Code division multiple access schemes for terrestrial and satellite mobile communication networks: Modeling and performance evaluation

This paper deals with the modeling and performance evaluation of different Code Division Multiple Access schemes suitable for applications in terrestrial and satellite mobile communication networks. The use of particular propagation channel models and the relative sensitivity of different demodulation schemes to their parameters are the subject the paper is focused on. In particular, an extension to the case of wideband communications of Lutz's satellite channel model is presented. The main goal is to analyze how the increased interference level, typical of a multipath environment, can influence different demodulator architectures in different propagation conditions. Perfectly coherent and differential modulation methods are employed with conventional and RAKE receivers to derive the error rate performance by computer simulations. Some issues concerning the characterization of the propagation channel models in the case of the RAKE receiver are also investigated and discussed.