Abstract: A direct sequence spread spectrum transmitter and receiver can be synchronized when the timing reference frequency is less than or equal to the data sampling rate and the ratio of the data sampling rate to the timing reference is an integer by combining two, four or eight consecutive data samples to yield one data sample point. By combining these data samples, an optimum data sample point may be determined while receiving an alternating sign preamble by comparing the magnitudes of all possible summations and selecting the sample which gives a maximum output. If each sample is assigned to its own synchronization point, then synchronization may be accomplished by locking to the time that gives the maximum output.