Abstract: For the reception of TCM modulated signals a receiver is used which comprises two cascaded Viterbi decoders. The first decoder operates according to a soft output Viterbi algorithm (SOVA), and its output comprises a hard decision on the transmitted symbols as well as a reliability parameter. The output of the first decoder, which is intended essentially to take into account the memory effects of the channel by contrasting the influence of inter-symbol interference, is fed, possibly after a de-interleaving action, to the second Viterbi decoder which carries out the actual decision. The preferred application is to digital communication systems such as microwave radio links.