Scielo RSS http://www.scielo.org.za/rss.php?pid=1991-169620180004&lang=en vol. 109 num. 4 lang. en http://www.scielo.org.za/img/en/fbpelogp.gif http://www.scielo.org.za http://www.scielo.org.za/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1991-16962018000400001&lng=en&nrm=iso&tlng=en In this paper, we propose an instantaneous bit error rate (IBER) based adaptive spatial modulation (ASM) scheme for the M-ary phase shift keying (MPSK) constellation (ASM-MPSK). In the proposed ASM-MPSK system, the combination of MPSK modulation order and number of transmit antennas is chosen based on the one that yields the smallest IBER while keeping the average transmission bit rate (TBR) constant. Furthermore, a low complexity maximum likelihood (ML) detection scheme for MPSK SM is employed which significantly reduces the complexity of the proposed system compared with other adaptive modulation schemes that use the high complexity ML detector for detection. Additionally, in this paper, we also analyse the computational complexity for the proposed ASM-MPSK. The simulation results indicate that the proposed scheme provides a significant improvement in terms of the error performance compared to conventional MPSK SM systems under a particular TBR; for TBR = 5 bits/s/Hz, a performance gain of approximately 4 dB had been achieved at a BER of 1 X 10-6. http://www.scielo.org.za/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1991-16962018000400002&lng=en&nrm=iso&tlng=en We propose a technique that enhances the bandwidth efficiency of the two transmit antenna differential space-time block code (DSTBC) by use of space-time block code (STBC) expansion and trellis coding. STBC expansion is realized by expanding the conventional Alamouti STBC using unitary matrix transformation. This is followed by trellis code-aided mapping of additional bits to space-time codes of the expanded set. Trellis code-aided mapping of additional bits enhances the bandwidth efficiency of the proposed DSTBC scheme. The proposed scheme sends more information bits in each transmitted space-time code than the conventional differential detection-aided DSTBC (CDD-DSTBC) scheme, and yet retains the same error performance. For each additional bit sent with the transmitted space-time codeword, the proposed scheme using 16QAM achieves a 12.5% increase in bandwidth efficiency, while the scheme using 64QAM realises an 8.3% increase. Simulation results demonstrate that the error performance of the proposed scheme tightly matches that of CDD-DSTBC with improvement in bandwidth efficiency. The bandwidth efficiency is enhanced at the expense of a moderate increase of the computational complexity at the receiver. http://www.scielo.org.za/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1991-16962018000400003&lng=en&nrm=iso&tlng=en The aim of this paper is to provide an economic viewpoint of the benefit of the installation of a home Photo Voltaic system. An hourly daily consumption and generation profile is created for every calendar month and the cost saving is applied to calculate the IRR and payback period. Different systems options are evaluated as well as feed in tariff options. The study was performed for two sample homes located in South Africa. The result suggests the optimum size for the PV system needs to be matched to the consumption in the peak generation month such that no excess power is generated. Therefore, home owners should not base the value of a system on the generation potential thereof but rather the savings potential matched to the consumption profile. http://www.scielo.org.za/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1991-16962018000400004&lng=en&nrm=iso&tlng=en In this work, measured subtropical rain attenuation was compared with rain attenuation generated theoretically by the Synthetic Storm Technique (SST). The rain attenuation data was obtained from a Ku-band satellite TV link collocated at the site of a rain rate measurement system in Durban, South Africa (28°87'S, 30°98'E). A mathematical model developed from the measurement campaign was used to generate measured data for four years of rainfall. Annual cumulative distribution functions of SST prediction results are compared with the results of the measurement-based model. The results show SST to be a fair approximation of actual measurements. This was established by error analysis carried out to compare the error margins in SST prediction and the error margins in the in-force ITU-R prediction method. While the SST approach was shown to conform slightly less accurately to measurements than the ITU-R model, it still yields highly acceptable results in the 0 to 11 dB margin in which the said link experiences most of the measured attenuation before total channel squelching occurs. http://www.scielo.org.za/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1991-16962018000400005&lng=en&nrm=iso&tlng=en This paper proposes and discusses Autoregressive Moving Average (ARMA), Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) and Seasonal Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (SARIMA) time series models for broadband power line communication (PLC) networks with impulsive noise enviroment in the frequency range of 1 - 30 MHz. In time series modelling and analysis, time series models are fitted to the acquired time series describing the system for purposes which include simulation, forecasting, trend assessment, and a better understanding of the dynamics of the impulsive noise in PLC systems. Also, because the acquired impulsive noise measurement data are observations made over time, time series models constitute important statistical tools for use in solving the problem of impulsive noise modelling and forecasting in PLC. In fact, the time series and other statistical methods presented in numerous available literature draw upon research developments from two areas of environmetrics called stochastic hydrology and statistical water quality modelling as well as research contributions from the field of statistics. In time series modelling and analysis, we determine the most appropriate stochastic or time series model to fit our acquired data set at the confirmatory data analysis stage. No matter what type of stochastic model is to be fitted to the data set, we follow the identification, estimation, and diagnostic check stages of model construction. In addition, we explore the resulting autocorrelation functions in estimating the parameters of the selected time series models. Finally, SARIMA model is found suitable for computer-based PLC systems simulations and forecasting based on the diagnostic checks. http://www.scielo.org.za/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1991-16962018000400006&lng=en&nrm=iso&tlng=en Multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems have attracted a vast amount of interest, due to improvements offered in capacity and diversity. However, several challenges still remain. Single transmit antenna selection with modulation (STASM) is an important closed-loop variant of MIMO, and addresses several of its challenges, while achieving full-diversity. On this note, the average symbol error probability (ASEP) of STASM with M-ary quadrature amplitude modulation (M-QAM) and M-ary phase shift keying (M-PSK) is formulated and validates the Monte Carlo simulation results. The formulated ASEP expressions are relatively easy to evaluate. Euclidean distance-based antenna selection for spatial modulation (EDAS-SM) is an innovative closed-loop MIMO scheme that provides many advantages. However, since STASM achieves a full-diversity compared to EDAS-SM, there exists a cross-over point after which its error performance is superior to the latter. For multiple receive antennas, the cross-over point only occurs in the moderate-to-high signal-to-noise ratio region, which may be difficult to achieve in practice. Hence, an adaptive transmit mode switching system based on STASM and EDAS-SM as transmission candidates is proposed. A selection criterion for the transmission candidate is based on minimizing the instantaneous symbol error probability in every transmission interval. By switching between STASM and EDAS-SM, the proposed scheme minimizes the ASEP.