Also known as: Golay code

The Golay code is a remarkably efficient block error-correction code.¹ The binary Golay(23,12) and extended Golay(24,12) correct up to three bit errors in a short codeword.

The Golay(24,12) code protects critical fields (e.g. in DMR, P25, and M17) against several bit errors.

How it works

Its mathematical structure (a perfect code in the binary case) packs strong correction into few bits, making it ideal for small but critical control fields.

Relevance to SDR

Golay coding protects link-control and signalling fields in DMR, P25, and M17.

Sources

1. Binary Golay code — Wikipedia, for the perfect (23,12) and extended (24,12) three-error-correcting codes. ↩

See also

• Forward error correction (FEC)
• Hamming code
• Reed–Solomon code
• Digital Mobile Radio (DMR)
• M17

Learn it step by step

• The demodulation pipeline

From the blog

• SDR Internals, Part 9: Framing & forward error correction