A quick pull-in timing recovery technique for frequency hopped systems

In this paper we propose a quick pull-in timing recovery technique for coherent M-ary Phase Shift Keying (MPSK) receivers for frequency hopped systems. The pull-in technique approximates the maximum likelihood (ML) technique. It is achieved based on a set of six correlators spaced equally by a half symbol period (T_sym) and an interpolation filter. The interpolator is designed to exploit the property of the transmitting filter. It is chosen to satisfy the Nyquist zero-intersymbol interference (ISI) criterion. Computer Monte Carlo simulation is used to evaluate the performance of the pull-in technique against the ML technique. For Binary Phase Shift Keying (BPSK) signaling, we show that the performance of proposed technique tracks the ML technique.