Algorithm of multithreshold decoding for non-binary self-orthogonal concatenated codes

Non-binary multithreshold decoding (qMTD) for q-ary self-orthogonal codes (qSOC) is considered. The SER performance of qMTD is shown to be close to the results provided by optimum total search methods, which are not realizable for non-binary codes in general. qMTD decoders are compared with different decoders for Reed-Solomon codes. The performance provided with qMTD in some cases is unattainable with classical decoders for arbitrary long Reed-Solomon codes. The result of concatenation of qSOC with simple to decode outer codes is described. Method of improving of qMTD decoder's performance for qSOC is offered. Some simulated results obtained by using these two decoding techniques (the base and modified ways) are presented as well. Comparison of the results showed that the change in the threshold element's algorithm can significantly improve speed of qMTD work. It's shown that for a larger gain this modification qMTD should be used after conventional decoding iterations.