Monte Carlo Simulation of MMSE Equalizer with Maximum Likelihood Channel Estimation for Reliable Communication in Changing Channels

Channel estimation plays an important role in communication systems by helping in the design of equalizers and maintaining data integrity. The channel conditions may also change between two communication nodes and thus require estimation during each communication round. Algorithms, as well as overall feasibility, are thus benefited from representing the overall channel length as a finite length vector. Specifically, this research article dwells on the Maximum Likelihood estimation algorithm in channel estimation. This study examines the effect of the number of pilot symbols in the OFDM signals to the performance of a 20-Tap Causal MMSE equalizer in systems with varying channels. Simulation studies using pilot-aided channel have revealed that enhancing the number of pilots leads to enhanced equalizer performance to that of the ideal channel BER.