Shift-Inequivalent Decimations of the Sidelnikov-Lempel-Cohn-Eastman Sequences

We consider the problem of finding maximal sets of shift-inequivalent decimations of Sidelnikov-Lempel-Cohn-Eastman (SLCE) sequences (as well as the equivalent problem of determining the multiplier groups of the almost difference sets associated with these sequences). We derive a numerical necessary condition for a residue to be a multiplier of an SLCE almost difference set. Using our necessary condition, we show that if $p$ is an odd prime and $S$ is an SLCE almost difference set over $\mathbb{F}_p,$ then the multiplier group of $S$ is trivial. Consequently, for each odd prime $p,$ we obtain a family of $\phi(p-1)$ shift-inequivalent balanced periodic sequences (where $\phi$ is the Euler-Totient function) each having period $p-1$ and nearly perfect autocorrelation.