In the method for operating an interference multiple access communications system, wherein the improvement comprises the steps of employing a distributed scheduler within a Media Access Controller (MAC) for Multiuser Detection (MUD) enabled Mobile Ad-hoc Networks (MANETS) to increase spectral efficiency by increasing spectral use and providing a way to dynamically allocate virtual channels to achieve maximum channel reuse in different network topologies and different link patterns and to ameliorate any hidden or exposed node problems.