Determining What Bands are opened for CQ

Using Chilean Music frequencies as a guide, for determining what bands are open for CQ.

CHILEAN MUSIC 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.

N = probably more to the North of Santiago

Chile stations which are normally heard in Southern California...47.9, etc. There are several 47.900 transmitters accounting for it being the best and most consistent 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 emissions as well (?). They can occur as early as 1600Z and as late as 0400Z. 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 boundary 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.

Locally you will also hear Southern California FM business communications and cordless phone traffic (49 MHz) on some of these higher frequencies. 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 a real effort this year to see if they are up here during other times of the year.

VHF Propagation information (one of may) is located at web site: http://home.swbell.net/pjdyer/index.html