A cellular wireless communication network transmits spread spectrum signals that are spread by a pseudonoise (PN) code with any of a plurality of PN offsets, such that different coverage areas use different PN offsets. In each coverage area, the network transmits a plurality of forward link channels, each defined by a respective Walsh code, without transmitting a pilot signal. A wireless communication device (WCD) begins operating in a given coverage area and determines the PN offset used in the given coverage area by receiving a forward link signal having a Walsh code of a sync channel, paging channel, or other channel that transmits a broadcast message. The WCD selects a target bit sequence that would be expected to be included in the broadcast message. The WCD finds an effective PN offset that enables the WCD to despread the forward link signal and recover the target bit sequence.