During the inbound trajectory toward Uranus, the Planetary Radio Astronomy Instrument on board the Voyager 2 spacecraft observed narrow-band smooth (n-smooth) emission at frequencies centered near 60 kHz. Assuming straight-line propagation, Kaiser et al. (1989) have previously proposed that the n-smooth emission is X mode fundamental gyroemission with a source near the magnetic equator. By assuming models of the plasma density for the dayside magnetosphere or Uranus and by using cold plasma theory together with stringent observational constraints, we have performed ray-tracing calculations to determine the source location and mode of the n-smooth emission. Ray-tracing calculations suggest that the n-smooth emission with sources near the magnetic equator may be fundamental X mode for certain conditions or second harmonic gyroemission. If the emission is second harmonic gyroemission, the fundamental emission at 30 kHz is expected but apparently not observed. This may be due to a lower growth rate for the fundamental or propagation effects. These findings are discussed in the context of the most recent developments in the theory of the cyclotron maser instability. ¿ American Geophysical Union 1990