Detection of spread-spectrum signals

Methods of detecting spread-spectrum signals without knowledge of the pseudorandom code used to generate the signal are summarized. Exact and approximate methods of calculating relationships among detection probability, false-alarm rate, and signal-to-noise ratio are given for radiometers and for hop-detection systems. Comments are made about the validity of various approximations commonly used. Instructions are given for comparing detection methods for any given hopped signal, whether produced by simple hopping or a hybrid combination of frequency hopping, time hopping, and pseudonoise. Graphical results are presented for detecting hopped signals by using a binary moving-window detector, and this technique is compared with other detection methods.