Monument Pins Overview

Monument Pins

Back to comparison table
Mount Commonly Used
Stability
Cost
Install Time
Labor
Substrate
Site Impact
campaign GPS/GNSS antenna mount

med-high

$15-50

<1 hr

1
BR, R

low

 
Danish geodetic marker near Kangerlussuaq, Greenland (left); simple stainless steel pin at site DOIW in Afar, Ethiopia (right).

Pros

  • Inexpensive (e.g. $15-50, depending on marker design)

  • Can be installed with a battery-powered drill

  • Small footprint, low profile

  • Short installation time (<1 hr, can be as little as 15 minutes)

  • Materials and machining are available in most cities

  • Can be installed on a rooftop or other stone or cement structure

  • Can be occupied with a wide variety of antenna mounts

Cons

  • Can only be installed in solid material

  • Must be occupied with a temporary antenna mount

Design and Construction

There are a variety of marker designs. In general, markers consist of a post with a 1 mm dimple or intersecting crosshairs on top. The marker most commonly used by UNAVCO is the dimpled monument pin, or "Bevis pin." The Bevis pin is a 6-inch long, 1/2-inch diameter stainless steel pin machined with notches on the sides to prohibit rotation and a 1 mm dimple on the top. Machine and installation instructions are given below.

Approximate Cost

$15-50; varies depending on marker design.

Materials

  • pin

  • epoxy or quick-setting, expansive concrete and water

Tools

  • battery-powered drill

  • tube to blow rock flour out of the hole

  • level (optional but preferable)

  • needle-nosed pliers for rescuing pins from over-drilled holes (recommended)

Mount Commonly Used

         

Many mounts can be used with a monument pin, including the Tech 2000 mast, UNAVCO fixed-height spike mount, standard, short, or fixed-height tripod, or bipod. See the UNAVCO Resources: GNSS Antenna Mounts page.


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Posted by: Beth Bartel - February 19, 2010. This article has been viewed 461 times.
Online URL: https://kb.unavco.org/article/monument-pins-overview-640.html

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