Why have a fixed home APRS station?

[KD8GME]

Hi everyone, I'm just dabbling in researching APRS and was curious why anyone would have a fixed home APRS station.  What are the usages for that? 

I understand setting up a digipeater or Igate to help out local APRS stations that need a boost.... but otherwise?

Thanks for your thoughts.

[KG6HXO]

APRS allows messaging via RF, so keyboard-to-keyboard messages are one reason. Another major reason is to allow non-internet dependent direct monitoring of the network, which is intended to be locally independent of the Internet, which we know from experience will often be unavailable in emergency situations. Fixed stations are also used as feed points for weather stations and various types of telemetry. There are many other purposes too.

73,

Allen AF6OF
www.Byonics.com

[AA4PB]

There is probably no need to "beacon" your house's position every few minutes since, hopefully, it never moves 

[K0JEG]

It's also useful for sending status updates, like "watching TV" or "checking into the 40 meter net."

[WN2C]

It's also useful for sending status updates, like "watching TV" or "checking into the 40 meter net."

or... sending local club meeting info or local repeater info so that travelers passing through might find a IRLP or Echo link reapeater.  There are many more uses like during a bike or marathon race, you could have it in the drag vehicle and see where it it is.  I just returned from a trip to N.J. and was pinging my location to and from (AZ to N.J and back) so my family could see where I was.  They think it is real cool to see that on a computer screen.
If you check out wb4apr's pages you will find out so many uses.

73 de wn2c  Rick

[KA1MDA]

Hi everyone, I'm just dabbling in researching APRS and was curious why anyone would have a fixed home APRS station.  What are the usages for that? 

I understand setting up a digipeater or Igate to help out local APRS stations that need a boost.... but otherwise?

Thanks for your thoughts.

Makes a great propagation beacon. Set up UI-View to only show packets heard direct (no digi) and you have a great real-time propagation monitor for 2 meters. Many home stations also have weather stations attached and sending data vis APRS, making local wx data available.