Here in Germany, ham radio is strictly between licensed hams. In official emergencies, we may transport messages from/to outside parties - no exceptions allowed. But a few months ago we got a very basic new entry class with VHF/UHF and 10 m privileges only.
I think it is a bad idea to let people use better two-way radios without any training. This might work in low-density populations where you can reach a very limited number of people. But in population centers this would provoke chaos. By US standards, Germany is a single, densely populated area: more than 80 million people in an area 800 km across.
Alexander - The recent rapid growth of usage of the US General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS) will be an interesting "test" of your position of "I think it is a bad idea to let people use better two-way radios without any training". A license is required for operating on the US GMRS frequencies, but no training is required. If memory serves, when I obtained my GMRS license, I didn't even have to acknowledge that I had studied the GMRS regulations. GMRS operates in the UHF band around 460 MHz and mobile, base, and repeaters can all transmit with up to 50 watts transmit power.
Jim - From what little I know about Amateur Radio in other countries, that's exactly what they do - reduced power, narrower portions of spectrum, etc.
Here in Germany, ham radio is strictly between licensed hams. In official emergencies, we may transport messages from/to outside parties - no exceptions allowed. But a few months ago we got a very basic new entry class with VHF/UHF and 10 m privileges only.
I think it is a bad idea to let people use better two-way radios without any training. This might work in low-density populations where you can reach a very limited number of people. But in population centers this would provoke chaos. By US standards, Germany is a single, densely populated area: more than 80 million people in an area 800 km across.
Alexander - The recent rapid growth of usage of the US General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS) will be an interesting "test" of your position of "I think it is a bad idea to let people use better two-way radios without any training". A license is required for operating on the US GMRS frequencies, but no training is required. If memory serves, when I obtained my GMRS license, I didn't even have to acknowledge that I had studied the GMRS regulations. GMRS operates in the UHF band around 460 MHz and mobile, base, and repeaters can all transmit with up to 50 watts transmit power.