A wireless code division multiple access (CDMA) communication system, including a base station (BS) and a subscriber unit (SU), uses adaptive forward power control (AFPC) and adaptive reverse power control (ARPC) to control the transmit power of forward and reverse link radio frequency (RF) channel signals, respectively. Automatic gain control (AGC) signals are produced to maintain the level of forward and reverse CDMA signals at a near constant level. The CDMA signals are despread to produce first and second despread signals. The first and second despread signals are used to produce a first error signal e1. A second error signal e2 is produced based on the AGC signals. Combined error signals are formed based on the first error signal e1 and the second error signal e2. The combined error signals are hard limited to form adaptive power control (APC) bits used to control the level of the forward and reverse link RF channel signals.