Mount Commonly Used
Stability
Cost
Install Time
Labor
Substrate
Site Impact
Cup with brass adapter
med-high
$30
1 hr
1
BR, R
low
| Back to comparison table |
Mount Commonly Used |
Stability |
Cost |
Install Time |
Labor |
Substrate |
Site Impact |
|
|
Cup with brass adapter |
med-high |
$30 |
1 hr |
1 |
BR, R |
low |
The 5/8" stainless steel all-thread mast is the simplest of the monumentation supported by UNAVCO. The monument consists of one length of 5/8" stainless steel all-thread, which can be cut to size in the field. The mast is set directly into a hard substrate. The mast is installed as close to vertical as possible; a stainless steel cup with a threaded brass adapter is generally used for the antenna mount, as shown here. The cup does not allow for precise leveling but does allow for the antenna to be oriented to north. These monuments are used throughout the semi-permanent GNSS network in Bangladesh and in Calabria, Italy (both M. Steckler, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory).
GNSS site in the Bangladesh network.
Inexpensive (e.g. ~$30 for the all-thread, $50 for the mount)
Can be installed with a battery-powered drill
Small footprint, low-profile
Short installation time (<1 hr)
Materials readily available; no custom machining necessary for the monument
Can be installed on a rooftop or other stone or cement structure
Can only be installed in solid material
A battery-powered drill is all that is needed for installation of the mast.
None.
Mladen Nedimovic of Dalhousie University and Michael Steckler of the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory install a monument on the roof of a church in the Calabria region of Italy.
$30 (not including epoxy or cement)
This cost is for the monumentation only; the antenna mount is not included.
custom length of 5/8" stainless steel all-thread
epoxy or quick-setting, expansive concrete
stainless steel nut and washer for locking position of the antenna or antenna mount
Loctite or other glue for threads (optional)
battery-powered drill
tube to blow rock flour out of the hole
level
compass
A 5/8" threaded leveling mount can be used, but we commonly use a simple non-leveling mount consisting of a stainless steel cup holding a brass adapter. The antenna is screwed onto the brass adapter and can be rotated to north. The adapter is then held in place in the cup with a set screw. The monument itself is installed as close to vertical as possible.
Article ID: 325
Created: February 18, 2010
Last Updated: February 18, 2010
Author: Beth Bartel
Online URL: https://kb.unavco.org/article/5-8-stainless-steel-all-thread-mast-overview-325.html