Space-time code performance bounds on quasistatic fading channels

We evaluate truncated union bounds on the frame error rate performance of space-time (ST) codes operating over the quasistatic fading channel and compare them to the results from computer simulation. Both ST trellis and block codes are considered. We calculate these bounds by characterizing the set of codeword differences from a general expression for the exact pairwise error probability (PEP). We discussed in detail the significantly tighter numerical bound for quasistatic fading and demonstrate the code properties that account for this tightness. Using this improved bound we show empirical evidence that for some codes a set of dominant error events characterize the FER performance. We also compare these performance results to outage capacity.