Blind decision feedback equalization application to underwater communication systems

This paper deals with a new blind decision feedback equalizer (DFE) introduced in Labat et al. (1995) and illustrates its good behaviour in an underwater acoustic communication system. Over such a severe channel, the results turn out to be really outstanding in the sense that the new equalizer clearly outperforms the conventional trained DFE thanks to its ability to modify, in a reversible way, both its structure and its criteria for adaptation. This is evidenced through real signals originating from experiments carried out in Brest Bay. Moreover this new equalizer has been implemented on a DSP and its behaviour observed for a few hours. The results are fully satisfactory.