Error performance of distributed turbo coded cooperative systems over cascaded fading channels

In this paper, error performances of distributed parallel concatenated (turbo) coded relay/cooperative systems, whose component codes are recursive space-time trellis codes are investigated over cascaded fading channels. Two separate systems with one and two relays are considered. In the first system, the relay uses “decode and forward” method while in the second one, the relays use “amplify and forward” and decode and forward methods. Computer simulations are performed under the double Rayleigh fading channel assumption and the superiority of the distributed turbo coded systems is presented.