Methods and apparatus for orthogonal pilot tone mapping in Multiple-In and Multiple-Out (MIMO) and Spatial Division Multiple Access (SDMA) systems are disclosed. An aspect of the method includes identifying a plurality of symbol periods within which symbols representing encoded data are to be transmitted in a plurality of spatial streams over a communication channel; identifying a plurality of pilot tone values for a plurality of pilot tones in the plurality of symbol periods to create a pilot tone mapping, wherein the identified pilot tone values are such that a receiver, when receiving at least some of the plurality of pilot tones, is provided with signals enabling the receiver to characterize and mitigate any communication impairments, and potentially obtain transmit spatial stream diversity benefits, wherein at least two of the pilot tone values in the pilot tone mapping are orthogonal when the symbols are combined over at least one dimension; and transmitting the symbols and the plurality of pilot tones over the plurality of spatial streams for the plurality of symbol periods.