Abstract: An adaptive distortion cancellation algorithm minimizes intersymbol interference (ISI) when demodulating signals in the presence of distortion over fading and dispersive channels. The algorithm computes preliminary estimates of received data and feeds them to a canceller structure. The canceller checks the preliminary estimates and then makes a series of subsequent estimates by modifying the elements of the original received estimated data sequence. Each estimate generates a distortion cancellation quantity which is added to the received data estimate to generate a sequence of values; a final decision is determined by that subsequent estimate which is closest to an ideal state. The preliminary estimates are made using a conventional transversal filter whose coefficients are controlled by one of the existing filter tap algorithms.