Space-time block coding with optimal antenna selection

Space-time block codes provide maximal diversity advantage over a fading channel. This paper presents a novel technique that provides additional diversity gain by coupling antenna selection with a space-time block code. Specifically, we provide a choice of transmit antenna elements at the transmitter and transmit a space-time code over the optimal antenna pair. We present the optimal selection rule and quantify the improved performance in terms of gain in average SNR. The average SNR gain is calculated as a function of the number of transmit antenna elements and the number of receive antennas. We also investigate the improvement in outage capacity.