<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class="">The antenna surely helps, but in some locations you can receive a signal with a piece of wet string resting on the antenna connection. Seriously. At my office desktop, I still get 3G without an antenna connected (but I don’t recommend it due to possible feedback in the modem module).<div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">These are not binary on/off situations. An antenna rated to 1710-1990 will still work at 1991, or even 2100, but just not optimally with the best reception or transmission.<br class=""><div><br class=""></div><div>The original Fasttech antennas were designed for 2G (OVMS v2), but should still cover some 3G ranges optimally. The newer ones (from Medlock in USA and OpenEnergyMonitor in UK) should cover all ranges (up to and including 4G LTE) - and we used these for radio certification so have been very thoroughly tested at all the supported 2G and 3G frequency ranges.</div><div><br class=""></div><div>Regards, Mark.</div><div><br class=""><blockquote type="cite" class=""><div class="">On 5 Aug 2020, at 12:21 AM, Chris van der Meijden <<a href="mailto:chris@arachnon.de" class="">chris@arachnon.de</a>> wrote:</div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"><div class="">
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" class="">
<div class=""><div class="">Still digging on the subject ...</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Today I took my original Fasttech OVMS v2 antenna out of my Nissan Leaf and connected it to the OVMS v3 in our VW e-Up. And surprise, surprise I got direct connection over the SIM to the network.</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">The VW antenna gives me -101 dBm, the Fasttech antenna gives me -91 dBm.</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">So I took a look at the frequencies ...</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">The old fasttech antenna has a frequency range of 824-960 / 1710-1990.
</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">o2 (my SIM card provider) uses GSM 900 and GSM+LTE 1800 for 2g (4g LTE cannot be used on the SIM5360) and uses UMTS 2100 for 3g.</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Now I have two theories on what make things go wrong with the VW antenna, but work with the fasttech antenna:</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">1. My home made sma / fakra adapter cable to the VW antenna is bad (could be, but in the city it connects)</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">2. Because 3g on 2100 mHz is not available through the fasttech antenna, OVMS v3 is forced to 2g and everything runs fine.</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Any corrections on the second theory are welcome. I'm guessing ...</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">I will buy an other sma 2g/3g antenna just to get rid of the problem, but will also continue thinking on this one.</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Greetinx</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Chris</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Am Montag, den 03.08.2020, 12:31 +0200 schrieb Chris van der Meijden:</div><blockquote type="cite" class=""><div class="">Hi Michael</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">yeah, economical visionaries are always a lot of fun :-))</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">I read that "GSM voices services" line too and checked on that with my mobile phone. I restricted the connection of the phone with *#*#4636#*#* to "GSM auto (PRL)" and it connects to EDGE. So data over GSM is available ...</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Still mysterious. Will dig some more ...</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Greetinx</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Chris</div><div class=""> </div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Am Montag, den 03.08.2020, 12:21 +0200 schrieb Michael Balzer:</div><blockquote type="cite" class="">
Chris,<br class="">
<br class="">
we don't tell the modem to restrict itself in any way. Bugs in the
modem firmware are likely, but I think a serious bug like this would
have been solved early.<br class="">
<br class="">
I've read the pilot description now, and you need to pay attention
to this section:<br class="">
<br class="">
<blockquote type="cite" class="">statt der üblichen drei Dienste LTE, UMTS
und GSM kommen in Kirchfarrnbach "nur" LTE 800 und LTE 900 für die
Datenversorgung sowie GSM für Sprachdienste und SMS zum Einsatz.
Auf UMTS haben die Funknetzplaner hier verzichtet, weil bereits
LTE und GSM alle Anforderungen der Bevölkerung erfüllen.</blockquote>
<br class="">
…translated…<br class="">
<blockquote type="cite" class="">Instead of the usual three services LTE,
UMTS and GSM, "only" LTE 800 and LTE 900 are used in
Kirchfarrnbach for data supply as well as GSM for voice services
and SMS. The radio network planners have dispensed with UMTS here
because LTE and GSM already meet all the requirements of the
population.</blockquote>
<br class="">
So you have neither UMTS nor EDGE. GSM is only available for voice
streams and SMS. Data is only available via LTE.<br class="">
<br class="">
Your only option is to tell them they're a bunch of … outstanding
economical visionaries, who could possibly consider rethinking their
IoT compatibility ;-)<br class="">
<br class="">
Regards,<br class="">
Michael<br class="">
<br class="">
<br class="">
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">Am 03.08.20 um 11:33 schrieb Chris van
der Meijden:<br class="">
</div>
<blockquote type="cite" cite="mid:1596447186.2720.4.camel@arachnon.de" class="">
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" class="">
<div class="">I did some more reading on the SIM5360 and also digged a bit
through the simcom source. Found loads of AT-commands there :-)</div>
<div class=""><br class="">
</div>
<div class="">I could not find an AT command to restrict the selection to
2g. Perhaps I did not look deep enough, but if someone knows the
command ...</div>
<div class=""><br class="">
</div>
<div class="">I'm still thinking why the automatic fallback to 2g does not
happen. </div>
<div class=""><br class="">
</div>
<div class="">- The transmitter offers only 2g (GSM 900 mHz) and LTE (800
or 1800). No 3g.</div>
<div class="">- I have a signal strength of -110 to -100 dBm</div>
<div class="">- AT+COPS? gives me an empty response.</div>
<div class=""><br class="">
</div>
<div class="">Could it be possible, that somewhere in the code something
like</div>
<div class=""><br class="">
</div>
<div class="">- I don't have 3g</div>
<div class="">- I do have LTE</div>
<div class="">- Lets try LTE</div>
<div class="">- I see LTE</div>
<div class="">- I have no hardware for LTE</div>
<div class="">- OK, don't do anything</div>
<div class=""><br class="">
</div>
<div class="">happens? So somehow fallback to 2g never happens?</div>
<div class=""><br class="">
</div>
<div class="">Just guessing around ...</div>
<div class=""><br class="">
</div>
<div class="">Regards</div>
<div class=""><br class="">
</div>
<div class="">Chris</div>
<div class=""> </div>
<div class=""><br class="">
</div>
<div class="">Am Montag, den 03.08.2020, 10:10 +0800 schrieb Mark
Webb-Johnson:</div>
<blockquote type="cite" class="">The SIM5360E should auto-switch between 2G
and 3G. It supports the following frequency bands:
<div class=""><br class="">
</div>
<blockquote style="margin: 0 0 0 40px; border: none; padding:
0px;" class="">
<div class=""><span style="font-family: arial, verdana, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class="">GSM/GPRS/EDGE
850/900/1800/1900MHz;</span></div>
<div class=""><span style="font-family: arial, verdana, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class="">UMTS/HSPA+
900/2100MHz</span></div>
</blockquote>
<div class=""><br class="">
</div>
<div class="">There are SIMCOM options/commands to restrict the
selection, but the default is automatic.</div>
<div class=""><br class="">
<div class="">Regards, Mark</div>
<div class=""><br class="">
<blockquote type="cite" class="">
<div class="">On 2 Aug 2020, at 6:40 PM, Chris van der
Meijden <<a href="mailto:chris@arachnon.de" class="" moz-do-not-send="true">chris@arachnon.de</a>>
wrote:</div>
<div class="">
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;
charset=UTF-8" class="">
<div class="">
<div class="">Hey Michael</div>
<div class=""><br class="">
</div>
<div class="">Thanx for the help :-)</div>
<div class=""><br class="">
</div>
<div class="">The AT commands are working now, but as
expected no connection at all. So also no fallback
to 2g. Or no GPRS offered on 2g ...</div>
<div class=""><br class="">
</div>
<div class="">Here some (German) information on the
"site lite" transmitters:</div>
<div class=""><br class="">
</div>
<div class=""><a href="https://www.telekom.com/de/blog/netz/artikel/standort-light-pilotprojekt-552152" class="" moz-do-not-send="true">https://www.telekom.com/de/blog/netz/artikel/standort-light-pilotprojekt-552152</a></div>
<div class=""><br class="">
</div>
<div class="">I also did not find any AT command for
the SIM5360 to force 2g. I will play a bit around
with the modem in the next days. Will also try
congstar, I do have a congstar SIM laying around
here ...</div>
<div class=""><br class="">
</div>
<div class="">Greetinx</div>
<div class=""><br class="">
</div>
<div class="">Chris</div>
<div class=""><br class="">
</div>
<div class=""><br class="">
</div>
<div class="">Am Sonntag, den 02.08.2020, 10:59 +0200
schrieb Michael Balzer:</div>
<blockquote type="cite" class=""> Chris,<br class="">
<br class="">
how to send modem commands and read the responses:<br class="">
<br class="">
<tt class="">OVMS# log level debug simcom</tt><tt class=""><br class="">
</tt><tt class="">Logging level for simcom set to
debug</tt><tt class=""><br class="">
</tt><tt class="">OVMS# simcom cmd AT+COPS?</tt><tt class=""><br class="">
</tt><tt class="">SIMCOM command has been sent.</tt><tt class=""><br class="">
</tt><tt class="">D (164488782) simcom: tx mcmd ch=4
len=10 : AT+COPS?</tt><tt class=""><br class="">
</tt><tt class="">D (164488792) simcom: rx line ch=4
len=23 : +COPS: 0,0,"congstar",2</tt><tt class=""><br class="">
</tt><tt class="">D (164488802) simcom: rx line ch=4
len=2 : OK</tt><br class="">
<br class="">
Now let's see if we have 3G:<br class="">
<br class="">
<tt class="">OVMS# simcom cmd AT+CPSI?</tt><tt class=""><br class="">
</tt><tt class="">SIMCOM command has been sent.</tt><tt class=""><br class="">
</tt><tt class="">D (164693462) simcom: tx mcmd ch=4
len=10 : AT+CPSI?</tt><tt class=""><br class="">
</tt><tt class="">D (164693482) simcom: rx line ch=4
len=85 : +CPSI:
WCDMA,Online,262-01,0x16C3,7824927,WCDMA IMT
2000,454,10836,0,7.5,104,18,8,500</tt><tt class=""><br class="">
</tt><tt class="">D (164693482) simcom: rx line ch=4
len=2 : OK</tt><br class="">
<br class="">
Yes. Well, no surprise, Telekom network :-).<br class="">
<br class="">
The SIM5360 is supposed to automatically fall back
to 2G if 3G isn't available. On a quick browse
through the manual, I didn't find a command to force
2G, just one to lock to a specific 2G cell… you
could do that depending on your location, but maybe
you should first inspect your modem status now.<br class="">
<br class="">
Regards,<br class="">
Michael<br class="">
<br class="">
<br class="">
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">Am 02.08.20 um 09:39
schrieb Chris van der Meijden:<br class="">
</div>
<blockquote type="cite" cite="mid:1596353995.7318.1.camel@arachnon.de" class="">
<meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" class="">
<div class="">Hi all</div>
<div class=""><br class="">
</div>
<div class="">I'm trying to understand some
principals of the SIM connection methods of
OVMS.</div>
<div class=""><br class="">
</div>
<div class="">Reason is that I recently moved from
"the big city" Munich to the very much rural
village Thalham. In Thalham we have so called
"lite" mobile transmitters. These transmitters
are installed, as far as I understood, to safe
money and to prepare the transition of the
providers to 4g / 5g. They are forcing the
frequencies towards the 4g band with those.</div>
<div class=""><br class="">
</div>
<div class="">So these transmitters seem to offer
only 2g and 4g, but no more 3g (really ???).</div>
<div class=""><br class="">
</div>
<div class="">I don't have any network connection
with the SIM in my OVMS here in Thalham. In the
next village Zolling I have connection. In
Zolling they don't have the "lite" transmitters,
but still have full 3g support. The antenna of
my OVMS is working well (-100 dBm to -70 dBm).</div>
<div class=""><br class="">
</div>
<div class="">Now my questions ...</div>
<div class=""><br class="">
</div>
<div class="">Does OVMS have a fallback on SIM5360
Europe to 2g (EDGE) if 3g is not available?</div>
<div class=""><br class="">
</div>
<div class="">I also did some reading in the modem
documentation and tried to send some AT
commands. Goal is to try to force the SIM into
2g mode. I tried i.e.</div>
<div class=""><br class="">
</div>
<div class="">simcom muxtx 2 AT+COPS?</div>
<div class=""><br class="">
</div>
<div class="">to get some information from the
SIM, but I don't get an answer on that command
at all. No matter what channel I try. Am I
missing something there?</div>
<div class=""><br class="">
</div>
<div class="">Thanx for input.</div>
<div class=""><br class="">
</div>
<div class="">Regards</div>
<div class=""><br class="">
</div>
<div class="">Chris</div>
<br class="">
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