decaturtxcowboy wrote:

> Actually, reading the dB scale wasn't necessary. Most importantly we
> did a side by side comparison from same cell tower location and similar
> preforming phones. So the only significant variable would be the
> propagation difference of the two bands (assuming similar radio
> performance).

Yes, the real test is to see where communications stops, since power
control and a host of other things get into the act and make it very
hard to decipher what is truly going on as you are anything less than
last-gasp comms.

Do recognize though that this still isn't a propagation comparison until
you are sure that you know the ERP of each site (in the pilot or
whatever is being measured by 'bars') and the effective aperture of each
handset antenna.

We should note also that there is an implicit assumption of the same
noise+interference level here as well.

Effectively then you are still making an absolute power measurement
by comparing the point at which the Carrier/Noise ratio falls below that
required for the modulation scheme, with the assumption of constant,
known noise floor (KT.

All in all this is a pretty rough way to determine frequency related
propagation differences. It's a lot more accurate and ultimately easier
to do it with a specialized system, which is what the better models reflect.

g