The multipath problem: an overview

The object of the paper is to describe the multipath problem, and especially the mathematical methods used to model its effects. We distinguish between narrow-band and wide band systems, and describe fading and dispersion, respectively the main effects in these classes of system. We then review very briefly the range of techniques used to overcome multipath effects. Finally we consider the effectiveness of an approach not usually thought of as an anti-multipath technique: namely FEC coding. We show that FEC coding alone can be effective under certain circumstances against both fading and dispersion.