A method includes generating a sampling signal having a non-uniform sampling interval and sampling a received signal with an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) using the sampling signal. The method also includes mapping the sampled received signal onto a frequency grid of sinusoids, where each sinusoid has a signal amplitude and a signal phase. The method further includes estimating the signal amplitude and the signal phase for each sinusoid in the frequency grid. In addition, the method includes computing an average background power level and detecting signals with power higher than the average background power level. The non-uniform sampling interval varies predictably.