Avoiding media access control padding of trigger-based physical layer convergence protocol data unit

An apparatus, comprising:

• communication circuitry configured to transmit and receive data;
• and
• processing circuitry coupled to the communication circuitry and configured to:
• receive, via the communication circuitry, a trigger frame, the trigger frame specifying a first length of a trigger-based (TB) packet;
• generate the TB packet, wherein a second length of the generated TB packet is less than the first length;
• transmit, via the communication circuitry, the generated TB packet with a first gain level during an uplink transmission;
• and
• reduce a gain associated with transmitting the generated TB packet from the first gain level before an end of the uplink transmission at a slower rate than a rate of a brick wall response.

One or more non-transitory computer readable mediums comprising instructions executable by one or more processors to cause a wireless station (STA) to:

• receive a trigger frame, the trigger frame specifying a first length of a trigger-based (TB) packet;
• generate the TB packet, wherein a second length of the generated TB packet is less than the first length;
• transmit the generated TB packet with a first gain level during an uplink transmission;
• and
• shut down the STA in response to completing transmission of the generated TB packet and before an end of the uplink transmission, wherein shutting down the STA comprises reducing a gain of the STA from the first gain level at a slower rate than a rate of a brick wall response.