Iterative Decoding of Multiple-Step Majority Logic Decodable Codes

We investigate the performance of iterative decoding algorithms for multistep majority logic decodable (MSMLD) codes of intermediate length. We introduce a new bit-flipping algorithm that is able to decode these codes nearly as well as a maximum-likelihood decoder on the binary-symmetric channel. We show that MSMLD codes decoded using bit-flipping algorithms can outperform comparable Bose-Chaudhuri-Hocquenghem (BCH) codes decoded using standard algebraic decoding algorithms, at least for high bit-flip rates (or low and moderate signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs)).