List Decodability of Random Subcodes of Gabidulin Codes

Efficient list decoding of rank-metric codes seems more difficult compared with classical block codes although list decodability of random rank-metric codes is completely determined by Ding. For example, it was shown by Raviv and Wachter-Zeh that the list decoding radius of Gabidulin codes is the same as the unique decoding radius, i.e., half the minimum distance for some instances of parameters. On the other hand, Guruswami and Xing give an explicit construction of subcodes of Gabidulin codes, which can be list decoded up to the Singleton bound. This implies that subcodes of Gabidulin codes are good candidates for list decoding. In this paper, we confirm that, with overwhelming probability, a random subcode of a Gabidulin code can be list decoded with decoding radius far beyond half of the minimum distance.