Ok, so what exactly is that propagation indicator known as CE Music or CE Muzac we see posted all over the loggers during each spring and fall TEP season, some kind of bizarre sounding data transmission or something? Contrary to some explanations floating about or as erroneously described on some websites, it is simply FM broadcast music from Chile (and maybe a few in Argentina?). Nothing more and nothing less. Contrary to one often-repeated description it is EXACTLY like any other music one might find on the FM broadcast band in the States, though without a DJ or commercials, including everything from R&B, Rock, Jazz or Andean traditional music, to name just a few. The only real difference is a slightly wider bandwidth in the transmitted signal. Even this far north where the reception of CE Music is infrequent, I have heard music on TEP from artists such as the Bee Gees, Eagles, Duran Duran, Bob Marley, Sugar Ray, Tracey Chapman and Madonna, as well as Chilean regional music. If you want to hear what CE Music sounds like here on pure TEP, listen to this real stream audio file of traditional music. OK, so classical guitar is not your thing, huh? OK, how about Tracy Chapman? For those of you who came of age in the 80s like me, and know a decent hair band when you hear it, try Great White. See what I mean? Slightly wider bandwidth than my Icom is able to cleanly receive, and some with classic TEP QSB, but completely identifiable as music. The Eagles, Bob Marley, Duran Duran and further traditional music all curtesy TEP or TEP + Es to Chile available by request only- Remember, this is a ham webpage, not a late night CD commercial featuring an ex-Monkey...

    Frequencies on which the Music has been heard here include 47.900; 47.910; 47.970; 48.000; 48.065; 48.200; 48.300; 49.200 & 49.300 MHz. CE3SAD's website has a page listing many of the various frequencies (within 100 kHz) on which the Music is broadcast and the place of origin. The best times to listen for them in North America is during the morning and afternoon from March to May and August thru October during peak solar years. A quick scan in FM mode between 47.9 to 49.3 MHz at the right times is helpful in detecting TEP propagation approaching a 50 MHz or greater Maximum Useable Frequency (MUF). Reception is almost regular during this period in the Southern United States in areas adjacent to & in the TEP zone. As geomagnetic latitude increases, reception even at prime times of the year becomes much more infrequent, but no matter how far north you are, monitor for it on occassion- it could clue you in on the existence of 50 MHz propagation to South America.