Fading channel performance analysis for the decoding of convolutional codes

In this paper the performance of convolutional decoding over fading channels is explored, The decoding algorithm used are the Viterbi and bidirectional algorithms. By estimating a "decoder weight spectrum" for the decoder, an "equivalent free distance" may be observed. Furthermore, using this "decoder weight spectrum" useful estimations of the error probabilities are obtained and compared to computer simulation results in the case of very slow and very fast fading. The resultant curves are shown to be very tightly related.