  In this paper, we present a novel algorithm for power allocation in the
Amplify-and-Forward cooperative communication that minimizes the outage
probability with a given value of total power. We present the problem with new
formulation and solve the optimal power allocation for a fixed set of partners.
The proposed solution provides a direct power allocation scheme with a simple
formula that can be also be represented by a simple lookup table which makes it
easy for practical implementation. We present simulation results to demonstrate
that the performances of the proposed algorithms are very close to results of
the previously published iterative optimal power allocation algorithms. We also
consider the issue of partner selection in a cooperative network.
