I feel like most would agree that being able to gather intelligence about the situation is a critical need in a disaster or crisis. You can only make an informed decision about what to do if you have information to act upon. That’s where the ATS Mini V4 comes into play.
When I was growing up, every home I knew had multiple radios. There was one in the living room or family room, maybe another in a basement rec room. Many people had one in the kitchen to listen to while cooking or doing dishes. And every teenager had to have a stereo, or at least a boom box, in their room.
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These days, not so much. At best, there might be a digital alarm clock floating around in a bedroom somewhere, one that might be able to tune in a radio station or two if you hold it up the right way.
Don’t get me wrong. Just about everyone is walking around with a cell phone that can be used to listen to digital broadcasts from around the world. But it only works if you can get a signal. Without that, you’re dead in the water, and depending on the nature of the disaster, a cell signal, much less wi-fi, could be hard to come by. With that in mind, it makes sense to invest in a radio of some sort that you can use when cell phones aren’t being helpful.
ATS Mini V4 Basics
I came across the ATS Mini V4 radio on Amazon earlier this year. I wasn’t really looking for a radio, but I snapped it up anyway as it just looked nifty. So far, I’m pretty impressed.
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This is, without a doubt, the smallest radio I’ve ever owned. It kind of reminds me of something you’d have seen advertised in the back of a comic book in the 1970s as being some sort of secret spy radio. It’s just 3 inches long, 1.25-inches high, and about 0.75-inch thick. Not counting the antenna, it weighs just 2.2 ounces.
Tell you what, though. It punches well above its weight class.
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ATS Mini V4 Features
The radio’s internal battery is charged via USB-C. A charge lasts quite a while, too. I charged it up, played around with it for a couple of hours, then turned it off and let it sit for about three months. It fired right up without a problem and has been going for a couple of hours so far.
There are only two controls for the radio. The power switch is a small slider on the side of the box. Everything else is done with the dial on the front. Pressing it brings up the main menu, allowing you to change the band, volume, and other settings by turning the dial. You can also use it to seek or scan channels, just like you would in a car or home stereo.
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It comes with two antennas, one expandable and one loop. Also in the box is a short USB cable you can use for charging the radio.
I’ll confess that I’m not the most knowledgeable with radio tech. But this radio will tune in AM, FM, and shortwave broadcasts, as well as upper sideband and lower sideband. For my purposes, AM/FM are sufficient. Everything else is a bonus that I’m still learning about.
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There’s a headphone jack on the side opposite the power switch. The speaker is tiny, but it really cranks. It’s far louder than you’d imagine for such as small radio, though weirdly the volume control tops out at number 63.
What I Like
The ATS Mini V4 is a great backup option for emergency communication. It’s small and easy to store. You could even toss it into a bug out bag. It holds a good charge for a few months or more, and it’ll work with any common power bank. The controls are simple and fairly intuitive.
If you’re looking for something that will allow you to bring in radio broadcasts when nothing else seems to be working, this might be just the ticket.
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You can find the ATS Mini V4 on Amazon for just under $60.
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