A method of operating a radio-based communications system is described. Signals from a plurality of mobile stations can be received by a plurality of antennae (11) of a base station (10). Profiles of the received signals can be calculated by a plurality of path-profiler-units (12). Specified individual values can be selected from the calculated profiles by a path-selector-unit (14). A plurality of rake-finger-units (16) can be assigned to the arrival times of the selected individual values. A predetermined number of path-profiler-units (12) are provided which can be distributed with the aid of a path-profiler-manager (13) between the plurality of antennae (11) and the plurality of mobile stations.