What is the best way to setup an external radio UHF antenna for a GNSS Base

If I need that sort of height I just put the 5m pole though the centre of a standard tripod and weight the legs or tie the pole to a fence post. Not sure the bipod style option would keep the pole up in wind so well.

I often just put a regular range pole on a tribrach and used one or two sections of range poke depending on how high I wanted it.

I have a tow hook on the front of my truck, a 15 foot rod set in the hook, the battery hangs of another tow hook and so does the radio. Or I move it away from the base (sometimes miles) and weave the rod into a fence line with the battery hanging over a post and the radio hanging somewhere convenient. There is no reason to set up a tripod just for a radio pole. Waste of money, you'd be better off buying a metal fence post, beat it in the ground and lean it against it, or two posts and wrap the pole high with flagging between the two posts. Use some cheap 4' pole sections. I would never use a bipod.

I use an old tripod with a 25' level rod setting in the middle of it with the antenna threaded on top.  I set the battery right next to it and strap the bottom of the rod to the battery for stability.

Best way = stable setup and high enough to get you the range you need. How you get there is really up to you.

I've used the antenna-specific tripods and really don't like 'em - they take up space and serve a single purpose. I much prefer to have another tripod that I can use for surveying, and either use @lukenz 's method, or use one of the lightweight fiberglass mast poles (~2m/6ft extension) sold under many different brands.

I also much prefer to run my radio as a repeater, which means that it's often easier to position it such that I don't need to boost that antenna up super high...

Often, you will see tripods used as a base radio setup in ads. Usually surveyors carry more than one tripod for reasons that have nothing to do with a radio setup, so why not use it. But, buying a tripod simply to put up an antenna pole is overkill. I use it sometimes cause it's sitting in the truck box and it's quick. Also with some of the setups shown you need a big washer to make it work, probably $150 from one of the vendors (JK). 

Old and worn out instrument tripods get a second life as a radio tripod.

I also much prefer to run my radio as a repeater, which means that it's often easier to position it such that I don't need to boost that antenna up super high...

That also means you can put the base in a more convenient (easier to walk to location) and only have to lug the repeater up a hill to get into the next valley.

I don't use UHF much, as most of my work area has good cell coverage.  But I do carry an 8' piece of 3/4" gas pipe that has a pole point on one end and an antenna adapter on the other.  When I need UHF I jam the point into the ground and use a homemade Hold-A-Pole with a regular tripod to keep the pipe in place.  It doesn't get the antenna above any trees, but it's been good enough for the places I've used it, and doesn't take up much space in the truck.

Thank you very much for everyone that took some time to respond to my thread! Your input is very much appreciated!

@james-vianna Hello James, is that an Emlid RS2 that you are using? If yes, I never knew that it is possible to link them with an external antenna like that.

How do you keep the antenna pole to stick on the second tripod like that? Very curious about it. Nice setup by the way!

@billyandriam 

Yes it is. I have a plastic claw that screws on the tripod head and holds the fiberglass rod. Maybe from lo-ink

If I need that sort of height I just put the 5m pole though the centre of a standard tripod and weight the legs or tie the pole to a fence post. Not sure the bipod style option would keep the pole up in wind so well.

@lukenz Hi Luke! This is nearly the setup I have been planning. Using a 5m pole with a tripod. If you look at the original picture closely, it's a pole-tripod and not the bipod one. I was also thinking about wind disturbances and maybe a bipod won't be strong enough.

By the way, how do you hold the 5m pole with the standard tripod? (from my understanding, you are using the regular tripod for total stations etc,...) Normally, these things have a huge hole in the center and how do you make it such that the pole gets to stay in place without any wiggling around.

@david-livingstone Cool. So if I understang correctly, you fasten the tribrach in place with the tribrach screw. Correct?

Then how do you put the range pole? Directly on the tribrach? Don't you need some kind of tribrach adapter first in order to mount the range pole on top?

Do you think these kits from TRIANGL would work? I am just worrried if the tribrach adapter won't be strong enough and would maybe break in case of high wind bursts if I set up a 3m range pole +UHF antenna on top of it.

@james-vianna I really had to look it up because I couldn't believe ! Is that this Extend radio arm from TRIANGL?

I am very curious right now. From what I see, this is not actually an external radio but you are still using the internal one (probably1-2W) and boosting the coverage by extending the antenna out? Right? Is the gain in performance noticeable? Sorry if it seems like a dumb question... Emlid claims a RTK coverage of 8km radius with the original radio so I am very eager to know.

I am planning to buy the Emlids in the future for drone surveying/Photogrammetry so I am quite glad I learn something new about these.

@tom-bushelman Thanks for taking the time to share your setup Tom. What do you use to fasten the level rod in the center of the tripod? Isn't there any wiggle room for it to move around otherwise?

@billyandriam 

Yes i use that holder also but for the 25' rod i use this

The internal radio is like a 0.1 watt and the stock antenna is junk. With the system i use, it more than triples the range through the woods. 3000' to 5000'.  8km is under perfect conditions like across a lake. Alternative if cell service is available is to use the free emlid castor.

@tom-bushelman Thanks for taking the time to share your setup Tom. What do you use to fasten the level rod in the center of the tripod? Isn't there any wiggle room for it to move around otherwise?

There is a bit of wiggle room and is not fastened at the top of the tripod but if strapped to a deep cycle battery on the ground, it is pretty stable.