Second-order statistics for diversity-combining, techniques in Nakagami-fading channels

Exact and closed-form expressions for the level crossing rate and average f ade duration are presented for the M branch pure selection combining (PSC), equal gain combining (EGC), and maximal ratio combining (MRC) techniques, assuming independent branches in a Nakagami environment. The analytical res ults are thoroughly validated by reducing the general case to some special cases, for which the solutions are known, and by means of simulation for th e more general case. The model developed here is general and can be easily applied to other fading statistics (e.g., Rice).