GPS support, so you can walk or drive around and later you can check where you got a great signal.

 

[cyberbob]

You could also make it log the data with a timestamp to a file as an optional feature, and then implement GPS support, so you can walk or drive around and later you can check where you got a great signal.

I think, that perhaps you are getting a bit carried away now?

 

[ajax]

You could also make it log the data with a timestamp to a file as an optional feature, and then implement GPS support, so you can walk or drive around and later you can check where you got a great signal.

You can also have the application interface with the coffee machine to make you coffee and play soothing music thru your sound card automatically when you are stressed out by detecting the quantam level magnetic fields emanating from your brain as you slog thru your day.

 

[goodgirl]

hm, GPS, that's a common feature of wireless applications, like kismet, etc ..

 

[ic]

LOL this is a typical situation where the users demand more than the original application was ever intended to do .

If I've followed the posts properly, my interpretation is that Cyberbob's application was designed specifically for installing an extrenal antenna - to get the direction right & optimise positioning.

That said, applications do evolve over time, usually going beyond the original intended purpose.

 

[cyberbob]

You can also have the application interface with the coffee machine to make you coffee and play soothing music thru your sound card automatically when you are stressed out by detecting the quantam level magnetic fields emanating from your brain as you slog thru your day.

now why didn't I think of that?

 

[cyberbob]

LOL this is a typical situation where the users demand more than the original application was ever intended to do .

If I've followed the posts properly, my interpretation is that Cyberbob's application was designed specifically for installing an extrenal antenna - to get the direction right & optimise positioning.

That said, applications do evolve over time, usually going beyond the original intended purpose.

I don't mind implementing the features, but I have no idea how to do most of those things

BTW ... I have now uploaded the latest build (a .zip file) that has the basic design support for future datacards, and one or 2 minor cosmetic changes

 

[grubsner]

cyberbob,

Thought I'll help you out a bit

to display card manufacturer: at+gmi
to display card model: at+gmm
to display card firmware ver: at+gmr
to display IMEI: at+gsn

I'm still finding it difficult to obtain the cell broadcast text that contains the Cell Name. It is stored somewhere in the SMS storage area?!?!...any ideas out there?

The GPS idea, s suggusted by goodgirl, is not too difficult to implement. The NMEA format is a GPS handset standard. A GPS, spare com port and NMEA decoding subroutine is all that is needed. The log file then stores the signal quality value (from the datacard) with the GPS coordinates(from the GPS).

I have a NMEA format decoder subroutine if you ever feel like adding such a feature....

 

[goodgirl]

yeah that's the standard most GPS units are compatible with, it's not a demand or request, it was supposed to be ideas only, if you feel like developing something.

I know that the app for external antenna installation and of course that's nice as it is!

 

[cyberbob]

cyberbob,

Thought I'll help you out a bit

to display card manufacturer: at+gmi
to display card model: at+gmm
to display card firmware ver: at+gmr
to display IMEI: at+gsn

I'm still finding it difficult to obtain the cell broadcast text that contains the Cell Name. It is stored somewhere in the SMS storage area?!?!...any ideas out there?

The GPS idea, s suggusted by goodgirl, is not too difficult to implement. The NMEA format is a GPS handset standard. A GPS, spare com port and NMEA decoding subroutine is all that is needed. The log file then stores the signal quality value (from the datacard) with the GPS coordinates(from the GPS).

I have a NMEA format decoder subroutine if you ever feel like adding such a feature....

wow ... ok ... I'll look at adding some of those feature ... maybe u should pass on that decoding routine ... just in case

just a note ... r those commands specific to the Novatel Card or are they generic?