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  • Need night vision help

    The only thing I really know about night vision gear is that I dont have three grand to put down on it. Back a few months ago someone was talking about some toy goggles that he was going to try to use inside his house. Then there was comments that the cheap ones would deteriorate and if someone was using infrared then anyone else with infrared would be able to see their light. Is there a resonable solution ? Being able to see at night would definitely be a force multiplier.
    "Well, you know what they say: 'Good judgment comes from experience, and experience comes from bad judgment. '"

  • #2
    For years their was an inexpensive alternative. It was called the Patriot Pocketscope. It was made from a 2nd gen tube from a PVS5 with a new intensifer and optics. Sometimes you could have found them as low as $500. or so.

    QUALITY U.S. 2nd gen tubes pretty much dried up a few years ago and it was impossible to keep having these made.

    What you want to avoid-

    ANYTHING Russian-
    MOST commercial sets.

    The problem is that you might find a "cheap" set now with a 90 day warranty or some similar trash. It will NOT be mil spec, it won't be able to be weapons mounted, it won't survive a 66 feet plunge under water.

    Most importantly from a survivalist standpoint- most likely with a "cheap" set- you won't be able to find parts for them in the future.

    You want to consider U.S. Military spec units. The military stocks tens of thousands of spare parts which makes parts availability DECADES into the future a non issue.

    People who bought $399. russian crapball units in the 90's -the ones that didn't get eye problems from their use!!- were scrounging around looking for parts a year later when their units with probably 20 hours on them went up fecal creek.

    The people who bought a 1 gen US mil spec PVS2 in the 90's can still find parts for them. The people that bought 2nd gen US mil spec units like PVS5's, PVS4's, etc. can still find parts for them.

    Now a days, quality night vision will have AT LEAST a 2 year warranty and top of the line stuff will have a FIVE YEAR warranty.

    If you stick along the lines of the buy only US mil spec idea above, you'll be finding parts AND someone to service them DECADES into the future.

    So yes most of these sets are out of the "toy" price range, but you wouldn't buy a slingshot and expect that was all you needed for defense would you?

    However if you view it as a integral investment in your preps, then wasting $300. on a "toy" set is looked at as what it is- a waste of money because it won't last long.

    Most of us have half a dozen EXTRA weapons laying around that if we were honest with ourselves will NOT be useful to us if TSHTF. No you won't be "arming the subdivision", your drunk senseless brother in law that shows up probably SHOULDN'T be armed, etc. So while it's fun to have a safe full of extra weapons just for bragging rights, it's also a waste of resources. BTDT, pared down from triple digits. I miss one or two of the "trophy" type weapons, but a lot of them were impractical or unreliable hunks of crap that I was holding on to for no reason. Let's be honest, if a weapon is not 100% reliable, it has NO place in a survival armory.

    Instead of having 2 dozen extra weapons, some of which are probably highly impractical for SHTF, most of which probably rarely get shot, sell them and get your preps squared away. When I did my big liquidation it was mainly to pay off debts, but I would not have hesitated to get rid of the some of the useless ones for needed preps.
    Boris- "He's famous, has picture on three dollar bill!"

    Rocky- "Wow! I've never even seen a three dollar bill!"

    Boris- "Is it my fault you're poor?"

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    • #3
      there is a good video on youtube where you use parts from an old video camera (with lowlight capibility) to make a night scope for under $50. A poor man's hightech approach of sorts.
      "It wasn't raining when Noah built the Ark"

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      • #4
        Night vision is one of those items that you will typically get exactly what you paid for.
        www.homesteadingandsurvival.com

        www.survivalreportpodcast.com

        "Don't be too proud of this technological terror you've constructed..."

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        • #5
          Originally posted by Lowdown3 View Post
          Night vision is one of those items that you will typically get exactly what you paid for.
          I understand and agree in principle, but, in this economy, a lot of folks are having to make do on a lot less. As the economy continues to tighten, I'm sure that we will see many more instances of people adapting, conserving and repurposing out of nesessity.
          "It wasn't raining when Noah built the Ark"

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          • #6
            I dont have 3 grand either....



            But I bought this for 300 and looking thru it blows away the gen II stuff I had in the Marines. While it does use an infared beam, unless someone is looking through one they are not going to see you. On a cloudy night, well after dark, at about 40 yards, I could read the letters on my Brother in law's shirt. If you want to call it a toy, fine, but it is one of the coolest toys I have ever played with, and as a force multiplier, for the money it cant be beat. Very worth the money.

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            • #7
              The question comes down to what it usually comes down to-

              Buy it ONCE or buy it multiple times. Having a little longer "lookback" time frame (25 years) than some of you, I DEEPLY REGRET the money wasted on "cheap" gear that didn't last, broke, or later would not integrate with other things I was using, etc.

              We will ALL learn that lesson if we are really preparing for a long enough time period.


              Course the problem is most people don't actually use and abuse their stuff in the field under hard conditions enough to learn those lessons. The time to learn those lessons is BEFORE TSHTF, when you can adapt, get a replacement, etc.
              www.homesteadingandsurvival.com

              www.survivalreportpodcast.com

              "Don't be too proud of this technological terror you've constructed..."

              Comment


              • #8
                Thanks everyone ! I'll check that out tarhillsman. 1Admin. how did you know I have a drunk brother in law ?
                "Well, you know what they say: 'Good judgment comes from experience, and experience comes from bad judgment. '"

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                • #9
                  Doesn't everybody? :)
                  Boris- "He's famous, has picture on three dollar bill!"

                  Rocky- "Wow! I've never even seen a three dollar bill!"

                  Boris- "Is it my fault you're poor?"

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    unfortunately, my BIL is just a fat sheep ripe for the picking. Heck if it wasnt for his family that surrounds us being so sheepish (12 houses filled with rednecks, guns, farming equipment, and a multitude of skills available) I could see making it a go and ramp up for a BUG IN. But no way. I have too much of my wife's family that after the first 3 weeks of the stores being closed, are gonna start knocking on my door. I have recently spent 900 bucks (not a lot I know) on wheat, Rice, beans to leave behind cuz even though I have talked till I was blue in the face they just couldnt imagine a time when the government wouldnt be there to help out. MY BIL was excited to know that I just bought a second crossbow "for hunting this year" so he can now do some hunting before rifle season comes in. Amazing how they just take for granted that that is just acceptable behavior. Sorry....RANT over....I have taken my Yukon out on two different camping trips now and while the first trip I babied it a little, I just let it bounce around in a duffle on the second trip and it weather that storm pretty well. Still havent changed the batteries yet, but I do have some spares. :)

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                    • #11
                      THL71 I think I'd take my BIL and crossbows out and just come home with the bows. Believe me and him might go "snipe" huntin you ever get him over thisaway :)
                      Knowledge is Power, Practiced Knowledge is Strength, Tested Knowledge is Confidence

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