Abstract: Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide methods and apparatus for obtaining second-order downlink spatial diversity within a wireless communication system in accordance with IEEE 802.11ah, for example. One example method generally includes generating a frame comprising a preamble having at least one field, replicating at least one bit of the at least one field to form a replica of the at least one bit, transmitting the at least one bit via a first antenna, and transmitting the replica of the at least one bit via a second antenna. Another example method generally includes generating at least two space-time streams; transmitting, via a first pair of antennas, the at least two space-time streams in a first frequency band; and transmitting, via a second pair of antennas, the at least two space-time streams in a second frequency band.