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I am thinking to equip every car in my company with APRS tracking device from amazon. I would like ask if I have to have a HAM license for it. If yes, than for which person — I am not driving those cars, and every car has automatic tracker device, so the driver do nothing with Tx. I am asking for EU (European Union), while my cars are often going from state to state, but we are officialy in the Austria.

And if no, how can I get call signs for tracker devices?

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  • $\begingroup$ Please edit your question to specify the relevant country/jurisdiction. (The answer is most likely ”no” regardless, but that will help get a definitive answer.) $\endgroup$
    – Kevin Reid AG6YO ♦
    Jan 17 '17 at 22:15
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If the devices are fixed to transmit on amateur APRS frequencies, then you most likely cannot legally use them for business purposes, because that type of use is not allowed on the amateur bands — regardless of the design of the transmitter, the mode, or your license status.

Individual countries have different regulations, but there is international agreement that the amateur bands are for use by persons “without pecuniary interest” in that use.

Other scenarios:

  • If you have a license for other VHF frequencies and the trackers can be retuned to such a frequency then you could use them, but you would need your own receivers, so you would not gain the benefit of the APRS network.

  • If you had an amateur license and the purpose you intended to put the trackers to is not commercial, then you might be able to do it — but the requirements on automated transmitters like trackers vary between jurisdictions a lot more. In the US, for example, once you are licensed, you would simply set up all the trackers with your call sign (and include additional information in their messages to distinguish them, traditionally the APRS SSID).

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  • $\begingroup$ Thanks for the clear answer. My purpose will be more commercial, so I consider using GSM modules. But from personal point of view, I am interested if I can set up all my trackers with one call sign in EU. Is here some expert for the EU law in this field? $\endgroup$
    – Bjørson Bjørson
    Jan 17 '17 at 22:37
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    $\begingroup$ @BjørsonÅlmer If you'd like someone to expand on the matter of non-commercial use of trackers across borders in the EU, I'd recommend asking that as a separate question, as anyone seeing this question is going to focus on the fact that commercial use isn't allowed at all. $\endgroup$
    – Kevin Reid AG6YO ♦
    Jan 17 '17 at 22:42
  • $\begingroup$ Ok, good point. Thx $\endgroup$
    – Bjørson Bjørson
    Jan 17 '17 at 22:44

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