Method and apparatus for concatenated convolutional encoding and interleaving

A method for preparing a data stream source (42) for transmission comprising the steps of: encoding said data stream source (42) for generating a flow of output data using an encoding scheme convolutional having one selected code rate, said data stream series output data groups (34), each of said groups of data a plurality of data groups with selective removal of bits (36), each of said groups with selective removal of data bits to a code rate reduced with respect to said selected code rate; interlacing said data groups (34) according to a plurality of interleaving functions to disperse time the bits in said data groups within said output data stream and generate an interleaved data stream (66); and processing said bits in said interleaved data stream for transmission over a single transmission channel, said plurality of interleaving functions being selected in time to disperse at least two different groups of bits in said stream of output data selected from the group consisting of said bits in one of said data groups with selective removal of bits, said bits in said groups of adjacent data, and said bits in selected sets of said data groups to selected in said interleaved data stream locations to facilitate the reconstruction flow of said source data from at least a portion of said interleaved data stream received via said single transmission channel.