The application of Orthogonal Space-Time Block Codes (O-STBC) as the encoding scheme in the presence of "non-quasi-static" fading was considered. A simple and efficient adaptive method of channel estimation based on the interpolation of estimates acquired at the pre-amble and post-amble of framed blocks of information is developed. Moreover, the proposed method is proven, both theoretically and by simulations, to outperform the alternative of channel tracking, despite its significant low complexity.

The paper deals with the level-crossing intervals of a stationary random process. Probability densities of the level-crossing intervals of a process consisting of a sine wave plus Gaussian random noise are experimentally investigated by digital simulation. The Gaussian random noise is selected to be of 7-th order Butterworth power spectrum density. The obtained probability densities appear with a number of isolated peaks much larger than the number observed on the corresponding probability densities of the Gaussian noise alone. When the sine wave frequency is greater than or approximately equal to the half of the cutoff frequency of the noise spectrum, experimental data suggest that each isolated peak has a Gaussian-like density. The mean time interval associated with each Gaussian-like density is equal to a multiple number of the period of the sine wave, while the variance is found to be fairly the same for all peaks of a same probability density. The assumption of "quasi-independence" is not valid for the level-crossing intervals of the present process.