Prerequisites

Before You Begin

• AWGN channel model, SNR definition, and BER analysis(Review ch09)

  Self-check: Can you write the received signal model $y = x + n$ and compute the BER of BPSK in AWGN as $Q(\sqrt{2E_b/N_0})$?

• Flat and frequency-selective fading channel models (Rayleigh, Rician)(Review ch11)

  Self-check: Can you explain why Rayleigh fading arises and state the PDF of the instantaneous SNR?

• OFDM system model and cyclic prefix(Review ch15)

  Self-check: Can you describe how OFDM converts a frequency-selective channel into parallel flat-fading sub-channels?

• MIMO signal model, spatial multiplexing, and diversity(Review ch17)

  Self-check: Can you write $\mathbf{y} = \mathbf{H}\mathbf{x} + \mathbf{n}$ and explain the roles of precoding and combining?

• Capacity, mutual information, and Shannon limits(Review ch04)

  Self-check: Can you state the AWGN channel capacity and explain what it means operationally?

• Beamforming, MRT, ZF, and MMSE precoding(Review ch18)

  Self-check: Can you describe when ZF outperforms MRT and vice versa?

• Monte Carlo basics: law of large numbers, CLT(Review ch02)

  Self-check: Can you explain why averaging over $N$ i.i.d. samples reduces the standard error by $1/\sqrt{N}$?