Night Vision, what's good

[jcheeseright]

I have while I've been away looked into this in some detail as I'm really keen to get going with some proper milsim when I get home (184 days done, 6 to go). From what I've seen so far, unless you want to be spending 4 figures and up, gen1+ is pretty much the only way to go. From the rather large choice of commercial gen1+(a bit of a misnomer, it's still gen1, just 'newer', not 'better') devices out there the best 2 contenders for helmet mounting are the Cobra Optics Merlin EX 1x20 monocular, and the Pulsar Challenger GS 1x20 monocular. Yukon do some too but I don't think they'll have the requisite threaded part to accept a j-arm to attach to a rhino mount.

For info, if you need to attach a rhino arm to an NVD the fitting is a standard camera tripod adapter, though finding a decent j-arm is a challenge in the extreme, as is finding an appropriately priced rhino arm.

If you've got a bit of cash to splash, the AN/PVS14 model gen3 monocular is supposed to be the bees knees and can (for a gen3 device) be picked up relatively cheaply these days. The added bonus to getting one of these is that the rhino mount and j-arm were designed around it, so you know it'll work.

As for torches trashing gen1 NVDs, as Ian said it's more a case of them losing hours of effective use than instantly exploding in your face, most will work for several thousand hours anyway so losing a few here or there won't cost you too badly. How often do you realistically play at night? a handful of times a year? Think how long it would take to use a thousand hours at that rate, a pretty long time!

 

[Ian_Gere]

...wont get much of a torch for £20, unless I'm much mistaken!

I've got a 300 Lumen C8 with Cree LED, pressure switch and push button end caps and multi function 3 brightness levels, strobe & emergency flash, 3 different mounts and a 18650 battery - for less than £20

My point is, from my experience from casual games, you're going to see bright torch light most all the time. But if you think those few time you do not have torches blasting away at you is worth the expense ad weight of NVs.. then fair enough!

You're only going to see torchlight if you head towards the directions the enemy are pointing their torches. From your experience, that's what you remember... but you didn't have the option to look in a different direction and see well enough to go that way for any useful reason, eh?

 

[two_zero]

I've got a 300 Lumen C8 with Cree LED, pressure switch and push button end caps and multi function 3 brightness levels, strobe & emergency flash, 3 different mounts and a 18650 battery - for less than £20

You're only going to see torchlight if you head towards the directions the enemy are pointing their torches. From your experience, that's what you remember... but you didn't have the option to look in a different direction and see well enough to go that way for any useful reason, eh?

300 works for you? link? might pop that on and not risk having lenses on more expensive ones shot out.

on the sites I tend to skirmish at, no, you would not be able to progress into any direction where there wouldn't be someone with a torch. Then again, on a more open site or less players, maybe.

 

[Ian_Gere]

My mistake - it's 350 lms on fleabay

I've taped 2 layers of thin polycarbonate from a blister pack over the lens, because even though it actually only cost me £12.50 DELIVERED, I see no reason to put it at more risk than necessary.

 

[harvchan]

...wont get much of a torch for £20, unless I'm much mistaken

Then you are much mistaken just search ebay!!!

Looking at the pictures for the proposed NV how much does that whole rig weigh?

 

[jcheeseright]

I'm going to go with somewhere in the region of 'spinal compression'.

 

[Ian_Gere]

I'm going to go with somewhere in the region of 'spinal compression'.

You could well be right, mate! 2.5Kg with the original transformer and vehicle power lead. Obviously until I know what exactly will replace the transformer, I can't say how much my plan will come in at, but the transformer is a fat lump of steel plates with copper windings so that must be at least 1 of those Kgs and the lead is not just robust but has a metal enclosed plug & double socket which I spose is to allow a 2nd pair to plug into the same vehicle power outlet, all of which will be gone.

 

[geoffreym]

...wont get much of a torch for £20, unless I'm much mistaken

Then you are much mistaken just search ebay!!!

Looking at the pictures for the proposed NV how much does that whole rig weigh?

I'm going to go with somewhere in the region of 'spinal compression'.

and in one of my very brief forays into humour

anything under 5kg I'd be happy with, and I do think that a rhino conversion wouldn't even be difficult.

 

[Ian_Gere]

Well, I wouldn't class myself as any kind of baby when it comes to carrying equipment. James can vouch for that, as I carried everything to camp and skirmish at NAE12 in a bergen and pouches from Nottingham to Ringwood and back on public transport. I've got to tell you that 5Kg on my head would severely test my patience and commitment though. Even 2.5Kg would never get comfortable enough to not notice, because I'd not use it so often that it would feel normal.

I'm pretty much certain that it will end up being under 2Kg though and probably less, which I think will be OK for something like 4hrs at a time. I mean, 2 bags of sugar on your head would be fine sitting/standing still, but it's the head swivelling and/or running that would make it noticeable and eventually tiring.

 

[Ian_Gere]

@Geoffrey So things are looking up for at least 1 and possibly 2 more multi-transformer quiet power supplies. There's another round of negotiation to go before buying the NVG's, but I've found some decent stainless steel mesh cheap enough to use also, so the project is looking good to go on this small scale at least.

 

[geoffreym]

Awesome mate, I'm still up for my promised purchases and I would be happy to tour most of the southern sites to model them and possibly get some other people to buy them.

P.S. people normally call me geoff.

 

[harvchan]

Awesome mate, I'm still up for my promised purchases and I would be happy to tour most of the southern sites to model them and possibly get some other people to buy them.

P.S. people normally call me geoff.

Lots of neck strengthening to do before delivery then!!!!

 

[Ian_Gere]

We need one of those resistance machines Michael Schumacher uses for his neck!

@Geoff - i suspected as much, but you never know. I'll keep you posted.

 

[Ian_Gere]

Due to unforeseen g/f interference, I'm having to put my Russian NVG project on hold for a month. I'll keep you posted when I get going again, Geoff.

 

[geoffreym]

That sucks, keep us updated please.