Performance analysis of generalized-faded coherent PSK channels with equal-gain combining and carrier phase error

A new method is developed to analyze the performance of partially coherent PSK systems in wireless channels with equal-gain combining diversity receiver. Two performance criteria are considered: the average bit error probability and the probability distribution of the combiner SNR (SNR reliability). Tikhonov-distributed phase error processes are assumed and generalized fading channels including Rayleigh, Rician, and Nakagami-m are investigated. We evaluate the detection loss suffered by the carrier recovery for different SNR reliability levels when BPSK and QPSK systems are used in wireless channels. The analysis is based on a convergent infinite series for the distribution of the sum of random variables. The convergence rate of the proposed series is investigated and the analytical results are presented along with providing results obtained by simulation.