Level (Signal Meter)
Measure signal strength
What it does
SimpleThis is like a 'hotter/colder' game for radio. You pick one frequency, and a bar on the screen goes up when the signal is strong and down when it's weak. Turn around slowly, or walk in different directions, and the bar tells you when you're getting closer to where the signal is coming from.
It turns your device into a simple radio compass — great for finding a hidden transmitter or aiming an antenna the best way.
How it works
SimpleThe app measures how loud the radio energy is at your chosen frequency, many times a second, and draws it as a bar. Antennas 'hear' better in some directions than others, so when you point the antenna the right way, the bar jumps up — that's the direction the signal is coming from.
How to use it, step by step
Simple- Open the 'Level' app.
- Type the frequency you want to check.
- Watch the bar.
- Turn around slowly and notice where the bar is highest — that's toward the signal.
- Walk that way and watch it climb.
Examples
In a fox-hunt game, use rising RSSI to walk straight toward a hidden beacon.
Point a directional antenna at a distant repeater and rotate it for the strongest reading.
Track down a noisy device in your home by watching where the level spikes as you move room to room.
Tips & things to try
- Your own body blocks radio — turning your body between the antenna and the source is a cheap way to find direction.
- Reduce gain as you get close, or the meter will 'pin' at maximum and stop being useful.
- A cheap directional antenna turns Level from a strength meter into a real compass.