Synchronization of frequency hopped spread spectrum signals

The frequency hopped spread spectrum waveform is commonly used by mobile communications systems for its ability to combat interference, its inherent frequency diversity and its multiple access capability. It is therefore to be expected that these systems will be operated over channels subject to fading and interference. Since synchronization is a vital aspect of spread spectrum communications, it is important to predict synchronization performance in such adverse environments. A theoretical analysis of frequency hopped signal detection and synchronization strategies is presented. A typical system for the acquisition and tracking of frequency hopped signals is discussed and its performance characterised. This paper is tutorial in nature and collates and extends the work of [1] and [2].