It is shown that the CMLD (censored mean-level detector) is optimal in that the probability of detection is maximized for a given probability of false alarm when no contaminating signals are present in the reference cells. Since the probability of detection in this case is the same as the probability of detection for the MLD (mean-level detector) when k reference cells are used, and since the probability of detection of the MLD converges to the probability of detection of a fixed-threshold Neyman-Pearson test as the number of reference cells becomes large, then this is also true of the CMLD as k becomes large.>

This paper documents the laboratory and theoretical performance of a pilot-aided digital radio system. The technique considered transmits a midband pilot tone to improve the receiver data detection performance in a multipath fading channel and is referred to as the tone calibrated technique (TCT). We report on the performance of a 860 MHz prototype system carrying 2.4 kbit/s data under Rician fading conditions. Both experimental and analytical results show that the error floor experienced with nonpilot-aided transmission methods is effectively removed by the TCT scheme, resulting in significant performance gains at high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) values. The paper also examines the TCT system performance under typical operating conditions and presents a new analysis of the TCT theoretical error probability.