Combining Pilot-Symbol-Aided Techniques for Fading Estimation and Diversity Reception in Multipath Fading Channels

A novel pilot-symbol-aided (PSA) fading estimation technique that combines the estimates from a conventional PSA technique and a bandwidth-efficient PSA technique to achieve better performances is proposed for digital signals in multipath fading channels. The conventional technique has better performances at low signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs), while the bandwidth-efficient technique is superior at high SNRs. Monte Carlo computer simulation has been used to assess the effects of the proposed combining technique on the bit-error-rate (BER) performances of 16-ary quadrature-amplitude-modulation (16QAM), with and without two-branch diversity reception, in a flat Rayleigh fading channel. Results have shown that the combining technique has the advantages of both of the conventional technique and the bandwidth-efficient technique and is more preferred for use with diversity reception.