Database Users

Signal Strength

Is there any way to boost the Signal Strength on these phones, I am sitting here with the Siemens ver of this phone in one hand, a Nokia in the other. The Nokia is 100% where as the Siemens is 10%
Thanks in advance.

You may find that the accuracy of the signal level indicator is not very good. If you have a good connection when calling or talking I would use that as a gauge rather than the very suspect indicator on the pda. Having said that, there is a very cheap device that you stick to your phone and is supposed to boost the signal significantly. Heres a link, they are sold in lots of places and are only pennies on ebay.
This ebay link is selling 3 for 99cents in usa.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=48491&item=5719616810&rd=1
You may need to remove the back of the xda to install this device, its worth a try though if you want a better signal. To remove the back you will need a small flat blade screwdriver and a No 6 Torx screwdriver.

Those stick-ons have been shown to have either no effect at all or to actually make the signal worse. Been proven over and over. Save your money.

I heard that too but at 99cents for 3 it might be wirth a try. A piece of string will probably give a better signal but its all about trying different ideas.

Just to let you know, this is a fake product. The only function this device has is to make your wallet a bit lighter. Dont spend your money on this.
If you want better signal on your phone, then you have to extend the build-in antenna via the antenna connector on the back, which normally are for carkits.
Try to place a bit of wire (4 - 16cm) in the hole. Keep your phone in the same spot and see if the signal gets better if you shorten the wire.
This is just an idea so dont blame me if the signal does'nt improve.
Your provider is most likely the problem.

BobBob said:
Try to place a bit of wire (4 - 16cm) in the hole. Keep your phone in the same spot and see if the signal gets better if you shorten the wire.
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Click to expand...
Click to collapse
!!!!!
That strikes my interest
!!!
Could you be a little more specific. Which hole are you talking a bout ?

cant remember if xda1's have that option

There is no hole. Maybe a 7 element Yagi motorised directional beam mounted on a head cradle would work. Might give you a stiff neck though.

Raphael CDMA aluminium hard case now available

PDair has finally release an aluminium hard case for the CDMA version of the Raphael/Touch Pro. The Raphael 800 (Sprint, Telus, Bell) is slightly taller than the Raphael 100 (GSM) so all of those cases were just a bit too small. The case can be found under the Touch Pro section of Sprint/Audiovox.
This is the same style of case available for the TyTn, Titan, etc... Permitting one to slide out the keyboard when the clear-plastic protective cover is open. I was using one for my Titan and when combined with their gooseneck windshield mount it was a perfect combo.

Thanks for the info, I just ordered mine. I've used their cases for my Apache and Mogul, and have been waiting for them to release one for the CDMA TouchPro. I use their windshield mount too, and it integrates well with the same connector as the belt clip.

fyi those cases cause a decrease in reception, thus making your radio work harder, resulting in significant battery loss.

D3TH METAL said:
fyi those cases cause a decrease in reception, thus making your radio work harder, resulting in significant battery loss.
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Click to collapse
There are always trade-offs and the amount of signal loss is firstly dependant upon the proximity to towers and strength of coverage for where one spends most of their time. A cell tower for my carrier is on the roof of my work.
Protecting my PDA comes first to getting a bit less life on a charge. And I wouldn't consider that cost to the battery as "significant." On fringe locations it's a rare time when moving from the case closed to open when it'll switch between 1x or EDVO.

Thinking about a new Vogue

Alright, I might as well prove mods don't know it all. I'm thinking about purchasing a new Vogue and going with Sprint. I've got a few questions here.
1) I think I've gathered that GPS capability is on this phone...it just has to be activated with proper settings or a new ROM. Will someone set me straight on this?
2) What are your thoughts on battery life?
3) What are your thoughts on call reception and service?
4) How is the build quality?
Radio Shack is getting rid of the last ones for $19.95 w/a new contract. Though I don't like the idea of getting an older phone (I've had a Wizard for 3 years now) I love the form factor and as long as XDA is around and these things are upgradable, I'll probably enjoy it.

Dang, this board is dead...I guess we'll just have to close it up, hehehe.

1) The Vogue DOES have GPS capability, it will work with or without a data connection.
2) My Vogue's battery life usually runs a whole day (24 hrs) with heavy usage, with light usage it runs about 2 days-2.5 days...
3) In my area its pretty good reception, and I commute to my school, which is 25 miles away, and I get really good reception in that area
4) I think the build quality is really good. I've dropped the phone on concrete more than twice, and pretty hard too, and the only thing that happened was the case came off, and the battery as well, but its just like legos, put it back together, other than that just minor scratches...
I recommend a screen protector
Hope that helped! Didint wanna leave you hanging lol

Thanks for the response. Though I'd like get a Touch Pro, I'd rather have a device that won't cost an arm and a leg with most of the capability.

I believe sprint recently removed the touch from their site. Hope you can find one locally!

I just got my Vogue from US Cellular in December. I'm located in a rural part of Iowa. I have activated the GPS, and it normally connects very quickly. I bought it knowing the GPS was not activated, and was not sure if it would be possible, so this was a definite bonus for me.
Battery life is generally pretty good, about what manifest said, although steady web surfing will drain it pretty quickly. I drained the battery in a couple of hours one day when I was with family members who were shopping and I was accessing information on the web and writing a sermon and a newsletter column. (I'm a minister.)
I've been very pleased with the call reception. I'm not on the Sprint system, but the call quality is very good. USC is supposed to be rolling out evdo in my area later this year (fingers crossed), and even without it most web sites load pretty quickly, and when I am in ev areas it loads like my broadband at home.
The vogue seems to be very solid. I've dropped it a few times, and I didn't even have to put the battery back in. Soon after I got it, I bought an aluminum case for it. Black. Until I open it up, people think its just the black phone. My wife has picked it up and wondered why tapping on the screen doesn't do anything, until she realizes its the window on the case. It's the least bulky option for a case I have seen, it protects the phone well, and it keeps buttons and the screen from being pushed when I don't intend to. The downside is that it drops reception by a bar when the cover is closed. I still seldom miss a call.

jwzg said:
Alright, I might as well prove mods don't know it all. I'm thinking about purchasing a new Vogue and going with Sprint. I've got a few questions here.
1) I think I've gathered that GPS capability is on this phone...it just has to be activated with proper settings or a new ROM. Will someone set me straight on this?
2) What are your thoughts on battery life?
3) What are your thoughts on call reception and service?
4) How is the build quality?
Radio Shack is getting rid of the last ones for $19.95 w/a new contract. Though I don't like the idea of getting an older phone (I've had a Wizard for 3 years now) I love the form factor and as long as XDA is around and these things are upgradable, I'll probably enjoy it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
GPS is activated on the phone with WM 6.1, so that should not be an issue for you.
Battery life will vary wildly depending on your location. At home my reception is 1xRTT and battery will drian pretty fast. At work I have EvDO and battery life will nearly double. I can web surf, email, listen 8 hours to music over bluetooth stereo all at work, and make a call or two at home in the evening with no problem. However, I did invest in a larger battery from Seidio. Yes it makes the phone 4 mm thicker, but I've actually come to like the slightly thicker size. Seems a bit easier to handle and to finger touch the screen more accurately.
Call reception has been great in both the city and at home. There is one dead spot on the way to work, but I car pool with two others who each have different carriers, and it appears to be a dead spot for everyone. If you need to call customer support, it's generally a pleasure. I've yet to reach someone whose first language is not English. Yes, they have to go through their standard troubleshooting script, but if you are pleasant to them they are pleasant back, and they do seem knowledgeable. I tend to call support on the weekends or early mornings, and have never waited more than 3 minutes to get a live person on the phone.
The phone is sturdy, feels solid, even with my new battery cover, which leaves a slightly hollow space in much of the back. Dropped it a few times with no ill effects.
I would say take advantage of the deal.

I actually bought two new Vogues from from RadioTrash, upgrading from a couple of 3 year old Sanyo MM-8300 flip phones. At first, I was a little worried about some things on the Vogues:
The reception in my rural area of Missouri was horrible compared to the older Sanyo phones; 0-1 bar compared to 3-4 bars.
My battery life wasn't anywhere near what the earlier poster said. After multiple charges, I was lucky to get 6 hours of standby time on a full charge (and thats with screen off most of the time).
I wasn't really figuring out the purpose of the big silver button at the bottom with the square four-direction action ring. I am still not sure of the best way to use this, yet it looks very important being so big and obvious on the front of the phone.
Right before I was about ready to take the phones back, I received some expert help from some of the users here and loaded the same PRL that I had on my Sanyo phone into the Vogue phone and Wow! Now the Vogue is getting 3-4 bars in the basement of my rural home.
Next, I bought a Mugen Power 2400 mAh extended battery on-line for 70 bucks (shipped) from nakedcellphones.com and Wow again! Now I get over a week in standby or at least 8 hours talk time. The battery came with a new back cover (humpless type) to accomodate the thicker battery which was very well mathed to the original. The increased thickness of the phone is actually a better feel in my hands and I prefer it over the thinner OEM.
Next I went to a local Verizon store to get a new leather case to accomodate the thicker phone. This was at the recommendation of another user here, and even though this is a Sprint phone, they assisted me in finding the coolest case that I'm very happy with (26 bucks out the door)
Finally, I ordered a fantastic screen protector which is probably the best you can buy in terms of feel, durability, scratch resistance, viewability, and touch screen sensitivity. Paid 15 bucks (shipped), enough to do four phones at photodon.com
Then I loaded the coolest ROM called DHarvey's Black Vista and I couldn't be happier with the way everything works (free).
Overall, I have to say that I am impressed with the build quality of these phones. Nothing really to break. But in all my wild on-line searches, I came across this Chinese site that sells all the OEM parts for this phone cheap should I need to replace something like a screen, a switch, a button, etc.
So in all here is the tally:
Phone: ........ $20
Battery: ........ 70
Case: ............ 26
Screen Film: ... 4
ROM .............. -0-
Total ........... $120
I am not at all dissapointed in what I have spent considering the performance, style, and quality that I now have. And its still less than I paid for the Sanyo phones when they were new ($149).

OMG! HD2 has same grip reception flaw as iPhone 4

If you hold the phone in your left hand - just like the iPhone 4's "wrong" grip (your skin presses against the lower left side of the phone) watch reception bars go down 1 or 2 bars. The longer you leave your hand there, the more the bars go down. Release and they are up again. Tried it with and without a case. Same issue.

Just because it happens to HD2 does not necessarily become a problem.
I could also reproduce that on my iPhone 3GS and 3G in some location but not in all locations. I didn't even realise this until people start complaining about iPhone 4. To reduce the signal, i have to grip it (without using a case) very tightly without lettting go for a long time. If I periodically relax my hand as I would in normal usage, then signal won't go down. As this is not the way I normally grip, and the fact that I've been using my phones for so long without even knowing there is a "problem" probably means that I have nothing to worry about.
Then, I searched the youtube and found out that it is also happening to Nokia phones:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gi1gHDa7-X0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQ7t75Uo6qQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amPG52DVQuk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Zsuxbd0L0g
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MyLrFY3mI0M
Nokia is trying to fool everyone by saying that users can hold their phones in anyway they want, but this is simply not true. See this:
http://www.appleinsider.com/article...at_iphone_4_death_grip_gets_called_on_it.html
Haven't got an iPhone 4 yet, but my impression is that this issue is more pronounced with it. IMO, although it can be easily fixed by using a case, applying a sticky tape or nail polish over the lower left half of the antenna, Apple would definitely need to address this issue so that out of the box the extent of signal strengh reduction is minimized.

I didn't say it was a problem. I was just shocked to find it out after all this time I had it and never knew. Hence the OMG!

I think the phenomena is likely to exist with every phone, in certain locations, with certain hand type, but owners of the phone may not notice it unless they deliberately test it out. I could only produce that phenomena is one part of my house but not in another. Just like half the iPhone 4 owners were not able to reproduce this problem while about half were able to. My guess is that it has nothing to do with manufacturing defects, but simply a case of the location, orientation, and body type.

There have been discussions about that at the beginning on the HD2. The antenna is in the bottom part of the phone, between the bottom and the start of the metal cover, i.e. where your hand is (as stated in the manual).
The end word is that pretty much every phone on the market will have its reception drop a bit when you hold it.

FCC only allows the antenna to be located at the bottom of the phone, away from the user's brain. Also, the level of signal strengh must not exceed what's allowed. So, even if the manufacturer want to relocate the antenna to the top part of the phone so that user's hand could not touch it so easily, it would not be approved. Simiilary, even if the manufacturer could increase the signal strength, it would not be approved.

eaglesteve said:
Haven't got an iPhone 4 yet, but my impression is that this issue is more pronounced with it. IMO, although it can be easily fixed by using a case, applying a sticky tape or nail polish over the lower left half of the antenna, Apple would definitely need to address this issue so that out of the box the extent of signal strengh reduction is minimized.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I heard that the fastest and cheapest way to solve teh Iphone 4 reception problem was to put a condom over it. They are cheaper than the bumper and are available in a varitey of colors and textures. The added plus is that you always have a condom handy should you need one

Classic Apple!
Let HTC and Nokia work tirelessly for years upon years only to one-up them with a bigger shinier version of a feature EVERY smartphone has had since 2003.
Sheesh.

wineds said:
I heard that the fastest and cheapest way to solve teh Iphone 4 reception problem was to put a condom over it. They are cheaper than the bumper and are available in a varitey of colors and textures. The added plus is that you always have a condom handy should you need one
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Your recommendation would suit youself my friend. I'll use a nice looking case.

Basically every phone has way to hold it which will lower signal strength. With most smartphones it is rather easy. Most phones also have picture in manual how to hold it correctly. It's nothing new.

The HD2 issue your mentioning is a normal reaction to covering an antenna. This SHOULD happen in all phones since you are partially blocking the antena.
The iPhone 4 issue is not similar, if you go through this post:
http://gizmodo.com/5571171/iphone-4-loses-reception-when-you-hold-it-by-the-antenna-band
you'll see that the signal loss is due to connecting the left side of the antenna with the bottom by touching the left side and the bottom (left) portion of the phone. If you put a "Bumper", apple's term for cover, and then hold the iphone in exactly the same way, you will not lose the signal.

omar302 said:
If you put a "Bumper", apple's term for cover, and then hold the iphone in exactly the same way, you will not lose the signal.
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The thing is I have a black rubberised case around my HD2 and even WITH the case the bars still drop.

tboy2000 said:
The thing is I have a black rubberised case around my HD2 and even WITH the case the bars still drop.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
as long as you are not brothered, it cannot be called a problem.

tboy2000 said:
The thing is I have a black rubberised case around my HD2 and even WITH the case the bars still drop.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, thats because the singal has to go through your hand, so it might lose a bar or two.
All phones get this.
The Iphones problem is not the same thing, it just hast he same result.

if i leave any phone I've ever had in pretty much any spot in my house the signal flutuates.
sod all to do with holding it.

just use a BT headset

anyone cares for some duct tape?
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/apples-latest-conundrum-duct-tape-2010-07-12?dist=countdown

lol... Snapperheads...
If you watch the iphone vid on youtube showing the 'making of' the phone you'll notice the alloy frame is the antenna... Covering it will help not to drop the reception... But having to have a cover to not lose reception is a joke...
As for the HD2, all phones held in a hand will have variance in reception... I tried the left hand thing on mine and it didn't drop a bar...

i have no problem with mine........may be the signal/reception from my carrier is really great unlike that in US.....

LOL good thing i'm not left handed

Note 3 poor wifi, extra bar signal?

I have recently purchased a Note 3 (SM-N9005), currently running it rooted with the Polish NB3, unfortunately knox triggered, but never had a faulty phone before, so I hope that continues!
One thing that has been bugging me in an otherwise great phone, is the wifi signal, quite weak to say the least, my Sony Xperia Z is roughly 2 bars stronger in the same place, in fact, so is my Q10 and various mobiles I have collected over time (Xiaomi Mi2s, Pantech 840s), annoying to say the least, tried all the tweaks and settings mentioned here and elsewhere and while they may help some, for me the signal is still very poor.......
Was watching an excellent tear down video here:
When he mentioned making sure the little contacts for the antennas were sufficiently bent upwards to make a good contact, very interesting!
So I carefully popped off the back after taking out all the twelve little screws, and proceeded to gently bend upwards the two connectors for GPS and wifi, I also ever so slightly roughed the silver connector with a fine needle, all done in theory to aid signal.....
As for the results, well, with the same ROM, and no router reboot etc.... the wifi that used to hover at one signal pip, maybe two, now moves between two and three, it even went full bar briefly, which it had never done before from the spot I used! And there are a few more SSID's in the list too
I am now as you would expect, very happy, the wifi still isn't fantastic, but it's a damn sight better now!! :good:
Please don't try this and then blame me if you mess up your phone, I take no responsibility if you do, posted this just because I was quite surprised with the results!

No one the least interested, thought with all the threads about the poor wifi this find may have been of interest? Unless I'm late to the show and this is already been done and dusted

no one is interested because its a high risk low reward scenario.
Happy you had good results, but most people dont want to risk destroying their beloved note for a potential (minute) signal increase.

nakedtime said:
no one is interested because its a high risk low reward scenario.
Happy you had good results, but most people dont want to risk destroying their beloved note for a potential (minute) signal increase.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wouldn't say minute, having SSID's that weren't there before and one to two bars better signal is the exact opposite of that!
As for how difficult it is, unscrewing 12 screws and lifting off the back cover is a piece of cake, in fact you don't even need to remove it, just lift one corner away, watch the first few mins of the video, it's petty simple....
My phone didn't have the warranty sticker over one of the screws either, and the phone was brand new and sealed from the provider, weird

I've never had issues with the signal on my Note 3.
The (admittedly many) times I do get a lousy signal, the fault lies with the provider, not my phone. (I know exactly where each tower is and what its range is. And I'm usually outside of it.)
As for WiFi, once I moved the Router out of the reinforced concrete cupboard, I always get a full signal...

to the OP , very useful thread dont be put off because theres been little responce, like the guy said few would dare to unscrew there beloved Note but still useful to know.

Yeah the 3G and 4G signal seems strong, just poor wifi when compared to multiple phones in the same spot, at least that was the case
I guess I trust my hands more than most, bad flashes are more of a concern for me than a few dozen screws lol

Thanks
I gave my phone for repairs once and the wifi reception has been below par since. Had tried what you have posted before but was not quite sure if I had the wifi pin right. Also I had only tinkered with the raised connector on the board and hadn't roughed up the connector on the back panel like you did.
Well your post gave me some courage and with the help of the video that you linked I tried it. Unfortunately, I broke the connector and that obviously made my problem much worse!
But then out of desperation I thought I would get some common copper wire to try and connect the board with the antenna and it actually worked Looks extremely ugly but my note 3 now connects to wifi routers even better than my note 1. I am attaching screenshots of the two phones with the wifi analyzer app. There is also a picture of the copper wire mesh that i put below the wifi antenna connector on the panel before I put it all back together.
Definitely do not recommend that anybody try what I did. It was an extremely foolish thing to do for someone as clumsy as me.
Thanks still OP. My Note 3 is in top form again thanks to you

I did that and it fixed my poor GPS signal and it worked really well. I'll do it again for wifi pin

I did that and it fixed my poor WIFI signal. Thanks man.

I had slight water damage to my old Note 3. Since then my GSM signal has been really poor. I replaced the USB flex cable, as the phone wasn't charging as well - replacing it obviously did the job, but GSM signal issue remained.
Cleaned the GSM connectors and lifted the pins - that didn't help. When using o2 SIM inside the building it connects to o2 network straight away (signal not very good btw). When using other (Virgin in this case) SIM it doesn't connect at all and displays "Emergency calls only" message.
I think it might be the MoBo fault now, isn't it?

O2 OK but no VM reads as no CSC or wrong CSC .
Phone firmware has no knowledge of VM settings .