Methods, systems, and devices for wireless communication are described. For a user equipment with a number of M greater than or equal to two antennas, a signal is transmitted from at least a first antenna and a second antenna at a first time with an initial relative phase state including a first relative phase rotation between the signals transmitted by the first and second antennas. In response to a determination that a response signal was not received at the user equipment, the signal is retransmitted from at least the first antenna and the second antenna with a subsequent relative phase state among the transmitting antennas, including a second different relative phase rotation, at a second time. The second time may be the next subsequent retransmission of the signal or may be a retransmission following one or more retransmissions using the first relative phase rotation.