Difference Sets Corresponding to a Class of Symmetric Designs

We study difference sets with parameters(v, k, ) = (p ^s(r ^2m - 1)/(r - 1), p ^s-1 r ^2m-2 r - 1)r ^{2m -2}, where r = r ^s - 1)/(p - 1) and p is a prime. Examples for such difference sets are known from a construction of McFarland which works for m = 1 and all p,s. We will prove a structural theorem on difference sets with the above parameters; it will include the result, that under the self-conjugacy assumption McFarland's construction yields all difference sets in the underlying groups. We also show that no abelian .160; 54; 18/-difference set exists. Finally, we give a new nonexistence prove of (189, 48, 12)-difference sets in Z ₃ × Z ₉ × Z ₇.