Abstract: A wireless communication system may include a plurality of nodes that use a medium access control (MAC) protocol to communicate over a shared medium or a primary channel. The MAC protocol may include a non-transmitting state during which one or more nodes are silent in the primary channel while two nodes in the wireless communication system are in communicating over the primary channel. Systems and methods described herein use medium access protocol (MAC) underlay signaling, which may include measuring or sensing availability for spectrum or transmitting data without the loss of network throughput over a secondary channel in a wireless communications system. In some embodiments, the systems and methods described herein use dynamic spectrum access (DSA) protocols to switch the channel of communication in the wireless communication system.