A Quadrature Markov Chain Model of the Rayleigh Fading Channel

A quadrature Markov chain model of the Rayleigh fading channel is examined. The model is defined by formulating a Markov chain model of the underlying Gaussian fading process, using a state-space that consists of both the amplitude and rate-of-change of the Gaussian fading, then transforming that model into a Markov chain model of the Rayleigh fading process. Power margin quality measures are used to determine the most suitable number of states for the model. It is shown that the proposed model is an improvement over previous amplitude-based models, and that, in some instances, it is also an improvement over previous amplitude/rate models.