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Post by avordvet on Mar 13, 2011 15:11:33 GMT -5
Today I was unwrapping some of those two dollar LED solar lights for the wife, while surveying my domain.
A thought came to me that I had not considered, one of the main draw backs with basic NVG's is the power factor and lumes... the tubes aren't very good at processing the light, so it severely restricts the range you can see.
That is why the lower priced NVGs have their own IR source, to light up the area directly in front of you and therefor extend the range. Problem is you normally have a frigging red dot right between your eyes, which can be detected by OPFOR.
My thought... to increase the range of basic goggles within a defined area, could the LEDs in these small Solar Powered lights be changed over to an IR LED light and then "seeded" throughout the property?
The IR bullseye between your eyes could be disabled as the small lights would be scattered everywhere which could increase the light picked up by even the most basic of night vision devices.
Your thoughts.
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Post by Sedition on Mar 13, 2011 15:30:32 GMT -5
If you have the power handling capability (which shouldn't be much since LEDs are low current drain) there's no reason at all that IR LED seeding wouldn't work. I kinda like that idea and now you have my creative juices flowing. I have an old VHS camcorder that still works on AC power only (the battery charger section died and the chargers are pretty expensive), but I found a night vision hack on youtube that shows you how to convert the viewfinder section into IR vision. If I can couple that with the magnification of the optics, that would give me a pretty good range with the proper IR light seeding around the property. I may also have to look into replacing the white light LEDs in my rechargeable and hand cranked LED spotlight from Harbor Freight with IR LEDs. If they are as strong as the whitelight LEDs, they have a pretty good throw of light.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 13, 2011 15:30:42 GMT -5
As you recognized, likely the OPFOR would be able to recognize the IR light source no matter where they were located. While making you way less a target by removing the IR source from your forehead (the bullseye), the OPFOR could still take out your light source fairly easy.
Something else to consider...the OPFOR technology could easily be 2-3 generations beyond IR. IR NVG is ancient technology.
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Post by Sedition on Mar 13, 2011 15:36:38 GMT -5
I really wish that the price of the FLIR units would come down.
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Post by avordvet on Mar 13, 2011 15:49:10 GMT -5
As you recognized, likely the OPFOR would be able to recognize the IR light source no matter where they were located. While making you way less a target by removing the IR source from your forehead (the bullseye), the OPFOR could still take out your light source fairly easy. Something else to consider...the OPFOR technology could easily be 2-3 generations beyond IR. IR NVG is ancient technology. No you are correct the technology is way out there, the 3rd Gen Goggles I used while in the service were so sensitive that they could get you into trouble, quite a few times we flew deep into heavy cloud/fog banks, not realizing it until our goggles started shutting down due to lack of light. Nothing like doing terrain flight while scrambling to get the lights cranked up and going back to "old school" vision. My point is that most property owners wouldn't be going against military, I'm thinking more about armed punks... Sedition was reading my mind with the IR Video camera, where did you find the modification directions? Also, could an IR Filter could be added to larger Solar Lights? Hmm, time to start playing around a little.
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Post by avordvet on Mar 13, 2011 15:59:39 GMT -5
On the same theme, Might be worth storing up some IR Chem Lights for the same use, I'll have to check shelf life info.
When doing perimeter security, we had trip devices you could insert the ChemLight into... when a lever was tripped, the ChemLight was snapped... we used IR Chems a number of times while using the 'ole PVS-7's
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Post by Sedition on Mar 13, 2011 18:55:58 GMT -5
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Post by jimbravo on Mar 13, 2011 20:31:18 GMT -5
That's some good stuff to consider. I just order a cheap Gen I set of goggles. You just added a bunch more to mess with in my experimental phases with 'em.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 13, 2011 20:56:48 GMT -5
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Post by avordvet on Mar 14, 2011 4:50:15 GMT -5
Only if I can get a tank with them... to carry the batteries!
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Post by hefferman1 on Mar 14, 2011 10:55:07 GMT -5
Only if I can get a tank with them... to carry the batteries! I like the idea of having a tank to go with them. I also wonder if using a converter if they would be useful for checking things out from you home, or would two 6 volt rechargeable batteries would work for enough time to use them locally.
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Post by avordvet on Mar 14, 2011 13:24:20 GMT -5
http://Camcorder hack. You can even record from this unit. Have you done it to a camera yet?... makes me want to hit the flea market this weekend. I actually have one of the Mini-Digital's with NV, I think I'm going to look around for some IR lights and start playing around a little more with this concept, depending on the sensitivity of the NV Device... seems like seeding the property with Solar IR Lights or IR Chems might be an option.
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Post by brocktownsend on Mar 14, 2011 13:55:25 GMT -5
I bought the first one that came out, a Zenith in 1982, I believe and it cost about $1,500, but if I hadn't done it there would have been no video of my father. I can still see him now going into the Fauquier Livestock Exchange for the sale as we did every Thursday with his usual custom of doffing his hat slightly to all who he met and saying Hi you do, hi you do, hi you do!
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Post by Deleted on Mar 14, 2011 17:18:42 GMT -5
Brock, I strongly recommend you have the tapes converted to digital for backup on disc. They'll last that way forever, and very inexpensive to do.
You mean put them on a DVD?
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Post by avordvet on Mar 14, 2011 17:50:51 GMT -5
Back to the Night Vision stuff, another possible plus to putting out IR Lights/Chems... over-powering an aggressor forces NV capabilities with mega amounts of directed IR light, hmm.... maybe I need to start a company.
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Post by avordvet on Mar 15, 2011 5:50:14 GMT -5
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Post by Deleted on Mar 15, 2011 7:34:47 GMT -5
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Post by avordvet on Mar 15, 2011 7:40:54 GMT -5
Ah, choke... gag... thanks for the "discount"...
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