Described techniques provide for transmission of synchronization signals using frequency hopping across a number of hopping frequencies in unlicensed or shared radio frequency spectrum. A base station may identify a set of hop frequencies for transmitting synchronization signals, and transmit synchronization signals using a hopping pattern over the hop frequencies. A user equipment (UE) seeking to identify the base station may monitor one or more of the hop frequencies to identify one or more synchronization signals on the hop frequency. A system timing may be identified in some cases, and one or more base station IDs may be identified. In some cases, a hop frequency may be monitored for a duration that may span the transmission of two or more synchronization signals of a particular base station, based on a periodicity of synchronization signal transmissions on each hop frequency.