Markov characterization of digital fading mobile VHF channels

We apply techniques for the modeling of error sequences on digital communication channels to results of experiments undertaken on mobile VHF channels. The experiments were carried out using four different modulation schemes at some of the different standardized signaling rates. The modulation schemes used were: FSK @ 300 baud, DPSK @ 1200 baud, QPSK @ 1200 baud, and 8-ary PSK @ 1600 baud, and in each case, subcarrier modulation was used. The experiments were undertaken for urban as well as freeway environments. Fritchman-partitioned Markov chain models were derived throughout, and from the models, block error probability distributions were derived. These block error probability distributions or P(m,n) give the probability that a block of n bits will contain exactly m errors. We present P(⩾m,n) for 7-, 15-, 31-, 63-, 127-, and 255-b blocks, for the above-mentioned modulation schemes, in the mobile VHF environments mentioned. P(⩾m,n) denotes the probability that at least m errors will occur in a block of n bits. Furthermore, the P(⩾m,n) information presented here, should give some indication of the performance to be expected from block error-correcting schemes