Performance analysis of generalized selective combining over Rayleigh fading channels

A performance analysis of the generalized selective combining (GSC) diversity scheme over Rayleigh fading channels is presented and compared with that of the conventional maximal-ratio combining and selective combining schemes. Starting with the moment generating function of the GSC output signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) we derive closed-form expressions for the average combined SNR, outage probability, and average error probability of a wide variety of modulation schemes operating over independent identically distributed diversity paths. Because of their simple form, these expressions readily allow numerical evaluation for cases of practical interest.