Here is full stand-alone sample code:
Code:
#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
#include <unistd.h>
#include <sys/ioctl.h>
#include <sys/types.h>
#include <sys/stat.h>
#include <fcntl.h>

#define EMPEG_MIXER_MAGIC 'm'
#define EMPEG_MIXER_READ_SIGNAL_STRENGTH _IOR(EMPEG_MIXER_MAGIC, 18, int)
#define EMPEG_MIXER_READ_SIGNAL_STEREO  _IOR(EMPEG_MIXER_MAGIC, 19, int)
#define EMPEG_MIXER_READ_SIGNAL_NOISE   _IOR(EMPEG_MIXER_MAGIC, 21, int)
#define EMPEG_MIXER_READ_SIGNAL_MULTIPATH _IOR(EMPEG_MIXER_MAGIC, 22, int)
#define EMPEG_MIXER_READ_SIGNAL_STRENGTH_FAST _IOR(EMPEG_MIXER_MAGIC, 24, int)

int main (int argc, char *argv[])
{
        const char devpath[] = "/dev/mixer";
        int fd, result;

        fd = open(devpath, O_RDWR);
        if (fd == -1) {
                perror(devpath);
                exit(1);
        }
        if (-1 == ioctl(fd, EMPEG_MIXER_READ_SIGNAL_STRENGTH, &result)) {
                perror("EMPEG_MIXER_READ_SIGNAL_STRENGTH");
                exit(1);
        }
        printf("EMPEG_MIXER_READ_SIGNAL_STRENGTH = %d\n", result);
        if (-1 == ioctl(fd, EMPEG_MIXER_READ_SIGNAL_STEREO, &result)) {
                perror("EMPEG_MIXER_READ_SIGNAL_STEREO");
                exit(1);
        }
        printf("EMPEG_MIXER_READ_SIGNAL_STEREO = %d\n", result);
        if (-1 == ioctl(fd, EMPEG_MIXER_READ_SIGNAL_NOISE, &result)) {
                perror("EMPEG_MIXER_READ_SIGNAL_NOISE");
                exit(1);
        }
        printf("EMPEG_MIXER_READ_SIGNAL_NOISE = %d\n", result);
        if (-1 == ioctl(fd, EMPEG_MIXER_READ_SIGNAL_MULTIPATH, &result)) {
                perror("EMPEG_MIXER_READ_SIGNAL_MULTIPATH");
                exit(1);
        }
        printf("EMPEG_MIXER_READ_SIGNAL_MULTIPATH = %d\n", result);
        if (-1 == ioctl(fd, EMPEG_MIXER_READ_SIGNAL_STRENGTH_FAST, &result)) {
                perror("EMPEG_MIXER_READ_SIGNAL_STRENGTH_FAST");
                exit(1);
        }
        printf("EMPEG_MIXER_READ_SIGNAL_STRENGTH_FAST = %d\n", result);
        return 0;
}


Running on Hijack v504, tuned to a mono-FM station, I see this output:

EMPEG_MIXER_READ_SIGNAL_STRENGTH = 38658
EMPEG_MIXER_READ_SIGNAL_STEREO = 0
EMPEG_MIXER_READ_SIGNAL_NOISE = 1526
EMPEG_MIXER_READ_SIGNAL_MULTIPATH = 1782
EMPEG_MIXER_READ_SIGNAL_STRENGTH_FAST = 38832