A circuit and algorithm are disclosed for a step2 search of a three step search of synchronization channels in a W-CDMA system. A mobile terminal of the CDMA system includes an RF downconverter for receiving I and Q signals. A searcher, responsive to the I and Q signals, includes a first correlator for correlating the I and Q signals with a primary synchronization code on a primary synchronization channel, and a second correlator for correlating I and Q signals with a secondary synchronization code on a secondary synchronization channel. The correlated I and Q signals are added for each of the secondary synchronization codes. An energy calculator and a maximum energy detector use the correlated I and Q signals of both the primary and secondary synchronization channels to detect the most likely scrambling code group of secondary synchronization codes.