Connect Your GNSS Receiver: Bluetooth or Wi-Fi

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RoverCore runs on your phone, but the position comes from your external GNSS receiver. The phone's own GPS is not the survey sensor. So the first job is getting the rover talking to the app. On Android, RoverCore uses Bluetooth. Most receivers get paired in Bluetooth settings first, then linked in RoverCore on the Connect tab. On iPhone, RoverCore connects over Wi-Fi using TCP. Bluetooth is Android only. This guide covers both, plus how to read the position HUD once you're linked.

What you'll need

• A phone with RoverCore (Android or iOS)

• An external GNSS receiver, charged and turned on, that streams NMEA over Bluetooth (Android) or over Wi-Fi TCP (iPhone)

• The receiver's own vendor app closed (Emlid Flow, LandStar, Eos Tools Pro and so on)

Which receivers work? Rovers that send standard NMEA over Bluetooth, plus RTCM when the phone sends corrections. On iPhone, the receiver needs NMEA output over Wi-Fi TCP instead. Supported receivers include Emlid Reach, Hemisphere, Eos Arrow, SparkFun RTK, ArduSimple, Bad Elf Flex, CHC, Stonex, SingularXYZ and ComNav. See Receiver setup by brand on the RoverCore guides page for your model.

On Android: Classic SPP or BLE?

TypeWhich receiversHow you pair itClassic (SPP)Most survey receivers. This is where the NMEA stream is.On Android, pair in Settings → Bluetooth first, then link in RoverCoreBLE onlyArduSimple Smart AntennaOn Android, don't pair it in Settings. Scan for it on Connect

Dual-mode receivers (Emlid Reach RS2 and similar) show both Classic and BLE under one address. RoverCore keeps Classic, because that's the NMEA stream. You won't have to pick.

On Android: pair a Classic (SPP) receiver

1. Turn the receiver on and wait until its Bluetooth is advertising.

2. On Android, open Settings → Bluetooth. Not RoverCore yet.

3. Pair the receiver. If the phone asks for a PIN, it's often 1234.

4. Open RoverCore and go to the Connect tab.

5. Tap Scan. The receiver should show up as SPP (NMEA).

6. Tap the receiver's card to link it. The badge reads Tap to link, then changes to Tap to unlink once it's linked.

Only one app can hold the data stream. Close the vendor app before you link. A few brands are different, and their brand guide says so.

On Android: pair a BLE-only receiver (ArduSimple Smart Antenna)

1. On Android, don't pair it in Bluetooth settings.

2. Close the vendor app first. A BLE receiver takes one connection.

3. Open RoverCore, go to Connect and scan for SmartAnt.

4. Tap it to link.

If position comes in but the fix never gets past single, the ArduSimple guide shows how to switch it to Classic so corrections can get through.

On iPhone (Wi-Fi, TCP)

On iPhone, RoverCore connects to the receiver over Wi-Fi using TCP. Bluetooth is Android only, so skip the pairing steps above.

1. Turn the receiver on. Make sure its NMEA output over Wi-Fi (TCP) is turned on, with GGA on, plus GST, GSA and GSV if you can.

2. Get the receiver's IP address and the TCP port for its NMEA output from the receiver's manual or vendor app.

3. On the iPhone, join the receiver's Wi-Fi, or put the iPhone and the receiver on the same Wi-Fi network.

4. Open RoverCore and go to the Connect tab.

5. Enter the receiver's IP address and TCP port, then connect.

6. Check the HUD. Once it shows a position, you're linked.

Not every receiver can do this. Some receivers only send NMEA over Bluetooth, and those can't connect to an iPhone. Check your receiver's manual for NMEA over Wi-Fi TCP before you count on it.

Read the position HUD

The HUD stays on screen on Home, Connect and Working (the job map). It shows the fix type, accuracy and corrections source. If the receiver reports its battery, you'll see that too. Not every brand does.

Fix typeWhat it means in the fieldAutonomousGNSS only, no corrections. Enough to prove the link works. Not for layout.DGPSCode corrections. Better, but not RTK.RTK FloatCorrections are coming in, but the solution hasn't locked yet. Wait it out.RTK FixedLocked RTK solution. This is what you want for stakeout and collection.

Right after you link, Autonomous is fine. RTK Fixed comes once corrections are flowing, from your receiver or from the phone (NTRIP guide).

How tight your numbers are depends on your receiver, your corrections and site conditions. Watch the accuracy on the HUD, not just the fix type.

Tips

• Turn on the right NMEA. GGA is required. GST gives real accuracy numbers, and quality gates use it. Without GST, accuracy falls back to an estimate from HDOP. GSA and GSV add PDOP and satellite counts. Your brand guide shows where to turn these on.

• Not showing up on Scan (Android)? Check that it's paired in Bluetooth settings first (Classic receivers) and that the vendor app is closed.

• One phone at a time. If the rover is still linked to another phone or controller, disconnect it there first.

FAQ

Can I use the phone's GPS instead of a receiver? No. RoverCore uses an external receiver for position.

My receiver has Classic and BLE. Which do I use? Classic. RoverCore keeps Classic on dual-mode units because that's where the NMEA stream is.

Can I use Bluetooth on iPhone? No. On iPhone, RoverCore connects over Wi-Fi (TCP) only. Bluetooth is Android only.

Is my brand supported? Emlid Reach, Hemisphere, Eos Arrow, SparkFun RTK, ArduSimple, Bad Elf Flex, CHC, Stonex, SingularXYZ and ComNav are supported receivers, and each has a setup guide. Other rovers that send standard NMEA over Bluetooth (Android) or Wi-Fi TCP (iPhone) can work too. Check on a known point before you rely on it.

Next guide: Set receiver and antenna height →