Bayesian approach for the generation of side information in frequency-hop communications with selective fading and multiple access interference

In this paper we propose a method for symbol erasure decision in a dispersive propagation environment, based on Bayesian decision theory. The decision rule is used with Reed-Solomon coding and error-and-erasures decoding. The proposed method is based on a decision feedback approach to eliminate statistical dependence among envelope detector's outputs of an M-FSK non-coherent demodulator. The performance is analyzed for channels with different levels of selectivity and synchronous multiple access interference. It is shown that the use of memoryless decision approaches result in poor performance, whereas the proposed technique provides large coding gains even for severe selectivity. Sensitivity results on error propagation due to decision feedback are also given.