Bit error ratio performance of a receiver diversity scheme with channel estimation

The performance of diversity combining techniques with channel estimation for the case of unequal power branches is discussed. The performance of binary phase shift keying (BPSK), pulse amplitude modulation (PAM) and quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) formats is investigated and their performance with nonideal channel estimation is explored. The case of combining multiple branches with unequal power levels is considered and optimal weighting factors for a log likelihood ratio test (LLRT) detector for the BPSK case are presented. These weights are shown to operate in a similar manner to those obtained by the linear minimum mean squared error (LMMSE) criterion and are compared with the well known maximal ratio combining (MRC) technique. The probability of error of this receiver is derived and simplifications for high signal-to-noise ratios are presented. Finally, numerical results are presented to compare the performance of the LLRT, LMMSE and MRC based receivers.