Tower Locations and Improving Signal Strength

[Tun@]

Not so much the speed i'm looking for but a lower dBi as when signal drops a little i get the disconnecting problem....trying to improve on 91-93 dBi - that's with antenna.
Ginggs this post got moved but did see what you said about the signal maybe coming from a differant tower - back to the roof

 

[Tun@]

But how sure are you that is where your Cell-C UMTS signal is coming from? Because of the bigger coverage it may be coming from another tower further away.

Yes, it depends on the direction the sector antenna is facing, as well as the declination (how much it is pointing down).

[Solved] What you said was correct - This time took a netbook up on the roof and now found -81dBi pointing 60 odd deg away from that tower & all i can see there is trees.
Now i get the same as you +/- 20dBi improvement with the antenna pointed the right way.(that includes having a 5m extension cable on top of Poyntings 7m)
Before my max download speed was 3Mb/s with 91-93dBi now 8.5Mb/s with 81dBi
http://www.speedtest.net/result/1038235081.png
Thanks Ginggs

 

[ginggs]

Before my max download speed was 3Mb/s with 91-93dBi now 8.5Mb/s with 81dBi

 

[Dolby]

Tower location

Is it possible to get tower location of HSPA+ in an area?

I'm looking at a place in North Riding and most is covered - but there seems to be a dip IN THE HOUSE I WANT

I can see a tower - but how do I know which network it is?
Do the networks share towers at all?

 

[Tun@]

Laptop - MDMA - & a set of wheels.....when you see -55 dBi your there......that's how i done it anyway,most obvious tower ain't always got CellC on it.

 

[ginggs]

I can see a tower - but how do I know which network it is?

If you can get close enough you might be able to see the network operators' logos on the containers housing the equipment at the base of the tower.

Do the networks share towers at all?

Yes.

 

[Dolby]

Thanks guys,

As strange as it sounds, broadband will either make or break the deal - and this either Cell C or ADSL.

I'll have to take a drive and check it out, but if I'm in a dip, at least I can purchase an antenna.

There's no map or anything though?

 

[Edwe]

There's no map or anything though?

You mean like this one?

 

[Dolby]

Almost

According to the map, North Riding is mostly covered but - in the particular house I want - *I didn't seem to get signal. Three houses down does get signal - so the house I want is in a dip.

From the window, I can see a cellphone mast just opposite Olivdale Clinic and was wondering if that could be a Cell C mast. In that case, I KNOW I'm in a dip and get an antenna.

* I'm sure how correct this test is - but what I tried was (using my Voda SIM) to set my BB Torch to manual networks and scan ... But it only found Cell C 2G X. Down the road was Cell C 3G X

 

[Dolby]

I didn't take my netbook with me to check RRSI (I was out already when I drove past) ... however I drove up to the tower

Here's the location http://mybroadband.co.za/photos/showphoto.php?photo=20753&cat=500 and GPSis :

-26.05262
-27.97116

Surely a Cell C rep can assist ?!

 

[Dolby]

Ok - not a Cell C tower.

Just under it and have an RSSI of -83 - less than home!

 

[ginggs]

Ok - not a Cell C tower.

Just under it and have an RSSI of -83 - less than home!

Just under it is not the best place to check.

You should be able to determine from the cell IDs in MDMA whether it is the same tower.

 

[Dolby]

Oh - I never had MDMA ... but I'm going back again tomorrow.

I tried right under - and 20 metres away - but I guess still too close?
Though surely that RSSI is bad anyhow?
Speedtests were 2.5mbps

 

[Dolby]

Oh wow - nice software

It would be awesome if Cell C (and others) could show the location of towers for those than need external antenna in order to point it at them though!

 

[Dolby]

ONe more thing : is Cell ID the ID of the physical tower it's currently connected to?

Why - for example - would it connect to different tower when '3G only' is selected compared to if 'GPRS/EDGE' is selected?

 

[ginggs]

I tried right under - and 20 metres away - but I guess still too close?

It depends on the height of the tower, but I'd guess most of the signal was going over your head.

ONe more thing : is Cell ID the ID of the physical tower it's currently connected to?

The cell ID is the ID of the tower and the sector. For MTN, Vodacom and Cell-C (don't know about 8-ta) the first digits identify the tower and the last digit identifies the sector.
It seems Cell-C are assigning the last digit as follows: 1 for the North-facing sector, 2 for the Southeast-facing sector and 3 for the Southwest-facing sector. So for example, Cell ID 42551 is the North-facing sector of tower 4255.

Why - for example - would it connect to different tower when '3G only' is selected compared to if 'GPRS/EDGE' is selected?

A different cell ID doesn't necessarily mean a different tower.
MTN and Vodacom generally keep the first digits the same for the 2G and 3G cells on the same tower, but Cell-C seem to be using completely different numbers.

 

[ajax]

It depends on the height of the tower, but I'd guess most of the signal was going over your head.

-81 dBm is very low. I once walked towards a 900 MHz GSM tower at Coetzenburg. I guess it was about 50 m high. The strongest signal I got was about 75 m away at -33 dBm. Right underneath the tower I got -50 dBm or so.

The antenna arrays on the towers are not that directive (i.e. in Dolby's case getting only -83 dBm underneath)

It seems Cell-C are assigning the last digit as follows: 1 for the North-facing sector, 2 for the Southeast-facing sector and 3 for the Southwest-facing sector. So for example, Cell ID 42551 is the North-facing sector of tower 4255.

Thanks! This is very useful. All my tower ID's are ending in 1. So the tower I use is south of me. This way I don't have to waste time turning a directive antenna towards any northern angles.

 

[Dolby]

Guessing there is no way of scanning al lthe networks in the area to see what I get at a certain location?

I know Cell C and Vodacom don't work ... and I don't have an MTN or Telkom card to test.

 

[Dolby]

I found a tower!

So during my search of North Riding, I think I found a tower

Got <51db or something - and 9.1 down / 3 up ... So heading to the Dome to download

How far is a towers reach? I'm 3km away - would it be possible to get 1mbps there?

 

[marlboro]

Just move the tower closer to your place, so you don't have to go there all the time.