Discussion
OK. Over the last few years, infrared night vision goggles have plummeted in price and soared in quality. In order to work, as I understand it, they need a source of infrared radiation (part of the light spectrum) in order to work. i.e. if you try and use them in an area with no light source whatsoever you will see nothing.
Now, back in the mid-1960s, my Dad, who drove bridge-laying tanks for the Army, had a visit from the Ministry. They fitted 'black' covers to the tank's headlights, gave the driver night-vision goggles, switched the lamps on beind the covers and he could drive around as if it was daylight. From outside you could see no trace of the tank's lights. A week of testing, and the guys from the Ministry disappeared back to London with their toys.
For entirely irrelevant reasons, I want to be able to do the same to my car headlights. Or, because car headlights these days are all stupid shapes, to some retro-fitted spotlights. But having Googled for a while, I can only find products anywhere close to this on the websites of suppliers to the military. They emphasise that customers have to be suitably licenced. I guess a .gov email address helps!
So my question is: where can I get some of these clever, infrared filter covers?
Now, back in the mid-1960s, my Dad, who drove bridge-laying tanks for the Army, had a visit from the Ministry. They fitted 'black' covers to the tank's headlights, gave the driver night-vision goggles, switched the lamps on beind the covers and he could drive around as if it was daylight. From outside you could see no trace of the tank's lights. A week of testing, and the guys from the Ministry disappeared back to London with their toys.
For entirely irrelevant reasons, I want to be able to do the same to my car headlights. Or, because car headlights these days are all stupid shapes, to some retro-fitted spotlights. But having Googled for a while, I can only find products anywhere close to this on the websites of suppliers to the military. They emphasise that customers have to be suitably licenced. I guess a .gov email address helps!
So my question is: where can I get some of these clever, infrared filter covers?
Edited by V8mate on Thursday 13th November 21:24
I used to see them, and i remember playing with some as a kid, they weren't that rare either, i just can't think of the source.
Anyway, IR filters - should be pretty common, there is also what's known as Far Infra red, with is the black and white heatvision, but these cost quite a bit more than the Near IR types
Anyway, IR filters - should be pretty common, there is also what's known as Far Infra red, with is the black and white heatvision, but these cost quite a bit more than the Near IR types
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/455824-REG/U...
But if you are driving a Humvee, it won't be a problem!
But if you are driving a Humvee, it won't be a problem!
Balmoral Green said:
It's all very well hooning about in the dark, you can see. But no one will be able to see you though, they will pull out of junctions, run into the back of you, or overtake coming towards you, directly in your path.
You're just speculating about the intended use. It's certainly not for normal road use.
V8mate said:
Balmoral Green said:
It's all very well hooning about in the dark, you can see. But no one will be able to see you though, they will pull out of junctions, run into the back of you, or overtake coming towards you, directly in your path.
You're just speculating about the intended use. It's certainly not for normal road use.
TheEnd said:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/455824-REG/U...
But if you are driving a Humvee, it won't be a problem!
Yep - I found them. Licenced customers only though.But if you are driving a Humvee, it won't be a problem!
rhinochopig said:
My Landy Lightweight 73 model had a switch on the dash for turning the lights to IR mode for use with NVG.
There are two types of NV. Image intensifiers, which amplify ambient light and those which effectively see heat which don't need any ambient light.
It's the former which I would be using; assume no available heat or light.There are two types of NV. Image intensifiers, which amplify ambient light and those which effectively see heat which don't need any ambient light.
Do you know what the switch triggered? Was anything visible from the front of the vehicle when they were on?
IR leds should be small and bright enough to illuminate things.
Image intensifiers are the old "starlight" ones, essentially high gain cameras, seen in a lot of Gulf War 1 new clips, ie- the ones with a green tint.
IR illuminated ones are the black and white type, but these would work more like invisible headlights, and you'd only get a decent view of what the IR lit up
Image intensifiers are the old "starlight" ones, essentially high gain cameras, seen in a lot of Gulf War 1 new clips, ie- the ones with a green tint.
IR illuminated ones are the black and white type, but these would work more like invisible headlights, and you'd only get a decent view of what the IR lit up
TheEnd said:
IR leds should be small and bright enough to illuminate things.
Image intensifiers are the old "starlight" ones, essentially high gain cameras, seen in a lot of Gulf War 1 new clips, ie- the ones with a green tint.
IR illuminated ones are the black and white type, but these would work more like invisible headlights, and you'd only get a decent view of what the IR lit up
Yep - that's why I'm most keen to have something which fits over a regular car driving light, filtering out the unnecessary bits. It needs to be powerful enough to give me at least as a good a throw of vision as headlights would; if not more.Image intensifiers are the old "starlight" ones, essentially high gain cameras, seen in a lot of Gulf War 1 new clips, ie- the ones with a green tint.
IR illuminated ones are the black and white type, but these would work more like invisible headlights, and you'd only get a decent view of what the IR lit up
V8mate said:
rhinochopig said:
My Landy Lightweight 73 model had a switch on the dash for turning the lights to IR mode for use with NVG.
There are two types of NV. Image intensifiers, which amplify ambient light and those which effectively see heat which don't need any ambient light.
It's the former which I would be using; assume no available heat or light.There are two types of NV. Image intensifiers, which amplify ambient light and those which effectively see heat which don't need any ambient light.
Do you know what the switch triggered? Was anything visible from the front of the vehicle when they were on?
richyb said:
The range is pretty limited on most night vision set ups. 25 metres is the best I've seen without spending a fortune.
The range is limited by the availability of infrared light sources, i.e. the difference betwen using the moon and maybe a bit of light bounce from a nearby town to actually using filtered light from 100W headlamps.rhinochopig said:
V8mate said:
rhinochopig said:
My Landy Lightweight 73 model had a switch on the dash for turning the lights to IR mode for use with NVG.
There are two types of NV. Image intensifiers, which amplify ambient light and those which effectively see heat which don't need any ambient light.
It's the former which I would be using; assume no available heat or light.There are two types of NV. Image intensifiers, which amplify ambient light and those which effectively see heat which don't need any ambient light.
Do you know what the switch triggered? Was anything visible from the front of the vehicle when they were on?
Gassing Station | The Pie & Piston Archive | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff