Signal Monitor is an android app and a cross platform desktop app that displays your phone's 
signal strength and data transmission state icons in your computer's system tray area.
This is useful while tethered so that you can monitor your network status while the 
phone is in your pocket or bag.

The android app is written in Java and the client is written in Python with pyQt.
The programs were developed on a linux box but they should be able to compile and run anywhere
with a Java compiler, android sdk and python + pyqt.

Instructions for building on Linux:

cd android
ant debug

This creates an apk file in the bin directory: SignalMonitor-debug.apk.
You can copy that to your phone and install it, or you can install with adb:

sudo adb install bin/SignalMonitor-debug.apk

Now start your tethering session on the phone and computer.

On the phone you just start the app and you will see the debugging output.
You can exit the app and it will stay running as a service.

On the Linux system, you then start the desktop app:

cd ../qt
./signalmonitor.py

Automatic server address means that the desktop app will connect to the default gateway.
This should be the default configuration for wifi tethering.
Pressing OK should start the client and you should see the icons in your status bar.