-
- 1,731
Hey all. I've seen one or two posts about this but don't recall if anyone was successful. Has anyone actually been able to locate and view a cell tower using SignalLoc coordinates plotted on a map app? I've been using it with BBMaps and tried three times. I'll activate gps navigation and drive to the tower site plotted on the map and all 3 times it appeared as though I was right on top of it. But all I've seen are fairly run-of-the-mill looking utility poles with the exception of one. It kind of looked like a beefed-up utility pole with extra gizmos, transformers and two metallic poles running vertically alongside the main pole on either side. I'm pretty sure I know what a cell tower looks like but perhaps these are older towers? Who knows. Or maybe some utility poles double as cell sites? Just curious if anyone has searched one out via SignalLoc. Thanks!04-30-09 10:27 PMLike 0 -
- 200
I tried here in the town where I live. I went to where the map said the cell tower was supposed to be. This is a fairly rural area so you definately would be able to tell if you saw a tower. I did see a cell tower about a quarter mile to the west. So I kind of wonder how accurate it is.
Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com04-30-09 11:18 PMLike 0 -
- 1,731
A quarter mile. I was wondering if that was happening to me as well. Just seems that out of three times I would have seen at least one tower. In one case the tower I was looking for was shown on the map as being between two parallel running streets. The only things between those two streets were two rows of houses and a bunch of bigs trees. Oh well. Thanks for the reply!
Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com04-30-09 11:50 PMLike 0 -
- 1,731
I just checked for the nearest tower on both bbmaps and google maps. Both programs show it at the exact same location. I also compared SignalLoc's lock on my location to the location given me by going to Options, Advanced Options, GPS. Those coordinates match exactly, which makes sense since SignalLoc, I believe, pulls its numbers directly from the Bold's gps. I doubt my gps is faulty as I use it quite a bit and I know it gives me accurate locations as I drive around town. So I guess that leaves just one answer - the towers are there. I just can't see them. Maybe they're buried underground. : )
Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.comLast edited by skyjackal; 05-01-09 at 01:50 AM.
05-01-09 01:43 AMLike 0 -
- 8,837
it was my post that brought this up....
https://hookedontronyx.com/Blackberr...0Selection.pdf
if the tower has coordinates, it will show up on the map. if not, you wont have the option to view it. i went looking for the towers i was connected to. it wasnt always spot on. some towers were not exactly where they seemed to be according to the map but were very close. take the map coordinates with a grain of salt, but all in all, it was very useful and was pretty close most times. but the more important thing was being able to see the towers in the e screen and being able to lock onto one depending on its strength or proximity.05-01-09 01:52 AMLike 0 -
- 1,731
dictoresno, hello. Yes, I remember your thread. Great, great stuff - stirred a lot of discussion surrounding the escreens and cell sites. Good reading. Thank you for all of that and for your reply!it was my post that brought this up....
https://hookedontronyx.com/Blackberr...0Selection.pdf
if the tower has coordinates, it will show up on the map. if not, you wont have the option to view it. i went looking for the towers i was connected to. it wasnt always spot on. some towers were not exactly where they seemed to be according to the map but were very close. take the map coordinates with a grain of salt, but all in all, it was very useful and was pretty close most times. but the more important thing was being able to see the towers in the e screen and being able to lock onto one depending on its strength or proximity.05-01-09 12:03 PMLike 0 -
- 2,130
-
- 8,837
dont forget, sometimes you may be connected to an antenna and not a tower. so they might be hidden on the side or roof of a building or even in a tree.05-01-09 02:23 PMLike 0 -
- 256
By antenna, I assuming you mean something not bulky? In my case, the tower coordinates placed the tower in a single story residential neighborhood...
Posted while sitting next to my Crackberry at forums.crackberry.com.05-01-09 05:18 PMLike 0 -
- 8,837
these are small antennas located on the side of a building and the roof. they can be on the top and out of site, but usually on the side and sometimes out of sight. so it could be there, but not in view to you.
05-02-09 12:46 AMLike 0 -
- 1,731
I tried to seek out a fourth site/tower today. I've been looking for something similar to what's in the picture but again both map apps seem to lead me to a utility pole, unless as you said, dictoresno, the actual tower/antennae is just bit away from where I'm looking. Can a site tower/antennae be located on a utility pole? Now that I think of it I'm not sure if that would make sense. Its gettin' to me now - gotta find one.
Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com05-02-09 01:09 AMLike 0 -
- 8,837
im not a network engineer so i dont know if they would put them on a utility pole. i would think being on a utility pole would generate some kind of interference being theres thousands of volts running through the wires. but maybe they can. like i said, ive gone looking for poles too and have seen some in the vicinity, but not right on top of the dot. who knows. i wonder if the tower location (lat and long) are built into the system or just an estimate according to the program. i guess someone could try tracking down a cell site using an FCC database and see if it includes coordinates.
or.......find a tower and be within view of it. then try to pull up neighboring towers and see if u can manually select the one you are looking at and see what it looks like on the map. so instead of hunting for the tower, its already your starting point. your variable will be trying to find it on the map manually by using Signal Loc and the E Screento narrow it down. this may be easier to do, but remember not every tower may be the one for your carrier.05-02-09 02:06 AMLike 0 -
- 1,731
Don't you think the coordinates from the program (SignalLoc) are pulled from the Bold's gps? I've been using the SignalLoc and Maps only up until now but intend to include the escreens as well, as you suggest above. Good point about not all towers being my carrier's. Would have to cross-reference with my list of saved cell sites that SignalLoc provides, if that makes sense.
Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com05-02-09 10:12 PMLike 0 -
- 8,837
well i think the cell site might have its own location built into its identifiers. so when connected, a phone has the ability to tell where that tower is. i dont think think the phones GPS "guesses" the towers location.05-02-09 10:19 PMLike 0 -
- 1,731
Yes, that makes perfect sense. I think I asked my question incorrectly. When SignalLoc gives me MY location (on the bottom half of the screen) do you think those coordinates are pulled from the phone's gps? Totally a separate question not related to the cell towers. Thanks!
Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com05-02-09 10:31 PMLike 0 -
- 1,731
Okay, don't laugh. : ) This is a pic I took the other day. Could this pole be doubling as a cell site?
http://pbr437.photobucket.com/albums...3dlci5qcGc.jpg
Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.comLast edited by skyjackal; 05-02-09 at 11:10 PM.
05-02-09 11:06 PMLike 0 -
- 8,837
yes signal loc gets your current location from the phones GPS. if you have no location, its because your GPS isnt picking up a signal yet. whether it resorts to using tower triangulation when regular GPS coverage isnt available, i dont know.
as for your pic, it could be. im not sure what sizes and shapes antennas can or do come in, but you never know. but ill tell you, that bottom row look more like little transformers or breakers than a cell antenna.05-03-09 12:24 AMLike 0
- Forum
- BlackBerry OS Phone Forums
- BlackBerry Bold Series
Locating Cell Towers With SignalLoc
LINK TO POST COPIED TO CLIPBOARD