A system for chaotic sequence spread spectrum communications includes a transmitter (402) for transmitting information symbols using a chaotic sequence of chips generated at the transmitter, the information symbols having a duration of transmission based on a threshold symbol energy value and the chips. The system also includes a receiver (404) for extracting the information symbols from the transmitted signal using a chaotic sequence of chips generated at the receiver and the threshold symbol energy value. In the system, the chips generated at the transmitter and the receiver are identical and synchronized in time, where the duration of transmission of the information symbols in the carrier is a total duration of a selected number of the chips used for transmitting, and where the number of the chips is selected for the information symbols to provide a total chip energy greater than or equal to the threshold symbol energy value.