Systems and methods for providing HS-SCCH masking and unmasking operations using user equipment identification field in generating a user equipment specific masking sequence are disclosed. The 1/2 rate convolution coding and the rate matching operations required to form the UE specific masking sequence to mask and unmask high speed shared control channel (HS-SCCH) packets are performed in a single operation. Look up tables and matrix coefficients used to provide a simple computation method to generate the needed UE specific masking sequence are provided. Apparatus and methods to use the UE specific masking sequence to unmask the HS-SCCH packets in a packet based radio frequency signaling communication system are disclosed.