Abstract: Signals in the form of wave elements of one or more subscriber signals are received at a receiving device assigned a number Ka of receiving sensors and the direction of the signals is estimated. Ka received signals are received via the receiving sensors and are composed of at least one subscriber signal which has a transmitter-specific fine structure impressed on it. A kth subscriber signal, with k=1 . . . K, is transmitted by means of Kd wave elements whose directions of arrival at the receiving location differ. Channel impulse responses assigned to the Ka receiving sensors are determined from the received signals, and the direction of arrival of at least one wave element is determined from the channel impulse responses. The direction estimation can advantageously be used in mobile radio, radar, sonar or seismic measurement systems.