A mobile device in an OFDM system receives an OFDM signal comprising a plurality of RS tones and data OFDM symbols. The received RS tones are extracted for channel estimation, which is performed by masking channel responses of the extracted RS tones. Pointers of the extracted RS tones are shifted so that the extracted RS tones are spaced in a subcarrier at regular intervals. Pointers of associated positive counted or indexed subcarriers are shifted one subcarrier lower while no pointer shifting on associated negative counted or indexed subcarriers. IFFT operation is applied to the resulting pointer shifted RS tones to determine the channel impulse responses. Desired channel taps are weighted using non-zero masking values, while undesired channel taps and/or channel tap replicas are weighted using zero. The masked channel impulse responses are back shifted in subcarrier prior to channel equalization.