Systems and methodologies are described that facilitate employing constrained frequency hopping of downlink reference signals. Constrained frequency hopping of reference signals provides a sufficiently large set of frequency hopping patterns while enhancing channel estimation. Respective subsets of resource elements can be selected to carry reference signals from a plurality of antennas for a first subframe of a sequence. Further, respective subsets of resource elements used to carry reference signals from the plurality of antennas for a second subframe can be constrained based upon the respective subsets for the first subframe. Moreover, the first subframe frame and the second subframe (and similarly any additional subframes in the sequence) can be transmitted. An access terminal receiving the sequence of subframes can combine reference signals sent from common antennas at common frequency locations in the plurality of subframes and perform channel estimation as a function of the combined reference signals.