How to strengthen the phone signal: causes of a bad signal and a do-it-yourself solution to the problem. how to increase antenna sensitivity how to increase phone reception

Sensitivity antennas is its ability to receive weak radio signals. It is measured in microvolts. From sensitivity antennas largely depends on the quality of the receiver. As practice shows, it is insufficient and then it should be increased.

Instruction

As you know, the receiving antenna performs the inverse transformation of the energy of the electromagnetic field high frequency into electrical vibrations. radio receivers antennas There are two types - subscriber and professional. The main characteristic of antennas is resonant gain, measured in decibels. So, for example, the flexible antenna of the Maycom SH-27 radio station has a resonant gain of 15 dB, while a similar antennas owned by portable radio- 20 dB. A difference of 5 dB can increase the transmission range by up to 30%. It is enough to connect a wire counterweight to the standard antenna of the radio station, as the radio communication range increases by 1.5-2 times.

Sensitivity antennas grows with an increase in its size - length and thickness. However, today you can also find small compact antennas with fairly high sensitivity. In some cases, to increase it, it is proposed to use a spherical antenna, since it has a large interaction cross section with the gravitational field, since it has a large mass.

The quality of the radio signal is greatly influenced by the terrain. Reflected from various obstacles, it is captured by the antenna in a greatly weakened form. If you have high-end radio equipment, then to ensure stable radio communication, you can use two receivers spaced apart in space. antennas and two receiving paths. In this case, one antenna will always secure the other if a weakened signal arrives at that one.

A weak radio signal causes poor image quality on television receivers. Decide this problem possible with the help of an antenna amplifier, which significantly increases the sensitivity antennas. To increase the sensitivity of the receivers of the radiotelephone, you must first adjust the receiving path and then introduce an additional UHF stage at the input of the receiving device.

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One friend asks another:
- And why is that person talking on a cell phone,
constantly crouching and getting up again?
- He catches a wave or is afraid of snipers.
Anecdote on the topic of the day (c)

Introduction

Everyone wants their cell phone to be truly mobile. It's nice if your device adequately receives a signal anywhere and you can talk without digital choking and interruptions. After all, mobile communication should give such freedom. Most civilized countries have 100% coverage. This means that anywhere in the country you can receive and make calls. This is a kind of supremum connection. For Russia, such an opportunity is not yet visible even on the horizon. We have so much land, and so few people, that it is not economically feasible to cover every bush with a connection. So the operators have to think about where and how to install the next base station. Of course, the probability that the equipment will appear in the taiga is much less than near a major road or railway. As a result, not the last argument when buying cell phone becomes the sensitivity and power of its receiving and transmitting circuits. I remember the dawn of the development of cellular communications, when high-quality handsets really gave mobility to their users, and the owners of simplified solutions experienced problems. Now major cities are covered very well, but all the same, moments come to mind when your interlocutor asks you to go to the window or find a place where the connection is better. One thing pleases - every year the number base stations is constantly growing and the coverage area is expanding. This process is irreversible. Some time ago I visited a remote area of the Tver region. There we encountered a situation where "fancy" cell phones refused to work. The network appeared and then disappeared. Among us was a happy owner of a rarity Siemens S35. He spoke from anywhere. This clearly testified in favor of the fact that all tubes are different and used to be able to make real combat mobile phones. All handsets use a different hardware base and, accordingly, the quality of communication in extreme conditions (according to low level signal) provide different. Time has passed, and that incident from memory does not allow you to sleep peacefully. I made a vow to myself to buy the next cellular device only on the condition that it would guarantee me high-quality reception. Time has passed, and a new mobile phone has not been bought. Today's material should bring us closer to understanding the problem of "sensitivity" of a cell phone. Reading it does not guarantee you an uninterrupted connection, but it will sort out all the technical aspects that are directly related to the receiver and transmitter of your handset. You will also learn how not to fall for the hook of crooks.

A bit of theory

So, in order to move on to a substantive conversation on today's topic, you need to deal with constants. To begin with, everything written below is applicable for GSM communication. Since the majority Russian users choose this particular standard, then we take the responsibility to write for them. However, with due intelligence and remarkable ingenuity, you can draw analogies for all other types. mobile communications. Somewhere what we have said will work practically without metamorphoses, and sometimes you will have to leave the well-trodden path of a well-known solution. In the end, the legs grow from one place. In this case, from a mobile phone. Now we can safely proceed to the basic theoretical calculations. Any mobile phone has a transmitter and a receiver. Therefore, talking in its purest form about the sensitivity of a cell phone is, in a sense, not correct. It is necessary to separate the transmitter power, the implementation of the antenna and the sensitivity of the receiver. Of course, different manufacturers use not quite identical parts or hardware base. Therefore, tubes work differently. In addition, some design features of the mobile phone - the geometry of the antenna and body, your position in space and external factors affect the quality of communication. However, in this chaos, there are a few basic guidelines that we can rely on. Of course, these are standards for cellular communications. They were registered and signed many years ago. Each developer undertakes to fulfill and honor them sacredly, just as the president of the country promises not to violate the constitution. In both cases, some violations are possible, but no one gets pleasure from the violation. Sanctions are possible. Presidents in this case are protected much better. For example, a cunning Asian or European company decides to create a mobile phone with a super powerful antenna. It would seem that there will be buyers, and advertising slogans - "Our antennas broadcast so that you are heard in the nearest constellation" can break the psyche of competitors. But selling such tubes legally will not work. All sorts of standards committees will shut down the whole business. Such is the situation.

The cell phone is almost a living creature. It always tries to communicate with the base station. This happens regardless of the desire of the owner. Of course, if the handset is in the on state. The base station transmits a signal for the handset at frequencies of 935.2 - 959.8 MHz (important! We are talking about GSM900), and the mobile phone broadcasts at frequencies of 890.2 - 914.8 MHz. Rough mathematical calculations suggest that the maximum possible distance between a cell phone and a base station can be 35 km. This is due to the operation of TDMA technology - each mobile station is allocated a time slot of 0.577 milliseconds (more precisely, the 15/26 ratio works), during which time the mobile station must have time to answer the cell. The speed of propagation of radio waves is finite and well known - 300 thousand km / s, the maximum distance is calculated as a simple multiplication of time by speed. This is how these same 35 km are obtained. However, if the theoretical calculated value looks very nice, then in reality everything is somewhat different. For GSM-900, there are 5 power classes of cellular devices: 1st - 20 W, 2nd - 8 W, 3rd - 5 W, 4th - 2 W and 5th - 0.8 W. In reality, we have not seen a single wearable handset with a power of more than 2 watts. It is impossible to break a distance of 35 km with such characteristics. If it is quite simple to increase the power of the base station - it is necessary to install a more powerful transformer and agree with the supervisory authorities, then it is not possible to give each user a generator or a fifty-kilogram acid battery behind his back. Against the subscriber cellular network literally everything plays: weather, terrain, infrastructure and much more. So the actual distance at which communication is possible in any particular case is achieved by a simple experiment with a cell phone. In other words, you are given the most real reason to reliably measure the "sensitivity" of your cellular device in the field. Remember that the value you measure will be strongly tied to a particular cell phone and changing weather conditions. You will most likely not be allowed to take a couple of handsets for a test in a mobile phone store. Therefore, only one action makes sense - be observant. Let's say you find yourself in a zone of not entirely confident reception. Ask your comrades how things are with their cellular communications. Such experience is not the highest guarantee of success in the purchase. We wrote earlier that even in one delivery, tubes of the same brand can work differently. Even soldering by a robot cannot guarantee an absolutely identical connection of conductors, to say nothing of semiconductors and antenna uniformity.

I see, but I don't hear at all!

Probably you have sometimes seen such a picture on your cell phone that the logo of your network is present on the screen, and it is almost impossible to make calls. The situation is your companion in poor signal conditions. Some inertia of the logo can kill everything human in subscribers. Sometimes the picture is aggravated by the fact that your mobile phone has dropped out of the network, and the friend's handset continues to draw a picture that says that there is a connection on his handset. Let's deal with it interesting fact. It turns out that not everything is so complicated and simply explainable. So, let's turn again to the work of the cellular network. It is known that for automatic control and including the handset in a common organization, information about the signal levels of the base stations is needed. Each phone measures the signal level from the base station with a given period of time. This is done regardless of whether you are talking on the handset or the handset is on call waiting. What is it for? Often, the handset "sees" several base stations (BS) at once. The organization of the network is built in such a way that at one time it can communicate (your conversations go through) only through one BS. The mobile phone measures the signal strength from different base stations and selects the one that "sees much clearer." This is logical and is the basic vector of the network. The cell phone measures the input signal level at frequencies specified by the system. Not necessarily the nearest cell will be yours. Sometimes you connect to a geographically more distant station, most importantly with a higher signal. Is it possible to switch the device to another base station? It is not possible to do this in the normal mode of cell phone operation. If you change the firmware and allow the user to access the hardware settings, then this is possible.

Go ahead. The handset measures the power of the input signal. Of course, this cannot be done without error. GSM standards provide for an allowable measurement error during normal operation of 6.3 times (+/-4 dB). For "hard" working conditions, whether it be, for example, very low temperatures, the standard allows an error of 15.8 times (+/-6 dB). All these errors really work for fully serviceable tubes. It would be very difficult to live without them, since mobile phone manufacturers are not physically able to provide a reference measurement of incoming power. After we learned about the power measurement error, it remains to move on to a specific example. Let's say that you and your handset are in a place where the actual signal level of the base station is -103 dB. Settings common work networks are set up in such a way that they tell the handset that access to it is allowed at a measured signal level of -105 dB. Of course, here all our errors come out. The mobile phone receiver is made in such a way that the signal level is underestimated by 4 dB. The signal measured by the tube will be -107 dB. So, a fully working handset that meets all standards will be dropped from the network, since it does not have the right to be included in the system. Another cell phone is implemented in such a way that it will overestimate the measured signal by 4 dB. He will be able to register on the network and show her logo on the screen. Let's say more that if the actual signal level for such a handset is -108 dB (at the place where it is located), then the device will still be properly registered in the operator's network. So much for the “sensitivity” of cell phones. So the presence of a logo on the screen of your phone indicates the registration of the handset in the network, but does not guarantee normal communication. However, it's still nice. An attempt to talk can sometimes be counted as a call itself. So, dear readers, I wish you to have a handset with such a receiver and measuring path that will constantly overestimate the signal power level from the base station. Thus, we have completely destroyed the myth that users of different cell phones can measure the signal levels displayed on the screens of their mobile phones. Indeed, such conversations are conducted only from deep illiteracy in the matter. Henceforth, when you will be asked about the signal level and appeal to the information on the handset screen, you should not waste time on empty talk. It makes no sense to compare the measured power of the incoming signal, but you should completely forget about the "reference cubes". How this phone manufacturer recalculates the data in them remains a mystery. Again, there is no point in wasting your time on its disclosure.

Dances with a cell phone

Any duplex radio station, and a cell phone is a special case of this rule, uses an antenna to receive and transmit a signal. This fact is another argument for the ephemeral nature of the concept of "sensitivity". Separate use of the same tube element entails some compromise. The transmitter should not phon the receiver, and the latter, in turn, must not interfere with the first. We all live on planet Earth and fully comply with the physical rules that nature imposes on us. Therefore, it is foolish to believe that one electrical device is capable of not interfering with the operation of another. As a result, developers come to an elementary compromise. It is he who allows the device to function so that you, the subscribers, can hear the voice of your interlocutor in the handset. By the way, His Majesty Compromise is often made in favor of the receiver. Of course, it would be possible to create not a duplex, but a simplex transmission - at one time only in one direction, but such a connection would not satisfy modern user requests. There is an opinion that if you cover the antenna of a cell phone with your hand, then the conversations will become clear and silent. Let's analyze this situation. Indeed, if you cover the antenna with some object, then in the vast majority of cases the level of the measured signal by the cellular the phone will fall. The mobile device is designed in such a way that the worse it “hears” the cell, the “louder” it answers it. Accordingly, the output signal power will increase. Its ability to penetrate your hand or other object that blocks the antenna is not unlimited. In addition, the base station will not increase power, since it does not know that the user is interfering with its signal and its parameters are simply not designed for this. Accordingly, all your actions are more destructive when you cover the cell phone antenna with your hand. By the way, the level of the measured input signal is affected not only by the hand, but also by the metal decorations on it. When talking on a mobile phone, try to keep your hand as far away from the antenna as possible. So you will save your health and do not create unnecessary interference. Reinforced concrete structures become an excellent obstacle to cellular communications. Remember, the shorter the wave, the better it penetrates them. By the way, this is the reason (and not only this) for the fact that operators in the city center like to use the 1800 MHz band. Outside the city, in conditions of poor communication, try to climb all kinds of hillocks. This action removes unnecessary physical interference on the path of electromagnetic waves from the cell phone to the base station. Remember that in the frequency ranges used in cellular communications, even with a small, just a few centimeters, or tens of centimeters, antenna movement, or over time, the signal level can change by 100 or even 1000 times (by 20 - 30 dB) . Be sure to move and look for "good" places. The moment has come to speak dark theme mobile communication - external and internal antennas. It is difficult to count all the tales and disputes on this topic. It will be only about regular antennas. Or those that are already installed in your mobile phones. Of course, additional (remote) antennas with boosters, which you can purchase for some money, significantly improve reception and transmission, but you have to forget about mobility. By the way, motorists really like such solutions, since you don’t have to carry them on yourself. So, internal or external antenna? There is no unambiguous solution to this problem. If you know how to solve wave equations and put down boundary conditions, then, having received the true parameters of your mobile phone, you will be able to simulate a call situation on a computer at various points in the coverage area. A few years ago, an American posted the results of his calculations online. They caused a lot of controversy. As a result, he removed them. It's a pity, since this is the only example of such calculations. Experience shows that modern built-in antennas are in no way inferior to external solutions. Life is significantly complicated by all sorts of home-grown decorations that users broadcast to the antenna. As a result, the antenna may work in an abnormal mode and, perhaps, even harm your health, radiating mainly towards your head.

extended cell

However, it is not always possible for an operator to set up ordinary base stations to cover large areas. Imagine, for example, a desert or water area. Economically, and sometimes purely physically, it is simply not possible to place the required number of BS. For the GSM standard, a cell configuration is provided, in which the communication range is increased to 70 km. It's called Extended cell. With this use of equipment, the number of spoken channels is reduced to 3. But the operator covers gigantic areas with the forces of only one station.

Not so long ago, near St. Petersburg on the Gulf of Finland, one of the operators used an Extended Cell. Subscribers could see on the screen of their mobile phones the name of this operator with exclamation mark. This meant that the handset saw the network, but could not communicate with it. The problem was solved using external directional antennas, when the output signal of the apparatus was amplified. Thus, the Extended Cell allows you to cover the giant sparsely populated areas. However, their use is becoming less and less popular. In Siberia, you can't install such cells anyway, and the resort areas in terms of their cellular load have long surpassed the centers of megacities in terms of the intensity of telephone conversations. Extended Cell cannot physically serve such places, and the requirement of an additional antenna does not make this method of communication due popularity.

Attention, crooks

Each user would like to increase the "sensitivity" of his cellular device. Attackers are ready to use this in their plans to fool mobile network subscribers. The easiest way to deceive a person is by providing him with a service that is difficult to verify. And if its value turns out to be small, then this is just a treasure for a swindler. As a result, "sensitivity stickers for mobile phones" appeared on the market. Of course, they are suitable for all types of handsets, sell them via the Internet and they cost ridiculous money. The manufacturer of this product claims that the sticker works purely according to the laws of physics and gives your phone an unprecedented sensitivity. One gets the impression that the stickers, spoken by sorcerers and fooled by a tambourine, would also sell quite well, but the scammers decided to play on the dullness of the crowd and the mass market. miraculous stickers before today sold online with great success.

The creators of the sticker recommend sticking it under the battery. Logical move. There, the sticker will not interfere and will not interfere with the operation of a real antenna. By the way, huge forces are spent on the calculations of the latter. Each antenna is unique in its own way and there can be no common panacea for all this diversity. Fraudsters can only upset the work of your regular antenna. It is possible to introduce interference and noise. It is also doubtful the advertising statement that one sticker replaces a meter-long antenna. There is simply no need for such a length. Of course, you can assemble a meter antenna, but it will be a very complicated and not very necessary system. In a word, our brother is being fooled. By the way, the legs of this sticker grow from Asia. There really at one time they sold cell phones and special antennas in the form of stickers for them. However, the system was abandoned, as users simply could not stick them on correctly. It was important to accurately position the sticker in the right part of the mobile phone. The task proved overwhelming. So do not waste your money and encourage scammers.

Final word

Today we have dealt with the concept of "sensitivity" of a cell phone. One conclusion can be drawn. The better your tube is assembled and the better element base, the easier it will be for you to speak in poor reception areas. If you have the opportunity to use remote antennas with a narrow radiation pattern, then try them in operation. They really help sometimes to solve difficult communication situations. Let's hope that after some time, cellular operators will cover the entire globe and we will forget about this problem. Stay in touch!

Despite the widespread use of mobile communications, the question of how to strengthen the signal of the phone, or rather the cellular communication to which it is connected, is still relevant. It doesn't matter if you live in a small village or in a metropolis, the chance that your device will stop receiving a signal is everywhere.

Gradually, this problem is solved by operators, new base stations appear, communications are increasing. But what if the problem lies in your phone, and not in the network? Today we decided to figure out what the bad signal level is connected with and whether it can be fixed by hand.

What is a cellular signal?

The principle of operation of cellular communication is quite simple: there is an operator’s base station and your phone, a radio frequency channel is organized between them, through which SMS messages are transmitted, calls are made, and Internet data is exchanged.

There are several cellular communication standards that differ in signal transmission method and frequency. As a rule, base stations are built on hills in order to provide maximum coverage. However, you can’t get away from the barriers that prevent the passage of the signal. These can be walls, trees, and other obstacles, upon contact with which the signal weakens.

It is clear that in open areas where high-rise buildings do not abound, the coverage area will be higher. For example, for stations operating according to the GSM-900 standard, in this case, the zone is no more than 30,000 kilometers. In urban areas, the figure is reduced to 7 kilometers. Stations with more advanced communication standards in the face of 3G and LTE cover an area half the diameter.

Why do we have a weak phone signal?

Due to the above mentioned barriers, so-called dead zones or holes in the coating can be formed. That is, places where the signal is weak, unstable or completely absent. Where do you most often encounter poor signal strength on your phone:

places located at a significant distance from the nearest station (there is simply no coverage);
basements, underground parking, lowlands (the signal is simply unable to penetrate here);
hills, skyscrapers (often "to rise higher" does not mean the obligatory presence of a signal - above the 12-14th floor there is often no signal at all);
buildings made of metal structures that do not transmit a signal.

However, obstacles and distance from the station are not always the reason for the lack of a signal. Often the user's phone becomes the cause. You have probably been in situations where a friend has a cellular signal, but you do not.

And at the same time, you use the services of one operator. There are cases when different signal levels are observed on two identical phones. There can be many reasons:

phone in metal case or in a metal case it can catch a net much worse than a plastic device;
quite often, no matter how surprising it may sound to you, the reason is the “clumsy” firmware of the phone;
damage to any components as a result of falls, immersion in water, and so on;
the phone may have a defective antenna from the factory, which is especially sinful for Chinese manufacturers of inexpensive models.

How to strengthen the phone signal with your own hands?

So, let's go over the theory, let's move on to practice. We will analyze several ways to boost a cellular signal, starting with the simplest, ending with quite complex and expensive ones.

Reason for the firmware

It’s worth starting with checking the correctness of the work software tools before trying to get to the insides of the phone. With the deterioration of the communication signal that appears after flashing, hundreds of users are faced, so attention should be focused.

We have already written, so we will not repeat ourselves. Firmware is a fairly simple process, but with its own nuances. The main thing - do not forget to do backups important files.

If the flashing helped, then we congratulate you, but if the phone still does not catch the network well, then proceed to the next step.

Poor signal reception due to damage to the phone

As already noted, often the phone does not pick up a signal well after it accidentally fell on a tile or plunged into the sea. In this case, the average user has no choice but to go to service center.

Modern phones are quite complex devices, therefore it is not possible for most to identify the source of the problem on their own. It is likely that specialists will detect damage and perform the necessary work so that your phone can again cope with searching for a network without any problems.

How to boost your phone signal

In most cases, the cause of a weak cellular signal lies in the defect of the antenna, which, in fact, is responsible for this function. Often owners low-cost smartphones from the Middle Kingdom are faced with the fact that the manufacturer cheated a little by loosely connecting the antenna with motherboard devices. You can fix the mistake yourself, but you need to understand at least a little how the phone works. Otherwise, we contact the service center with a description of the problem.

now smartphones are represented by a very different design, and therefore they are disassembled in different ways; it is easiest to get to the insides of a phone with a removable cover and battery, it is more difficult when the smartphone is not collapsible;

Do not hurry. Before starting disassembly, find a video or text material on the Internet that will show and tell how your particular device is disassembled, what you should pay attention to.

Please also note: after disassembling the smartphone, you lose the warranty.

as a rule, the antenna is hidden in the lower or upper part of the case, represented by small copper strips (again, for the location of the antenna specifically in your model, see the relevant materials);
after you get to the board, you will find several spring contacts, which should fit snugly against the cable located on the back of the structure;
if the spring contacts motherboard do not adhere well to the train, carefully correct them, armed, for example, with tweezers;
assemble the phone and enjoy a good network signal.

We connect to the phone homemade antenna to amplify the signal

The methods discussed above only work if the problem lies in your phone. But, as we noted at the beginning of the material, the cause of a bad signal can be various kinds of obstacles or a significant distance from the station. In this case, you can try to strengthen the antenna of our device with just a piece of wire.

Just note that the method is not suitable for all phones. The fact is that for its implementation you will need a special diagnostic port, which is difficult to get to in a modern non-separable smartphone (in a number of models you can’t find it at all). It looks like a small round connector of golden color.

take a small piece of thin insulated wire;

insert into the connector;

lay it so that it does not interfere with other components and closing the lid.

Everything, as practice shows, the signal of the phone network is amplified to a large extent. Isn't it surprising?!

Some users inserted a piece of wire into the 3.5 mm port (for headphones). Sometimes that works too.

Sticker sticker or foil to boost phone signal

In the vastness of foreign online stores, it will not be difficult to find a bunch of different devices for signal amplification. Among them, a small sticker-sticker is popular, which is a few metal tracks, which, according to the manufacturer, allow you to get rid of interference.

Similar stripes can be seen in some smartphones by default, so the "magic" properties of the sticker have the right to life.

However, to achieve a slight improvement in the signal, according to a considerable number of users, a piece of ordinary foil will help. It is located under the cover of the phone, closer to the antenna. The method is simple, so you can try.

Strengthening communication with a repeater

In some cases, when the signal cannot be amplified by any of the methods (too thick walls of the room, remoteness from the base station), they resort to the use of special antennas or repeaters. Similar devices are capable of greatly amplifying the signal, but their cost often scares away a potential buyer.

Where to buy cheap?

You can build something similar with your own hands, but often it does not amplify the signal at all or does it very, very badly.

For example, some use the following method:

we take a metal rod (50 cm is enough), a coaxial cable, a piece of foil (about 10x4 cm) and plywood or plastic;
we bend the metal rod so that we get a diamond-shaped design;
glue the foil to the plywood;
metal rhombus and foil are connected by means of coaxial cable(solder);
the end, on which the rhombus turned out, is raised higher, the other, with foil, is left below;
We bring the phone to the foil to check the signal quality.

It will probably be necessary to find the most suitable place for the resulting structure to catch the signal.

It is clear that such an amplifier is unlikely to provide communication to a large company that was not lucky enough to have an office in an area without network coverage. Here you will have to seek help from specialists. Today, many companies provide such services, and not only will they offer modern equipment, but they will also install it.

By the way, you should not save on specialists - for installation, workers use special devices that help determine the most suitable place, select frequencies, and so on. Regular user Of course, such a task will be difficult to cope with.

The question of the relative sensitivity of devices arises regularly. Which device is the most sensitive? Is it true that the new models have lower sensitivity than the old ones? They say that business-class phones are less sensitive than low-end models, is that true? An external antenna should provide better sensitivity than an internal antenna covered with a plastic case - why then are there more and more devices with an internal antenna? Etc.

There are no short answers to these questions. Having heard a general answer, which is quite unambiguous, people begin to find out the details, ask to explain some cases from their lives, etc. And the general answer to the question is this: the passport sensitivity of all GSM phones on the market today is the same.
Sameness is different
It should be understood that the same average sensitivity of all devices does not mean that the sensitivity of two specific phones (even of the same model) is also the same or, in mathematical terms, “identically equal”. The parameters of the electronic components that the phone is assembled from have some variation. Therefore, one device may have a slightly higher sensitivity, and the other - a little less. But this variation in sensitivity has no significant consequences for the user.

It should be remembered that even if the phones have the same characteristics at the factory outlet, over time, the parameters of the electronic components begin to “float” slowly, that is, the properties of the systems - including sensitivity - can change in an unpredictable way. In reality, this rarely happens. However, one cannot completely exclude the possibility that a microcrack may form on the case of one of the capacitors from shaking the phone, air will get inside, gradually oxidize the material of the capacitor, it will change the parameters, and this will lead to a change in the characteristics of the entire phone, in particular, sensitivity. But, as we have already noted, this is rare, and on average, the sensitivity of GSM cell phones is almost the same.

I want to tell you about an attempt to test the sensitivity of phones, which I carried out at home. I moved with phones of different models along a long corridor, in which the reception gradually dropped from stable at one end to no one in the bathroom, where the metal shielding of the bathtub, water supply and sewage pipes made contact with the base impossible. different models phones lost connection different places"polygon". But the difference in the place of loss of contact was no more than a couple of meters, which confirms the above conclusions.

In reality, the difference of two or three meters, which separate the points of loss of communication with the base station by devices from different manufacturers, does not play any role.

"Size matters"?

How so? - the reader will ask - after all, it is enough to look at the phones to see: they have antennas of different configurations, some have more, others have less, and still others have internal ones at all ?! Yes, the antennas of the devices are different, but, firstly, the receiving antenna is not just a piece of wire, but a more complex device, the effectiveness of which depends not only on linear dimensions, but also on other parameters. I will not retell the basics of building antenna devices, but I recommend that especially corrosive readers read the textbooks of the corresponding special course for radio engineering faculties. Secondly, the sensitivity depends not only on the antenna, but also on the parameters of the electronics that “control” the signal processing, and these parameters cannot be determined “by eye”. Besides size, there are other parameters that affect the sensitivity of the phone, and these characteristics are selected so that mobile phones have a uniform sensitivity. Therefore, I recommend not to use the cinematic slogan “size matters” to assess sensitivity.

There are stubborn rumors, not officially confirmed, that some manufacturers have long used internal antennas on the younger models of their cell phones, and phones are supplied with dummies of external antennas. This is done in order to reassure potential buyers and relieve technical consultants of communication stores from having to explain to everyone everything stated in this article. Not everyone reads Allo Plus...

Do not trust unknown units of measurement!

Here they are usually asked to clarify some facts “from life”, which they try to set as precedents. How, then, to explain that in the same place different devices, serviced by the same operator, show on the display a different number of "sticks" characterizing the signal level? And it's very simple: the display "stick" is not a system unit of measurement, so it is impossible to compare the readings of the "stick" scale on the display of phones. Let's start with the fact that almost no one, except for developers and some service engineers, does not know whether the conditional indications of the display scale are linear or logarithmic, and - what is important! - what value is taken as "zero".

As a result, the following situation is possible: one phone shows that it does not see the network, and the other reassures the owner by showing him one or even two "sticks" on the display, but it is no longer possible to speak on any of these devices - the first one will not let you install connection, and if the second one establishes a connection, then it will be impossible to talk on it, since the loss of sound (“gaps” in the audibility of the interlocutors to each other) will not allow for any meaningful conversation. By the way, we do not know what kind of inertness the readings of the “stick” scale have. It is possible that one phone showed no connection with the base station, while the other simply "did not have time" to do so. There are other questions about the scale, but these are enough to understand: the scale readings are very conditional, and, in general, you cannot rely on them.

The readings of the "stick" scale can be trusted in two cases: when it shows "zero", the device searches for a network - a conversation is not possible, and when its readings are at the maximum or one division lower - then you can be sure that the phone accurately "sees" the base station.

Reception not only depends on the phone

Note that "visibility" of the base station is not a sufficient condition for a conversation to be established. The base station at the time of the call may not have free channels, therefore, the call through it will not take place. This example shows that the presence / absence of the ability to establish a real call usually depends not only on the sensitivity of the phone, but also on the state of the network of the mobile operator. This, and not at all the sensitivity of the phone, explains the situations - also presented as practical proof of the different sensitivity of the devices - when they could get through to you, but not to your neighbor (or vice versa, it doesn’t matter). True, it is quite possible that your phones, despite the close location, were in different reception conditions. For example, one was shielded from the base station by a screen - suppose a computer case or an iron cabinet located in the next room. The telephone antennas could be directed in different directions, and the antennas have a directivity, that is, the sensitivity depends on the angle of rotation relative to the direction to the base station emitter. Finally, the situation cannot be ruled out that telephones, arbitrarily close, were serviced by different base stations.

In reality, it is rather difficult to establish what causes problems with poor reception of devices in a given place, and only a field team of mobile operator technical specialists can answer this question, and even then after several hours of examining the premises using the appropriate equipment. Each operator company has such groups, their work is not cheap, therefore, they usually examine only places with a large number of subscribers - exhibition halls, office premises, shops, etc.

Subjectivity of assessments of objective parameters

When I hear stories about how phones used to be more sensitive, I always remember a one-line joke - “Escalators used to run more often.” Here the subjective factor plays an important role in evaluating the parameters of the phone.

A few years ago, when coverage left much to be desired, no one expected a cell phone to work perfectly anytime, anywhere. Now the coverage has improved, not only quantitatively (the use of a cell phone has become possible over a larger area), but also qualitatively (a large number of base stations have been installed in an already covered area and are intended to improve coverage). However, objective improvements do not keep pace with the subjective requirements of subscribers to the quality of mobile telephony. As for the ideal work that many humanitarians expect from mobile phones (people with a technical education usually understand that ideally working systems do not exist in nature. - Approx. Ed.), In principle, the ideal situation is unattainable when reception is possible inside all premises , including the lower floors and semi-basements, garages and rooms in the depths of buildings, yards-wells and overpasses, spaces under bridges and in other "shady" places. The point here is not the low sensitivity of phones, but the complexity of the urban terrain. You can’t put a base station in every entrance or over every “well” yard, it’s simply unprofitable for the operator ( the price of a base station now averages a little less than a quarter of a million dollars, the price of equipment for its installation - a mast, anti-vandal fences, etc. - can equal the price of the electronic part. - Approx. ed.).
Subjectivity also works with a "comparative assessment" of the sensitivity of two phones of different price categories. For obvious reasons, a person expects from a device for two or three hundred dollars a better sensitivity than from a phone that costs "only" a hundred. However, as we noted above, the phones have the same sensitivity. Indeed, when talking small phone it is easier to accidentally close the antenna with the hand, and this worsens the reception conditions, however, this circumstance is not due to the sensitivity of the device, but to the conditions of its operation.

As for the question of the most sensitive cell phone, I hope that after our story, he disappeared by itself.

How to deal with reception problems?

In fact, there are ways to amplify a cellular signal. If the phone does not “pull” well at home, the easiest way is to buy a GSM repeater. If the problem caught you outside the home, then follow these recommendations.

Leave places with a clear shadow - a yard, an underpass, an overpass, the space between iron garages, a yard - a "well", etc. If you are in a room, come closer to the window, or better go to the balcony.

Check if you are blocking the antenna of the device with your hand and, if you do, take the phone in a different way.

Change the direction of the phone in space. Sometimes, circling around its own axis, similar to shamanism, leads to the fact that the phone's antenna receives the direction in which its sensitivity is maximum relative to the signal of the base station used.

Move your mobile phone to an open area. It is better if it is a hill, not obscured by the terrain from the nearest base station (if the direction to such is known).

Use external antenna, the ability to connect which has almost every device. Usually, a car antenna acts in this capacity, but it can also be installed anywhere where improved reception is required, for example, taken out to the balcony if your apartment is “shaded” from the base station.
Alexander Karachev

Instruction

Interference for reception can be massive walls, reinforced concrete or metal floors, the absence of base stations of a particular operator. Pay attention to cellular repeaters. The device will help in a room where it is impossible to carry out. For example, you work in an office that is located in a semi-basement, inaccessible in the underground parking area, to call every time you need to go outside.

The repeater will amplify the signal from the operator's base station, will radiate it towards the mobile. Mind you wrong installed system may degrade the quality. To install the system, contact the official representative offices - they will not only select the necessary equipment for you, but also correctly install it.

Keep in mind that in the area of unreliable reception, the network spends a lot of energy, the mobile phone battery starts to consume power. Therefore, keep an eye on the battery charge, sometimes it may simply not be enough for a call.

If you don’t want to bother with installing a cellular repeater system, try a simpler option - a passive antenna amplifier. The device will work in a room where there is a signal, but weak, uncertain - the antenna stabilizes it.

Such an antenna not only improves communication quality, but also saves battery power, reduces noise and interference when talking on the phone. To install it, you do not need to contact specialists, just place the antenna inside the phone, closer to the battery compartment.

If you are planning a trip out of town, take several SIM cards from different operators with you. Perhaps, for calm communication, it is enough to change the operator - the quality of communication directly depends on the network coverage area.

Useful advice

Check if the radiotelephone does not affect the quality of communication, interference may occur from the difference in the frequency range.

Sources:

How to improve mobile phone reception at home?
Bad connection? There is a solution to improve reception cellular signal!
New Technologies in Mobile Communications - Antenna Amplifier

You will need

- TV antenna;
- metal wire.

Instruction

To get started, try simply moving your Wi-Fi router. Many install this equipment in hard-to-reach places, for example, on a computer system unit or on a windowsill.

If you need to boost the signal quality in a certain room, then move the Wi-Fi router into it. Unfortunately, this method does not solve the problem of poor signal strength in several rooms at once.

To globally increase the range of the Wi-Fi signal of the access point, use several devices. First, try purchasing an additional antenna. Many Wi-Fi routers have one or two standard antennas. Purchase a larger antenna and connect it to the device.

If this procedure is not possible, then amplify the existing antennas. Turn off the Wi-Fi router and unscrew the antenna (if it is removable). Remove some of the insulation from the top end of the antenna.

Find an unused indoor TV antenna. Its size and shape do not play a special role. Connect both antennas together with a metal wire. Reassemble the router and turn it on.

If you didn't find indoor antenna, but you have a desktop computer, you can attach the wire coming from the router antenna to the computer's system unit. In the event that you are afraid of short circuits or any other damage to the antenna, then remove the cover of the system unit. And to it, in turn, attach the wire.