The bit error performance of a Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum Communication system in actual land mobile satellite channel is evaluated with experiments. Field test results with the ETS-V satellite in urban and suburban environments at L-band frequency show that this land mobile satellite channel of 3MHz bandwidth can be seen as a non-frequency selective Rician fading channel as well as shadowing channel. The bit error performance can be estimated from signal power measurement as in the case of narrow band modulation signals.