An apparatus for wireless communications is disclosed. The apparatus includes a processing system configured to configure a subset of a plurality of RF receiver chains coupled to respective antennas to receive in an omnidirectional manner, the subset comprising at least one RF receiver chain of the plurality of RF receiver chains; determine a first energy level of at least one signal received via the subset while the subset of RF receiver chains is configured to receive in the omnidirectional manner; configure the plurality of RF receiver chains to directionally receive from a target device based on the first energy level; determine a second energy level of the at least one signal received via the RF receiver chains while the RF receiver chains are configured to directionally receive from the target device; and generate data from the at least one signal based on the second energy level.