Aspects of the present disclosure are directed to apparatuses and methods involving the detection of signal characteristics. As may be implemented in accordance with one or more embodiments, an apparatus includes a radar or sonar transceiver that transmits signals and receives reflections of the transmitted signals. A data compression circuit determines a compression factor based on characteristics of the signals, such as may relate to a channel over which the signal passes and/or related aspects of an object from which the signals are reflected (e.g., velocity, trajectory and distance). Data representing the signals is compressed as a function of the determined compression factor.