A method and apparatus is provided for communicating digital information using diversity signaling with a constrained amount of transmission energy per bit available. The method may optimize the number of diversity channels used, optimize the energy allocation emitted per bit on each diversity channel, and apply weighting factors to each diversity channel at the receiver. One method includes initializing one or more channels J from J.sub.m channels, calculating a Chernoff bound B.sup.(J) for the one or more channels J, determining whether J+1 channels may be energetically allowed, and transmitting digital information m using the one or more channels J if the J+1 channels are not allowed or if the J+1 number of channels may be selected but the Chernoff bound B.sup.(J) is minimized.