Anyone have any experience with night vision binoculars?

[Sloppyjoe]

My dad and I have been intrigued ever since ed grimsley came out with his documentary about using night vision binoculars to see UFO's. Does anyone have any experience with this type of equipment and seeing UFO's? My dad and I are so close to pulling the trigger but the darn things are 2500 bucks. Thank you!

[yelik]

Hi
I have also looked into night vision for spotting UFO's. They go from generation 0 to 4. Generation 4 being most expensive, especially here in UK where we often pay in pounds that you pay in dollars. The military ones are probably best, you can buy second hand or reconditioned ones which is a cheaper option. I have also read that you have to be careful because it's easy to mistake a bat or bird for a UFO.

[Star Tsar]

Hey Sloppyjoe check out my mate Jon Kelly he sells scopes which I believe you can pick up for a couple o hundred bucks.
He connects his up with a DV Recorder and takes some great footage.

You can reach him here

Jon@yourinnervoice.com

http://www.yourinnervoice.com

[Sloppyjoe]

Posted by yelik (here)
Hi
I have also looked into night vision for spotting UFO's. They go from generation 0 to 4. Generation 4 being most expensive, especially here in UK where we often pay in pounds that you pay in dollars. The military ones are probably best, you can buy second hand or reconditioned ones which is a cheaper option. I have also read that you have to be careful because it's easy to mistake a bat or bird for a UFO.

I understand the bird/bat issue. Yeah the generation 3 one's on amazon are about 2500.

Posted by Star Tsar (here)
Hey Sloppyjoe check out my mate Jon Kelly he sells scopes which I believe you can pick up for a couple o hundred bucks.
He connects his up with a DV Recorder and takes some great footage.

You can reach him here

Jon@yourinnervoice.com

http://www.yourinnervoice.com

I checked it out, seems like the affordable way to go but the problem is the viewing distance is 150 feet, I feel like you'd need something that can see further up.

[TargeT]

you need Gen3+ to see anything interesting, and those are a lot more than a couple hundred bux (unless prices have significantly dropped recently)

here's options:
http://www.opticsplanet.com/nightvision3rd.html

[Sloppyjoe]

Posted by yelik (here)
Hi
I have also looked into night vision for spotting UFO's. They go from generation 0 to 4. Generation 4 being most expensive, especially here in UK where we often pay in pounds that you pay in dollars. The military ones are probably best, you can buy second hand or reconditioned ones which is a cheaper option. I have also read that you have to be careful because it's easy to mistake a bat or bird for a UFO.

Posted by Star Tsar (here)
Hey Sloppyjoe check out my mate Jon Kelly he sells scopes which I believe you can pick up for a couple o hundred bucks.
He connects his up with a DV Recorder and takes some great footage.

You can reach him here

Jon@yourinnervoice.com

http://www.yourinnervoice.com

Posted by TargeT (here)
you need Gen3+ to see anything interesting, and those are a lot more than a couple hundred bux (unless prices have significantly dropped recently)

here's options:
http://www.opticsplanet.com/nightvision3rd.html

Thanks, here are the one's I was looking at: http://www.amazon.com/ATN-PVS7-3-Nig...keywords=PVS-7

Are you Military TargeT? If so, interesting to see one on these boards.

[joeecho]

I always thought it would be interesting and fun to have a night vision scope. Now you have me thinking especially with the advancements in the technology. I will be curious to read what the improvements have been from Gen 1 up to ....is it Gen 4?

This is want I read about Gen 4 on midwayusa.com

4th Generation does not use the film in the 3rd generation but uses a radically different way in which power is supplied to the unit. Image resolution is increased and there is a significant decrease in interference from bright light sources. Range is increased. The US Military does not use the 4th generation designation. These devices are referred to as "Filmless & Gated".
• Recognition of a deer on a cloudy night is possible at 200 yards using a 4th generation unit.

[TargeT]

Posted by Sloppyjoe (here)
Are you Military TargeT? If so, interesting to see one on these boards.

yes, my avatar is a picture of me in uniform.

yes, I work for the bad guys (sort of).

just remember this:

existence is the ecstasy of dichotomy.

The interactions of the masculine and feminine, Logic and chaos... open mindedness and military hierarchy (or at least, that's the way I rationalize it).

Posted by joeecho (here)
4th Generation does not use the film in the 3rd generation but uses a radically different way in which power is supplied to the unit. Image resolution is increased and there is a significant decrease in interference from bright light sources. Range is increased. The US Military does not use the 4th generation designation. These devices are referred to as "Filmless & Gated".
• Recognition of a deer on a cloudy night is possible at 200 yards using a 4th generation unit.

all we use in the army is "3rd" and "4th" gen night vision (depending on use conditions) the 4th gen stuff is used by "Operators" (if you know what that is)... I'm pretty sure that's not classified.

Anyway, night vision is how we "own the night" in the middle east, it's closely guarded, a HUGE advantage, it's a big reason why we burn the cannabis fields in Afghanistan, the plants natural heat signature is a perfect hiding place.

I've heard from a few sources that 3rd and 4th gen will see "UFO's" pretty easily even when they are not visible to the naked eye.

no personal experiences though.

[joeecho]

Posted by TargeT (here)

Anyway, night vision is how we "own the night" in the middle east, it's closely guarded, a HUGE advantage, it's a big reason why we burn the cannabis fields in Afghanistan, the plants natural heat signature is a perfect hiding place.

I have seen video of tactical operations in Afghanistan and elsewhere using night vision scope. It would obviously be a significant advantage along with the other hardware available to you. My thought is since night vision scopes are widely available on the Net, why doesn't the enemy simply equip themselves as well to negate that advantage? Finances? I am just the curious sort.

Have a good one!

Joe

[Chip]

I own a pair of PVN7. I love them for star gazing and take them whenever I camp. They are Gen 3 and good quality.
I have unfortunately yet to see anything unexplainable. However I also feel that I've not truly searched a lot. Even though I've spent countless hours staring at the night sky through them.
Yes I've seen many moving lights in straight line trajectory along with lights that blink off (all more than likely satellites-blinking off is reflection lost or gained by solar radiation projected off of surfaces).
I have yet to see any that change course dramatically or any course for that matter.
It has been several months since I've played with them.
This discussion has renewed my intent to use them more.
So damn busy with work lately though has made it hard. I can't take them with me on the road either because I am overseas so much and they are illegal to have in many countries. Not to mention clearing customs would be, well not a good idea if you had them with you.
However I do have a trip this week that is domestic and I will plan to take with me. I have yet to use them from my cockpit at Flight Level, and am most curious.

[WhiteFeather]

Give our member Mojo an IM. I'm sure he could assist you on this topic.

[Carmody]

Yes, one needs gen II+ or gen III night vision to get to the kind of detail, resolution and contrast dynamics required, in order to have these devices be useful for this sort of purposing.

Gen III gets to be fairly expensive. As does Gen II+, but Gen II+ can be half the price of Gen III gear.

IIRC, Gen III can be bought in many places and countries, but it may still be on the list of 'non-exportable' items in the USA.

Ie, the USA and other countries want to be able to see and shoot other folks in the dark, and make sure those other folks have no counter to this technological lever/advantage.

[Carmody]

*Deleted, for purposes of prudence and posterity.*

[TargeT]

Posted by joeecho (here)
My thought is since night vision scopes are widely available on the Net, why doesn't the enemy simply equip themselves as well to negate that advantage? Finances? I am just the curious sort.
Have a good one!
Joe

Posted by Carmody (here)
Ie, the USA and other countries want to be able to see and shoot other folks in the dark, and make sure those other folks have no counter to this technological lever/advantage.

Yep, just like advanced encryption and really a lot of other "cool" things, we don't export and what we block from exportation, well, our allies follow our lead on that. That's not to say it is completely unavailable outside the US, it's just a lot harder to come by (anytime prohibition exists, so does the black market and the violence that accompanies it) nearly impossible for a middle east dweller that's not living in a palace to get.