Coding for BPSK SFH/SSMA Communications over Fading Channels

Abstract

The preformance of asynchronous slow-frequency-hopped (SFH) spread-spectrum multiple-access (SSMA) communications over nonselective fading channels is examined. Binary phase-shift-keying (BPSK) modulation with coherent demodulation is employed. Bounds and approximations on the average bit error probability are first obtained for uncoded systems. Then the performance of various error-control coding schemes such as convolutional codes and Reed-Solomon codes with and without channel monitoring is compared. It is shown that error-control coding, in particular the use of Reed-Solomon codes, neutralizes channel fading and increases the multiple-access capability of SFH/SSMA systems.