Setup Guide · Emlid Reach RS2+
The Emlid Reach RS2+ connects to any NTRIP correction service in under two minutes using Emlid Flow. This guide walks you through every step — from first power-on to RTK Fixed — and covers the most common pitfalls along the way.
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Requirements
RS2+ vs RS3 vs RS4
The steps in this guide apply to the entire Emlid Reach RS family — RS2+, RS3 and RS4 all use the same Emlid Flow app and the same NTRIP setup process. The only difference is that the RS3 and RS4 support additional constellations and frequencies. Select your exact model when prompted in Emlid Flow for the correct antenna calibration.
Press and hold the power button until the LED indicator turns on. The RS2+ boots in approximately 20 seconds. During boot the LED pulses white, then settles into a steady or slow-pulsing blue — indicating it is broadcasting a Wi-Fi hotspot.
Go to your phone's Wi-Fi settings and connect to the RS2+ hotspot — named something like reach:xx:xx. The default password is emlidreach.
Alternatively, if you have already paired the RS2+ to your phone's hotspot in a previous session, turn on your phone's hotspot first and the RS2+ will connect to it automatically. This is the preferred setup for field use because the phone retains its mobile data connection.
Open Emlid Flow. The app automatically discovers RS2+ units on the same network. Tap your receiver in the device list to connect. The main screen shows satellite count, solution status and battery level.
Use phone hotspot for field work
Connect the RS2+ to your phone's hotspot rather than using the RS2+ as the hotspot. This way the phone keeps its mobile data connection and the RS2+ uses it for NTRIP — one connection handles everything. In Emlid Flow, go to on the receiver to add your phone hotspot as a known network.
In Emlid Flow, tap the Correction input tab (the antenna icon at the bottom of the screen, or in the receiver settings). This is where you configure how the RS2+ receives RTK corrections.
Set the source to NTRIP. Other options — LoRa radio and Bluetooth — are used for base-rover setups and are not relevant for NTRIP.
Tap Add profile (or edit an existing one). Fill in the connection details from your correction service. For RTKsub:
Tap Request mountpoints. Emlid Flow connects to the server and retrieves the list of available mountpoints.
From the sourcetable, select the mountpoint that matches your situation:
The RS2+ processes MSM4 and MSM7 equally well. Start with RTCM3_NL (MSM4). Only switch to VRS if your working area is more than 30 km from the nearest physical reference station.
If you selected RTCM3_NL_VRS, enable the Send GGA to caster toggle. This sends your approximate position to the server so it can generate a virtual station near you. Without it, VRS returns zero data.
For standard mountpoints like RTCM3_NL, GGA is optional — leave the toggle off.
Tap Connect. Emlid Flow connects to the NTRIP server and begins streaming corrections to the RS2+. The correction counter (bytes per second) in the Correction input tab should start incrementing — confirming data is flowing.
Make sure you are outside with a clear sky view. The RS2+ cannot achieve RTK Fix indoors or under heavy canopy.
The solution status progresses through three stages:
In good sky conditions with a nearby reference station, Fix typically arrives within 10–60 seconds. If it takes longer, see the troubleshooting section below.
Once the RS2+ has RTK Fix, connect it to your survey or mapping software to collect and stake out points.
Emlid Flow includes a built-in survey module. Once Fix is achieved, tap Survey at the bottom of the screen to start collecting points, lines and areas. Set the antenna height (to the bottom of the receiver), configure your coordinate system and begin.
For stakeout, tap Stakeout and import your design points from a CSV or DXF file. Emlid Flow guides you to each point with a real-time directional indicator.
In FieldGenius for Android, add a new instrument profile, select Emlid RS3 (or RS2+) as the model, and connect via Bluetooth. Set the correction input to No RTK in FieldGenius — the RS2+ handles the NTRIP connection independently through Emlid Flow.
Set antenna height to the bottom of the receiver in FieldGenius. The RS2+ automatically adds its own internal antenna offset on top.
In SW Maps, go to Settings → GNSS receiver and add the RS2+ via Bluetooth. Select NMEA as the protocol. The RS2+ streams corrected NMEA positions to SW Maps once Fix is achieved.
You do not need to configure NTRIP in SW Maps — the RS2+ handles corrections internally via Emlid Flow. Simply connect SW Maps to the receiver and use the Fix positions it provides.
In QField, connect the RS2+ via Bluetooth in Settings → Positioning → Bluetooth device. The RS2+ sends NMEA GGA and GNS sentences with the corrected Fix position.
Configure your QGIS project with the correct CRS before syncing to QField. The RS2+ position will be displayed in the project's coordinate system automatically.
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Cannot request mountpoints | No internet on RS2+, wrong host or port | Ensure RS2+ is connected to a network with internet (your phone hotspot). Verify host is ntrip.rtksub.com, port 2101. No http:// prefix. |
| Credentials rejected | Wrong username or password | Copy-paste credentials from your RTKsub account dashboard. Check for leading or trailing spaces. |
| Connected but 0 bytes/sec | VRS mountpoint with no GGA sent | Enable Send GGA to caster in the NTRIP profile. Wait for a Single solution before connecting. |
| Stuck on Float for more than 3 minutes | Long baseline, obstructions or high PDOP | Switch to RTCM3_NL_VRS with GGA enabled. Move to open sky. Check satellite count — should be 20+. |
| Fix drops when moving | Obstructions or multipath | Hold pole vertical. Move away from trees and buildings. Lower elevation mask to 10° in Emlid Flow GNSS settings. |
| Coordinates offset by 0.5–2 m | Datum transformation not applied | For Netherlands: verify RDNAPTRANS™ 2018 is applied in your job's coordinate system. See the coordinate error guide. |
| Heights wrong by ~40 m | Ellipsoidal height, no geoid model | Apply NLGEO2018 (Netherlands) in the coordinate system settings. Ellipsoidal height differs from NAP by 38–44 m. |
| RS2+ not found in Emlid Flow | Not on the same network | Connect your phone to the RS2+ hotspot, or ensure both are on the same Wi-Fi network. Restart Emlid Flow. |
Save the profile for next time
Once your NTRIP profile is configured and working, Emlid Flow saves it automatically. On your next job, simply tap the profile, tap Connect, and you are ready. The entire process takes under 30 seconds from power-on to Fix in good conditions.