Asymptotic Performance of Nonlinear Demodulators in Impulsive Noise

We present a technique for calculating the bit error rate performance of nonlinear demodulators operating in impulsive noise in the limit of large time-bandwidth products. The asymptotic limit is given, together with first- and second-order corrections. We calculate bit error rates with two nonlinearities, a bandpass limiter and a low-pass limiter; the two are found to give very similar results. The computational technique is applicable to all noise distributions. We present results for two distributions, an analytic continuation of the Hall model and a truncated Hall mode. The models yield significantly different results.