Switching rates of two-branch selection diversity in correlated Rayleigh Doppler fading channels

The operation of switching in selection diversity combining produces transients that increase the system outage. Due to this, the switching rate plays an important role in selection diversity system design. Yet published results on the switching rates of selection diveristy combining are scarce. No published work considers correlated diversity channels. In this paper, the switching rate of a correlated dual branch selection diversity combiner in Rayleigh fading is derived. Balanced and unbalanced correlated Rayleigh fading channels are considered. Numerical results are presented for a space-diversity system with horizontally spaced omnidirectional antennas at a mobile station.