The method of linear interpolation of the discrete Fourier transform (LIDFT
) to estimate parameters of a signal consisting of many sinusoidal oscillat
ions, has been presented in the paper. The LIDFT method combines beneficial
properties from known procedures of nonlinear interpolation of a spectrum,
obtained as a result of DFT and from parametric methods based on the Prony
method, The LIDFT algorithm with beneficial numerical properties has been
obtained after formulating the assumptions of the LIDFT method, providing a
linear matrix equation and following symbolic transformations of this equa
tion. The basic operations involved are the FFT algorithm and linear matrix
equation solving procedure. The parametric, linearizing data window togeth
er with the method developed to choose the window parameter allow for effec
tive application of the LIDFT method depending on the examined signal chara
cter.