Effects of Channel Estimation on Spatial Modulation

In this letter, we investigate the effects of training-based channel estimation on the achievable performance of the recent spatial modulation (SM) based multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) scheme. This is motivated by the fact that the SM transmitter is constituted by a single radio-frequency (RF) branch and multiple antenna elements (AEs), hence simultaneous pilot transmissions from the AEs are impossible, unlike in the classic multiple-RF MIMO transmitters. Our simulation results demonstrate that the SM scheme's BER curve exhibits a performance penalty, while relying on realistic imperfect channel-estimation. In order to combat these limitations, we propose two single-RF arrangements, namely a reduced-complexity joint channel estimation and data detection aided SM scheme as well as a non-coherently detected single-RF space-time shift keying scheme dispensing with channel estimation.