Abstract: Binary digital data signal patterns containing either no transitions, periodically recurring transitions or both are randomized by constructing a key signal from a summation of selected stored digits of the data pattern and combining such key signal with the data signal to form a scrambled line signal for transmission. The line signal so constructed is free of signal energy concentrated at particular frequencies and provides signal transitions adequate in number to assure reliable recovery of synchronization information. Descrambling of the received line signal is accomplished by precisely the inverse of the scrambling operation. The system is self-synchronizing because the key signals constructed by each of the scrambler and descrambler are derived from the same line signal.