Performance analysis of a multicarrier spread spectrum system in doubly dispersive channels with emphasis on hf communications

Abstract

In this paper, we present a bit error rate (BER) analysis of a multicarrier spread spectrum (MC-SS) system that accounts for several non-ideal factors that exist in actual systems; specifically, channel estimation error, correlated subcarriers, and frequency selectivity over each subcarrier frequency band. The particular MC-SS system that is addressed makes use of filter banks to keep subcarrier bands non-overlapping. In this analysis, the time varying multipath channel is modeled using the widesense stationary uncorrelated scattering (WSSUS) channel model, and the channel is estimated using a pilot symbol assisted modulation (PSAM) method. Numerical results that demonstrate the accuracy of the developed theoretical results when applied to design transceivers for high frequency (HF) skywave communications show the usefulness of the developed theory in a practical case study.