Takawira, Fambirai.Nkouatchah, Telex Magloire Ngatched.2013-05-272013-05-2720012001http://hdl.handle.net/10413/8993Thesis (M.Sc.Eng)-University of Natal, Durban, 2001.Turbo codes are a class of forward error correction (FEC) codes that offer energy efficiencies close to the limits predicted by information theory. The features of turbo codes include parallel code concatenation, recursive convolutional encoding, nonuniform interleaving, and an associated iterative decoding algorithm. The excellent performance of turbo codes explains why much of the current research is focused on applying turbo codes to different systems. This dissertation first outlines a new simple criterion for stopping the iterative process of the turbo decoder for each individual frame immediately after the bits are correctly estimated and thus prevents unnecessary computations and decoding delay. The dissertation then considers the performance of turbo coded DS-CDMA systems. The performance analysis begins with simulation results for turbo coded DS-CDMA over a multi-path Rayleigh fading channel. The channel is then modeled using the Gilbert-Elliott channel model and analytical expressions for the performance of the system are derived. The influence of various parameters such as the Doppler frequency, the signal-to-noise ratio threshold on the system performance are analyzed and investigated.en-ZACode division multiple access.Wireless communication systems.Theses--Electronic engineering.Thesis