Weird Reception Problem

[Guest AGeleff]

At first, I thought my reception problems were a product of the ROMs that I was installing onto my phone. That doesn't appear to be the case anymore. I noticed that when I put the phone down and don't touch it, the reception bars will typically always show three or four. When I pick the phone back up, I see them drop to one or two. It's a weird and frustrating problem.

Has anyone else endured this?

[Guest willdenham]

You are holding the phone at the bottom. The antenna is down there, and your hand is making it harder for the antenna to receive a signal from the tower.

[Guest AGeleff]

You are holding the phone at the bottom. The antenna is down there, and your hand is making it harder for the antenna to receive a signal from the tower.

Well, if the antenna isn't strong enough to receive signal when my hand is covering it, I'm nearly certain that I want my money back.

Seriously though, it didn't start doing this until I started flashing ROMs. Is there any parallel here that could have caused this to happen? I flashed back to the default shipping radio and the problem still remains. I don't remember this ever happening prior to the flashing.

[Guest flame360]

I have the same problem :

When i first bought the nexus one few days ago in Germany, i had no issues at all with signal connectivity. My build number was EPF30, since i've rooted and instal froyo frf50 and aslo updadte the radio to Radio_20100203_2_Signed_PASSION(2) My signal got really poor never capetd 3g anymore and more than once i have no signal in bars restaurants etc any ideias in how to increase the signal again ? maybe flash the epf30 radio in it or un update of a better radio ?

[Guest willdenham]

Well, if the antenna isn't strong enough to receive signal when my hand is covering it, I'm nearly certain that I want my money back.

Seriously though, it didn't start doing this until I started flashing ROMs. Is there any parallel here that could have caused this to happen? I flashed back to the default shipping radio and the problem still remains. I don't remember this ever happening prior to the flashing.

Any phone with a bottom mounted antenna will see signal degradation if you hold it down there. Take the iPhone for example. Mine drops 1-2 bars if I cover it with my hand, and it's as simple as learning to hold your phone near the top while talking on it or using it.

I'm also thinking what you're seeing might just be a placebo effect, the signal is not any different than before, but since you've changed ROMs you're tricked into thinking that was it. The ROM itself wouldn't have updated the radio unless it states otherwise ( and it has to reboot twice during the flashing progress ). You can try getting better results with a newer radio, but it will not change the fact that putting your hand over the bottom of the phone will cause you to loose a bar or so. It's simply hard for the signal to transmit through your body, just as it is hard for the signal to pass through some metal piping/roofing in homes.