Analyzing the Performance of TAS/MRC with Decode-and-Forward Relaying for Multihop Transmission over Fisher-Snedecor F Fading Channels

Abstract

This study comprehensively assesses a decode-and-forward relaying system that employs Transmit Antenna Selection/Maximal Ratio Combining (TAS/MRC) for multi-hop communication across Fisher-Snedecor F fading channels. The study primarily focuses on the average symbol error rate (ASER) and outage probability (OP) while using cross QAM (XQAM) and rectangular quadrature amplitude modulation (RQAM). The proposed MIMO system effectively decreases the hardware complexity and cost of large antennas by implementing Transmit Antenna Selection (TAS) at the source and relay nodes and Maximum Ratio Combining (MRC) diversity at the destination and relays. Analytical formulations for OP (outage probability) and ASER (average symbol error rate) are derived using PDF (Probability Density Function)-based methods. Monte-Carlo simulations further validate these formulas. The investigation indicates that system performance is improved under conditions of lighter shadowing compared to moderate and extreme shadowing settings. Additionally, increasing the hop count amplifies the observed performance. Moreover, when the fading parameter increases, both the OP and ASER decrease. This study comprehensively examines the impact of many parameters, including m, p, L, R, and o, on the behaviour of the system under Fisher-Snedecor F fading. Based on the findings, the combination of shadowing and multipath fading significantly affects the system's performance, with both m and p significantly influencing this. When examining the Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR), a comparison between RQAM and XQAM demonstrates that XQAM is superior. The research uncovers crucial information for planning and executing the TAS/MRC-based MIMO multi-hop communication system. This technology possesses the capability to enhance the effectiveness of similar communication systems, as seen by the encouraging advancements in performance, especially in scenarios including signal attenuation.