Direct detection of wireless interferers in a communication device for multiple modulation types. One or more radios implemented within a communication device is/are operative to receive and process wireless communications. A wireless communication signal is processed to extract symbols there from. Various symbols groups are processed in accordance with correlation processing to identify potential interferers (e.g., other communication devices using common portions of frequency spectra). Alternatively, matched filter processing (e.g., using a Barker matched filter in some embodiments) operates on the various symbol groups to identify some potential interferers. Various combinations of correlation processing and matched filter processing may be employed in other instances (e.g., using any of a desired means of comparison, combining, etc.) in considering interferers identified in accordance with each of these two means. Also, re-identification and re-characterization of possible interferers may be performed subsequently to remove or re-admit frequency spectra for use in communications.