The technology comprises method(s) and apparatus for operating a telecommunications system. In its basic form the method comprises providing plural channelization codes for potential use by an uplink receiver; using unused channelization codes of the plural codes to generate an estimate of an impairment covariance matrix; and using the estimate of the impairment covariance matrix to form a processing parameter. For example, the processing parameter can be one or more weight values which, in turn, are can be used for generating a combined output signal.