The WiMAX 802.16e Physical Layer Model

The emergence of WiMAX has attracted significant interests from all the fields of wireless communications including students, researchers, systems engineers and operators. WiMAX has been tipped to bring a revolution in the way we use broadband services today. 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 Simulink in Matlab. This model is a useful tool for performance evaluation of the WiMAX under different data rates, coding schemes and channel conditions besides serving as a helpful resource for the students and the researchers who want to base their studies and research on the fields related to the WiMAX. Standards from IEEE and ETSL have been used to develop this model. The model presented in this paper built with generic MAC PDU processed by the Physical Layer using Convolutional Encoding Rate of 5/6 with QPSK modulation and transmitted with 256 carrier OFDM symbols.