updated April, 2001
Sometimes called Muzac or "elevator music" because it sounds just like elevator music. FM modulation wider than nbfm and sound better with >20+ kHz bandwidth. It has nothing to do with Muzac as we understand it.
frequency in MHz (Updated March 2001):
|
47.730 N |
48.000 |
49.200 |
|
47.800 |
48.070 |
49.209 |
|
47.820 N |
48.095 N |
49.267 |
|
47.830 |
48.098 N |
49.270 N |
|
47.887 S |
48.166 N |
49.297 N |
|
47.900 |
48.200 N |
49.307 |
|
47.910 |
48.230 N |
- |
|
47.920 N |
48.240 N |
- |
|
47.945 N |
48.300 N & S |
- |
|
47.965 |
48.370 |
- |
|
47.970 N |
|
- |
|
Santiago (verified from 3G0Z trip) |
48.230 |
48.300 |
48.370 |
49.300 wide FM |
N = possibly more to the North of Santiago, Chile stations which are normally heard in Southern California...47.9, etc. Northern stations may accompany PY openings.
S = possibly (FE48) 700 km to the south of Santiago, Chile.
Some of these may drift around a little in frequency and we have noticed quite a variation in deviation as well.
There are several 47.900 transmitters accounting for it being the best and most consistant frequency received in the southern latitudes of the United States.
These frequencies listed above were heard in Southern California and there may be others. They may or may not be there every opening. Some of them may be spurious emmisions as well (?). They have been as early as 1600Z and as late as 0530Z They are usually propagated by equi-latitude (N & S) trans equatorial F2. They are heard from Europe to North America to the Pacific to Asia at times as shown by the OH2AQ cluster. and the 50 MHz prop logger A quick look at the TEC (Total Electron Count) page reveals good "prediction" of CE music openings into Southern California. Reception is usually at the northern boundry of areas of high TEC. The transmitters are located in and around Santiago Chile but also appear to be spread up and down the country of Chile as well. Look also for the LU9EHF/b beacon on 50.0155 as it's at the same latitude as Santiago. We shall try to get more info up here as it is gathered. Locally you will also hear Southern California FM business communications and cordless phone traffic (49 MHz) on some of these higher frequencies. Just because there may be CE music stations present doesn't necessarily mean there will be any amateur stations to work. In Southern California we do, many times get LUs and occaisionally some CE stations (they need to get on more) when CE music is present.
These frequencies are a great aide in determining if the MUF (Maximum Useable Frequency) will rise high enough for 50 MHz propagation. We hear some of them virtually every day surrounding the Equinoxes. There will an ongoing effort to see if they are up here during other times of the year.
CE3SAD page contains "CE music" info as well.
Pat WA5IYX has an abundance of great propagation information on his web page.