Trellis-coded quantization/modulation over mobile satellite channels with imperfect phase reference

In this paper the bit error performance of trellis‐coded quantization/modulation (TCQ/TCM) schemes is derived taking into account the quantization noise over mobile satellite channels with imperfect phase reference. The analytical upper bounds are obtained using the Chernoff bounding technique combined with the modified generating functional approach with no channel state information and no side information on the phase noise process. As an example, 8PSK combined TCQ/TCM is investigated for satellite mobile communication channels with imperfect phase reference. It is shown that the quantization noise effect increases at high signal‐to‐noise ratio values. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.