SNR gap approximation for M-PSK-Based bit loading

Adaptive OFDM has the potential of providing bandwidth-efficient communications in hostile propagation environments. Currently, bit loading algorithms use M-ary quadrature amplitude modulation of the OFDM sub-carriers, where the number of bits per symbol modulating each of them is obtained in order to maximize the performance. SNR gap approximation for M-QAM signaling makes the algorithms simpler to implement. However, in some circumstances it may be preferable to use. M-ary phase shift keying. In this letter an approximation is derived for M-PSK similar to the SNR gap of M-QAM so that bit loading algorithms can be extended to this type of modulation. In addition, the performance obtained when using M-PSK is compared to that of M-QAM in a practical situation.