On the second order statistics of η-μ fading channels in diversity systems

In this paper, general exact expressions for the level crossing rate and average fade duration of pure selection combining (PSC), equal-gain combining (EGC), and maximal-ratio combining (MRC) receivers operating on independent non- identically distributed eta-mu fading channels are derived. The analytical results are fully validated by reducing them to particular cases for which the solutions are known and, more generally, by means of Monte Carlo simulation. As will be observed from the graphics, MRC technique yields the best performance followed by EGC and PSC ones.