This mint tin radio is a fresh take on emergency communication

Most of us get our news via the internet these days, which is only natural given the convenience and availability. But during an emergency, such as weather extreme enough to cause power or network outages, the internet may be inaccessible. How do you learn vital information in that scenario? The answer is with good old-fashioned radio. But a lot of people don’t own battery-powered radios, which is why element14 Presents’ Mark Donners put together a tutorial on how to use an Arduino to build a tiny emergency FM radio for such situations.

This is a compact, portable FM radio small enough to fit in a Smint tin (Smint is like an Italian-Dutch Altoids alternative). It has an extendable antenna and a standard 3.5mm audio jack for connecting headphones. Power comes from a trio of LR42 coin cell batteries. The FM radio station is configured in firmware and it is important to choose a reliable frequency, such as for a local news channel. The single button controls powers to the entire device.

An Arduino Nano board does all of the thinking, but it picks up radio broadcasts through a TEA5767 FM receiver module. A custom PCB ties everything together with the necessary components for smooth operation. 

It would be nice if there was an option for a tuner dial, in case the preselected station isn’t broadcasting during an emergency. But the dedication to simple, foolproof operation is appealing in its own right. When turned off, the device shouldn’t consume any power at all and so this little radio can be safely stored for years until it is needed.