The following article covers the legality of using APRS in a balloon over Europe. It is advisory only and should you wish to launch a balloon using APRS you should verify any information on this page.

The following KML file indicates countries that APRS is permitted to use under a meteorological balloon.

European APRS Map Google Earth KML APRS Map in Google Maps

Key : Red = Not permitted Yellow = Unknown Green = Permitted

APRS operation in all countries is subject to local amateur radio licensing.

http://www.bmvit.gv.at/telekommunikation/recht/aut/verordnungen/afv.html Very simple: 16. An Bord eines Luftfahrzeuges entscheidet der verantwortliche Pilot, an Bord eines Seefahr- zeuges entscheidet der Kapitän, ob Amateurfunkverkehr durchgeführt werden darf.

Which means that the pilot of the aeronautical vessel can decide if he permits amateur radio operation on board.

However there is a similar problem with the operation of an automatic station (Bake) like in the German regulations. Info supplied by KT5TK.

Airborne Operation permitted. LZ1DEV advises there is nothing in the legislation that prohibits the use of amateur radio transmission from a balloon. The only caveats are on 144Mhz the maximum power is 5W and that you need to be a licensed radio amateur.

Airborne Operation permitted. Confirmed by OK1MX

Possibly permitted. Apparently forbidden as per the Amateur radio legislation there appears to be an exemption for metrological balloons. F6AGV is investigating with the DGAC to get confirmation on this.

Airborne amateur radio transmissions are not generally restricted. Aeronautical mobile is not even mentioned in the newest AFuV: http://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/afuv_2005/BJNR024200005.html However there is some problematic gray zone concerning automatically or remote controlled transmissions. Those would normally require an application for a separate callsign. However since APRS is often used on land mobile stations and nobody complained about that they are automatic, the same should apply for aeronautical mobile stations, as long as they do not interfere with other radio services or aeronautical regulations. Info supplied by KT5TK.

Airborne Operation permitted. SV2AGW (http://www.sv2agw.com) confirmed with Greek Amateur Union.

Airborne Operation NOT permitted. Confirmed by OZ1SKY & X-F in seperate mails to vases.lv. Latvian APRS infrastructure is limited anyway. Translated legislation dictates You cannot use amateur radio station on an “airship”. and then states that an “unmanned free air balloon” is considered as an “airship”. Source (Latvian) http://www.likumi.lv/doc.php?id=141998

http://www.bakom.admin.ch/themen/frequenzen/00689/01560/index.html?lang=de Art. 7 VFKV Rufzeichenzusätze mentions: Luftfahrzeug “aeronautical mobile” “/AM” http://www.admin.ch/ch/d/sr/784_102_1/a33.html 3 Die Benützung in Luftfahrzeugen ist mit Zustimmung der Luftfahrzeugführerin oder des Luftfahrzeugführers in allen Höhen erlaubt. Amateur radio is allowed in an aeronautical vessel at all altitudes with the permission of the pilot.Info supplied by KT5TK.

Airborne APRS operation is not permitted. As per OFCOM Amateur Terms Section 9 Limitations 9(3) :

“9(3) Without prejudice to Clause 1 of this Licence, the Licensee shall not establish or use the Radio Equipment in any Aircraft or other Airborne Vehicle”

Section 17 Interpretation goes on to define Airborne Vehicle as : c) “Aircraft” and “Airborne Vehicles” includes full size and models and also includes balloons whether tethered or free;

http://www.arrl.org/part-97-amateur-radio § 97.11 Stations aboard ships or aircraft. (a) The installation and operation of an amateur station on a ship or aircraft must be approved by the master of the ship or pilot in command of the aircraft. (b) The station must be separate from and independent of all other radio apparatus installed on the ship or aircraft, except a common antenna may be shared with a voluntary ship radio installation. The station's transmissions must not cause interference to any other apparatus installed on the ship or aircraft. © The station must not constitute a hazard to the safety of life or property. For a station aboard an aircraft, the apparatus shall not be operated while the aircraft is operating under Instrument Flight Rules, as defined by the FAA, unless the station has been found to comply with all applicable FAA Rules. So APRS is generally permitted on a balloon or other aircraft. Information provided bt KT5TK.