A weighted open loop power control system for controlling transmission power levels using a spread spectrum time division duplex (TDD) technique having frames with timeslots for communication comprises a receiver and a transmitter. The receiver includes a reference channel data generator, a spreading and training sequence insertion device, an amplifier, a summer, a modulator, and an antenna. The transmitter includes a demodulator configured to receive a transmitted signal from the receiver, a channel estimation device, a data estimation device, and a weighted open loop power controller. The weighted open loop power controller includes a power measurement device, a pathloss estimation device configured to receive an interpreted power level from the data estimation device and estimate the pathloss and update a long term average of the pathloss, a quality measurement device, and a transmit power calculation device for determining the transmitter's power level and to control the receiver's amplifier.