BER Performance Analysis of a Real Data Communication through WiMAX-PHY Layer over an AWGN and Fading Channels

the emergence of WiMAX has attracted significant interests from all the fields of wireless communications including students, researchers, systems engineers and operators. The WiMAX can also be considered to be the main technology in the implementation of other networks like wireless sensor networks. Developing an understanding of the WiMAX system can be best achieved by looking at a model of the WiMAX system. This paper discusses the model building of the WiMAX Physical layer using computer Matlab 7.5 version. This model is a useful tool for BER performance evaluation for the real audio data communication by the WiMAX Physical layer under different channel encoding rates, digital modulation schemes and channel conditions. With the performance investigation of the system, the modulation schemes BPSK, QPSK, 8PSK, 16PSK, 4QAM and 16QAM are introduced besides 1⁄2 and 2/3-rated convolutional encoder under AWGN, Rayleigh and Rician fading channels. The model presented in this paper built with the Physical Layer using Convolutional Encoding Rate of 1⁄2 and 2/3 and transmitted with 256 carrier OFDM symbols. Computer simulation results on BER over an Additative White Gaussian Noise(AWGN) and other fading (Raleigh and Rician) channels demonstrate that the proposed system outperform with BPSK modulation technique as compared to other digital modulation schemes and the system is highly effective to combat inherent interferences under Rayleigh and Rician fading channels. It has been anticipated from the simulation study with real audio data that the performance of the communication system degrades with the increasing of noise power. KeywordsWorldwide Interoperability for Microwave access (WiMAX). Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM), Bit error rate (BER), Additative White Gaussian Noise (AWGN), and Physical layers (PHY).