GPS Antenna Ground Plate

Many magnetic mount GPS antennas need to be installed on a car or other large metal objects to create a good ground plane. But what if you don't want to use it on a car? The GPS Antenna Ground Plate is the answer! It can greatly boost the performance of GPS and GNSS antennas. At SparkFun, we're constantly striving for improvement. Our updated design has a 1/4 - 20 UNC nut welded to the bottom of a thinner plate (now 1/16" instead of 1/8"). The nut adds thickness, so the tripod screw won't damage the plate easily. We've also made the plate thinner to cut down on weight. This steel disc serves as a ground plane for the low - cost u - blox ANN - MB - 00 antenna. When paired with a L1/L2 capable GNSS receiver like the ZED - F9P, it enables centimeter - level positioning. The 1/16” thick steel plate fits the standard ¼ - 20 UNC camera mounting screw. Although it's not the smoothest steel and weighs 0.4211 lbs, it offers a stable base for a GPS Magnetic Mount Antenna to sit flat on the ground plane when attached to a tripod.

Using the GPS Antenna Ground Plate is quite easy. First, make sure you have a tripod with a standard ¼ - 20 UNC camera mounting screw. Simply fit the 1/16” thick steel plate onto the screw. Then, place your GPS Magnetic Mount Antenna on the plate. If you're using a u - blox ANN - MB - 00 antenna, this plate will provide a great ground plane. When you pair it with a ZED - F9P or other L1/L2 capable GNSS receiver, you'll get centimeter - level positioning. As for precautions, be careful when handling the plate because it's made of steel and weighs 0.4211 lbs. Also, although the updated design makes the tripod screw less likely to damage the plate, try not to apply too much force when installing it. For maintenance, keep the plate clean. You can use a dry cloth to wipe it. If it gets dirty, you can use a mild cleaning agent, but make sure to dry it thoroughly afterwards to prevent rusting.