Design of optimum M-PSK codes for Rayleigh fading channel

A methodology for the design of M-PSK codes for the Rayleigh fading channel optimised for a specific target BER is proposed, using the framework of mu ltilevel coded modulation. The principle is to equalise the BER at each sta ge of a multistage decoder. An 8-PSK code is designed which exceeds the per formance of the code of Seshadri and Sundberg by 2.4dB at BER = 10(-3), as well as 16-PSK codes optimised for BERs of 10(-3) and 10(-6). No additional interleaver delay is introduced beyond that required by the channel.