Wireless communication devices are adapted to employ Golay-based matrices for encoding a wireless transmissions. According to at least one example, a wireless communication device can identify an information vector to be transmitted as a wireless communication. A Golay-based generator matrix may be selected based on a length of the information vector, where the selected Golay-based generator matrix is generated by shortening a Golay generator matrix by removing a plurality of columns of systematic bits and a plurality of rows to obtain the shortened generator matrix, and extending the shortened generator matrix to obtain an extended generator matrix by adding columns to at least the systematic bits and appending rows to obtain a desired matrix size. A respective bit value may be determined for bits in each added column and for at least some of the bits in each appended row. Other aspects, embodiments, and features are also included.