6 Great Power Bank Deals for Your Thirsty Phone Battery

https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://www.wired.com/story/power-bank-deals-february-2026/

On the CycPlus AS2

The Cycplus AS2 is a pocket sized inflator that can easily be taken while cycling with a group or alone. It doesn't have a display and it doesn't tell you how much battery but it does inflate a tyre within seconds with minimal effort.

I tested it at home first, to get used to its use. You press it against the valve and then you press again and it starts to inflate. It will do most of the tyre's inflation within seconds but to get a higher pressure will take longer. I used it to inflate the tyre more than once, when changing the tyre.

Yesterday I was out on a group ride and the roads were gritty and wet. Just as we were turning from a secondary road to an agricultural road I heard the tyre make a different noise and the ride feel much rougher. I had to stop and saw that my tyre was completely deflated.

That's when I had to stop, get off the bike, remove the wheel, unseat the tyre, remove the faulty inner tube and put a new one in. I really struggled to get the new tyre in. Finally I could inflate the tyre with the Cycplus AS 2 and it's fast up to a certain pressure, and then it really struggles if you want a hard tyre.

The advantage of this device is that it doesn't take more space than 2 co2 canisters and the inflator nozzle, and it can be recharged, rather than recycled. It is also much faster than a hand pump, especially the small hand pumps that fit in our light cycling gear.

When riding again I noticed a tell-tall tack, tack, tack when I sped up. In the past when I had that it was because the inner tube had twisted within the wheel.

I stopped again by a sports centre and this time I took my time to do things better. I left the group because I didn't want them to suffer with the cold again. When it was fixed properly I rode home.

A Quick Puncture Find

When I was home I took the inflator and the damaged inner tube and I decided to inflate the inner tube to find the puncture. It took seconds. If you're riding alone, in the middle of summer, and you have a puncture you can diagnose the inner tube, apply a patch to the leak, and put the inner tube back on, without using a new one.

I was able to find the hole, block it with a finger, see if there was a second leak, establish that there wasn't. If I had been in the mood I could have fixed the inner tube at home and practice a skill that we have forgotten.

And Finally

I chose either the cheapest, or second cheapest electric pump and it's fine for re-inflating tyres at least twice after a puncture. It's simple and intuitive to use and it's more environmentally friendly and effective than cartridges. Specifically, I found that with cartridges you don't need a full canister to fill a tyre, so some of that gas is wasted.

With a hand pump it can take a while to inflate a tyre, and with a CO2 canister it's fast but it's wasteful. With these pumps it is quick and convenient, especially when a group is waiting for you.

Gravity Rigs Carry On range of performance and playback rigs available now https://rekkerd.org/gravity-rigs-carry-on-range-of-performance-and-playback-rigs-available-now/

#Hardware #Portable

Portable calls out Olamide: Singer claims former mentor is blocking his music

​Story Highlights

Portable sparked massive outrage on February 16, 2026, after releasing a viral video accusing Olamide Badoo of blocking his music progress. The “Zazu” singer claimed he is now bigger than his former mentor. He demanded space to operate as an independent “lion” while denying Olamide’s influence.

​Portable has sent shockwaves through the Nigerian music industry with a direct attack on his former benefactor, Olamide. The controversial singer took to social media to vent his frustrations in a heated video rant. He accused the YBNL boss of actively working against his career by preventing his songs from reaching fans.

​The outburst comes as a surprise to many who viewed Olamide as the architect of Portable’s fame. Fans expressed immediate disappointment at what they described as a blatant act of ingratitude. Many social media users noted that the singer appears to be burning the most important bridge in his career.

​Allegations of sabotage and “gatekeeping”

​The singer questioned the nature of his relationship with the rap legend while dismissing any claims of financial support. He insisted that their connection was strictly professional and lacked any deep familial ties. Portable suggested that Olamide is now trying to interfere with his success out of spite.

​”We join business ni now. Won ni se iya kan na lo bi wa ni now? Won ni se baba kan na lo bi wa? Owo de n so, enu n me’nu, ki n ko lo ko’pa? E ba l’e help mi mo,” Portable said.

​He expressed confusion over why his former mentor would reportedly instruct others to stop playing his music. Portable specifically referenced his breakout hit to highlight the perceived betrayal from those who once supported it. He insisted that no one could stop his “shining” because his glory comes from God.

​”Ki… What do you say about me? Why will you say they should don’t play my song? Orin to gbo, te gbo, Zazu te gbo, te fi wa f’enu si? Orin mi?” the star shouted.

​The “lion” declares total independence

​Portable challenged Olamide to prove if he had ever provided basic necessities or signed a formal contract. He listed several items including food, clothing, and housing to prove he owes the rapper nothing. This bold stance follows a trend of erratic behaviour, much like the time Queen Dami filed a petition against Portable over alleged blackmail threats.

​”Bro, they know say… Se you signed me ni? Se e gbo pe boya e sign mi ni? Abi e fun mi l’onje ni? Abi e fun mi l’ata? Abi e fun mi l’epo? Abi boya e ra aso fun mi ni?” he declared.

​The singer further claimed that he has retreated to his own space to survive on his own terms. He compared himself to a lion in the jungle that hunts for its own food without help. This defiant attitude echoes previous reports of his messy personal life, especially when Queen Dami accused her bestie of sleeping with Portable during their dispute.

​”I am a lion. Mo de n l’ogbo, mo de n pa’je, mo n mu’je. Nkan to ba wu mi je, ohun de lo n wa’le wa. Eh, it’s good to be a lion in the jungle,” the singer noted.

​Portable concluded by warning his critics and former associates to stop chasing him. He stated that he would rather be an independent predator than a “stray dog” on the streets. The singer remains adamant that he can survive the industry alone.

Is the student finally trying to take down the master? 😱 Portable has officially called out Olamide, accusing Badoo of blocking his music and claiming he's now "bigger" than the YBNL boss. Is this bold or just ungrateful? Read the full rant! #Portable

https://validupdates.com/2026/02/portable-calls-out-olamide-singer-claims-former-mentor-is-blocking-his-music/

Queen Dami drops bombshell: Bestie allegedly sleeping with Portable

​Story Highlights

On February 14, 2026, Queen Dami confirmed she returned to singer Portable. She accused her best friend, Debby, of secretly sleeping with the musician behind her back. Portable allegedly provided proof of the affair via chats. This revelation sparked intense social media debate regarding loyalty and their complicated history.

​Queen Dami shocked social media users on February 14, 2026. She admitted to rekindling her romance with controversial singer Portable. The widow of the late Alaafin of Oyo shared the news in a bold online post.

​This confession marks a sharp turn for the socialite. She previously vowed to never return to the singer after their messy breakup 14 months ago.

​A messy betrayal revealed

​Dami revealed that her close friend, Debby, is also intimate with the singer. She claimed that Portable warned her about the friendship himself. This drama unfolds shortly after Queen Dami slammed Portable’s ex wife following a heated legal dispute.

​”I’M NOT A SAINT, I AM BACK TO SLEEPING WITH PORTABLE BUT MY BESTIE, DEBBY, IS SECRETLY SLEEPING HIM TOO” Queen Dami wrote.

​The singer reportedly shared evidence of his meetings with Debby. He showed Dami private chats to prove his claims. Two other people also confirmed the secret affair to the queen.

​Confrontation and denial

​The widow eventually confronted her friend about the shocking news. However, Debby denied all claims of a romantic link.

​Debby insisted that she and Portable only share a business relationship. The situation reminds fans of when Ashabi Simple claimed Portable exploitation during her own public outcry. Many users now question the loyalty between the two friends.

Engineering challenges of the completed QRP EFHW coupler

Kudos to Kits and Parts, the United States Postal Service and the Canada Post dog sled teams who fearlessly fought their way through blizzards on the frozen barren tundra into the wild white yonder to safely deliver my package of toroid cores. But, as soon as I had unpacked the goodies I realized I may have fired off the order with excessive haste. I ordered some medium sized Type 2 and Type 6 powdered iron toroids for my occasional QROp (20 watts) projects and some smaller ones for QRP. How small? Too small! In my haste I had ordered 25 T37-2 and 25 T37-6 cores. These cores are so small that winding inductors on them requires a great deal and patience and dexterity – I have neither.

When life hands you lemons …

When life hands me self-inflicted lemons I tend to fill my head with expletives that are best not spoken in polite company. Then I find ways to cover up my mistakes. T37 cores are really only suitable in the stages of a transceiver prior to the final PA. Could they possibly be persuaded to handle the full 4.5 watts output of my revered antique Yaesu FT-817?

I reminded myself that this is Ham Radio Outside the Box and in that spirit I would find a way to use those lilliputian cores in my project. There were two screaming demons haunting my thoughts on this. A toroidal core can overheat due to being too small to handle the power applied to it. Or it can simply reach magnetic saturation causing it to fail to perform as expected.

I remembered an old trick used by hams who enjoy pumping out so much power they risk blowing holes in the ionosphere. They use multiple stacked toroid cores to share the load. Would that work with the tiny cores I had at my disposal? I decided to take the risk, but first test the idea on the bench before venturing out into the Big Blue Sky Shack.

But how to test the idea?

If a core can’t handle the power applied to it it will get hot. If the core reaches magnetic saturation it will no longer function as expected. I figured a simple way to test for these conditions on the bench would be a keydown test into a 2.5Kohm dummy load. I used two stacked T37-6 cores, held together with electrical tape and then by the wire wound through them. The setup was almost identical to the “20 minute” version published in the previous post, except that the inductor was now the toroidal core version.

The tuned circuit, dummy load and transceiver were hooked up on the bench and then, with very little trepidation (if I blew up the inductor I had more wire, more cores), I keyed up the full four and a half watts from the transceiver for 30 seconds while monitoring the SWR on my Norcal QRP power meter. Did it survive the test?

The Norcal QRP power meter indicated a rock steady SWR throughout the test. The cores may have increased in temperature but not enough to be detectable when touched with my fingers at the end of the keydown. Not a scientifically rigorous test but it inspired confidence in the viability of the solution. Stacking two cores increases the depth through which the wires pass through the core and that may compensate for the smaller diameter.

And now – that pesky polyvaricon

The 3D printing revolution hasn’t yet penetrated the basement laboratories of Ham Radio Outside the Box. Instead I am limited to good old-fashioned engineering techniques in my build projects. It is amazing what can be achieved with an extensive collection of materials and a few simple tools. That is exactly how I approached the challenge of attaching a regular quarter-inch knob to the stubby, irregular shaft of a polyvaricon.

The basic idea has already been covered on this blog but it has now been refined into a reproducible technique that is rugged and reliable enough to survive the rigors of being bumped over the steep and rocky terrain encountered along the north end of the Niagara Escarpment. The solution to the challenge is to construct a short quarter-inch diameter adapter shaft than can be securely attached to the polyvaricon. The basic material used is a steel drinking straw. Now that plastic straws have been declared a deadly hazard to the survival of the human race, steel straws are becoming quite easy to find.

Two tools were required; a Dremel for cutting a slot in one end of a section of the straw, and a small tube cutter for cutting the adapter shaft to the correct length. The adapter shaft is secured to the polyvaricon by means of a long, fine bolt and a small washer. Scavenging polyvaricons from dirt cheap thrift store AM/FM radios ensures the correct size of bolt is obtained. I did have to grind down the washer a little when the adapter shaft was fitted to ensure it slid into the knob nicely. Building the adapter shaft took about a half hour of delicate work while wearing a magnifying lens to enhance my degenerating vision. I imagine making something similar with a 3D printer would take as long.

I have another project developing on the workbench which involves the same inductor core tricks and polyvaricon mods as outlined here. It is a wideband L-match and if it works I’ll publish the details here in a couple of weeks. On the other hand, if it doesn’t work …

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