Frame error rates for convolutional codes on fading channels and the concept of effective E/sub b//N/sub 0/

We consider the estimation of Viterbi decoder performance for convolutional codes with interleaving over fading channels subject to practical power control algorithms. Given a received vector of (time-varying) E/sub b//N/sub 0/ values for a frame, we compute the error probability and effective E/sub b//N/sub 0/ for that frame, where the latter is defined as the E/sub b//N/sub 0/ on an AWGN channel that results in the same frame error rate. We validate our analysis using the R=1/3 convolutional code and interleaver used on the IS-95 CDMA reverse channel.