A method of coherent detection and channel estimation for punctured convolutional coded binary Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM) signals transmitted over a frequency-flat Rayleigh fading channels used for a digital radio broadcasting transmission is presented. Some known symbols are inserted in the encoded data stream to enhance the channel estimation process. The pilot symbols are used to replace the existing parity symbols so no bandwidth expansion is required. An iterative algorithm that uses decoding information as well as the information contained in the known symbols is used to improve the channel parameter estimate. The scheme complexity grows exponentially with the channel estimation filter length. The performance of the system is compared for a normalized fading rate with both perfect coherent detection (corresponding to a perfect knowledge of the fading process and noise variance) and differential detection of Differential Amplitude Phase Shift Keying (DAPSK). The tradeoff between simplici A method of coherent detection and channel estimation for punctured convolutional coded binary Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM) signals transmitted over a frequency-flat Rayleigh fading channels used for a digital radio broadcasting transmission is. Some known symbols are inserted in the encoded data stream to enhance the channel estimation process. The pilot symbols are used to replace the existing parity symbols so no bandwidth expansion is required. An iterative algorithm that uses decoding information as well as the information contained in the known symbols is used to improve the channel parameter estimate. The scheme of complex growths exponentially with the channel estimation filter length. The performance of the system is compared for a normalized fading rate with both perfect coherent detection (corresponding to a perfect knowledge of the fading process and noise variance) and differential detection of Differential Amplitude Phase Shift Keying (DAPSK). The tradeof f between simplici