Maximum ratio Combining performance with imperfect channel estimates

In this paper, we examine the impact of channel estimation errors on Maximum Ratio Combining (MRC) in receive diversity systems, in the presence of co-channel interferers. The channel is modelled as flat Rayleigh fading, slowly varying and spatially independent. It is assumed that the spatial combiner weights are imperfect estimates of the desired user´s fading coefficients and complex Gaussian distributed. Closed form expressions for signal to interference plus noise ratio (SINR) distribution and outage probability is obtained. Using these expressions, the effect of channel estimation quality on performance is investigated.