Maximal-ratio Combining

In telecommunications, maximal-ratio combining (MRC) is a method of diversity combining in which:

1. the signals from each channel are added together,
2. the gain of each channel is made proportional to the rms signal level and inversely proportional to the mean square noise level in that channel.
3. different proportionality constants are used for each channel.

It is also known as ratio-squared combining and predetection combining. Maximal-ratio combining is the optimum combiner for independent AWGN channels.

MRC can restore a signal to its original shape.

This article incorporates public domain material from the General Services Administration document "Federal Standard 1037C" (in support of MIL-STD-188).