WiMAX Channel Estimation Using Kalman Filter and Channel Model

This article describes the environmental effects on the WiMAX radio channel in a difficult coastal climate and it ivestigates the possibility of modifying the WiMAX standard in order to increase performance. Channel estimators are crucial in optimizing throughput in WiMAX and thus overall performance. Their performance is dependent on the amount of information that is available in the pilot subcarriers of WiMAX. A way of adding information to the channel estimators without taking more of the bandwidth is to use a model in series with the data estimates and tracking it with a Kalman filter. An already existing Kalman filter based algorithm for radio channel estimation is studied and compared to a WiMAX model. Modifications are suggested to fit the WiMAX system model.