A novel code combining system based on Reed-Muller codes is presented. Beca
use of their simple structure RM codes are simple to decode using a trellis
based soft maximum likelihood decoder (SMLD). The decoder exploits the mod
ular structure of the RM code to construct a set of nested trellises which
minimise the complexity of the decoder by re-using the results of previous
decoding attempts. A protocol utilising this technique to produce an effici
ent code combining ARQ-scheme is also introduced.