Night Vision First NOD on the way

[HiCapMag]

My first Night Vision Device (PVS 14) is on the way. I feel like Christmas morning is coming. What do I do first with this thing?

Share in the joy

 

[Zebulon]

First thing


Do not blow the tube with white light

Wait for dark

But def get your mount and system set up right so it is memorized and dialed in
Be able to replace batteries blindfolded
And enjoy

 

[Dogtown]

Use it whenever you can, if you're new to NODs.

Have a look at the night sky on a clear night - be amazed by the number of satellites you'll see. Go for a hike, get used to the limitations of the FOV and play with the gain and learn how to use it in conjunction with your unaided eye in ambient conditions.

Most important: have fun

 

[the_assman]

Use it whenever you can, if you're new to NODs.

Have a look at the night sky on a clear night - be amazed by the number of satellites you'll see. Go for a hike, get used to the limitations of the FOV and play with the gain and learn how to use it in conjunction with your unaided eye in ambient conditions.

Most important: have fun

pretty much this /\

first thing though is to go out the first night and look at the stars , hopefully it's not a cloudy night

 

[Zebulon]

Use it whenever you can, if you're new to NODs.

Have a look at the night sky on a clear night - be amazed by the number of satellites you'll see. Go for a hike, get used to the limitations of the FOV and play with the gain and learn how to use it in conjunction with your unaided eye in ambient conditions.

Most important: have fun

Yeah I like and agree

Have fun

 

[Conqueror]

First thing is to pee with it in the dark.

 

[Dogtown]

That’s more fun to do with thermal

 

[Lowdown3]

Couple things-

Get used to removing the battery every time after your finished using it- doesn't matter the type. Even if you think you will use it again tomorrow, take the battery out. Only takes a couple seconds to install battery.

Most common problem is people leaving batteries in unit which go to $hit over time and no one covers that under warranty cause it's user error.

Remember you will have to focus the front and the back lenses (obj and eyepiece). An easy thing we tell folks at class is stand about 10 yards from the back of your car and focus to where you can read the license plate.

The gain control knob (if you bought a standard 14) adjusts the brightness level of your tube, similar to how you can adjust the brightness level on your phone/Ipad, etc. Every single night and lighting conditions is different and you will "tweak" it a bit every time you use it. The newbie idea is max it out but that will bring some scintillation (snow). Find that sweet spot for you. I like to run mine at about half and use the contrasts to help spot things.

The IR illuminator has been the bane of many a new 14 owner- the reason I say that is that we have seen quite a few "sheetrock Rangers" over the last couple years that want to sit and stare at sheetrock inside the home. Hey, fine, whatever floats your boat. But don't BLAST IR AT THE WALL while doing it! It's bouncing back and will burn your tube. One guy did this, emailed me pics of it showing the IR light on and said "this ring developed". Yeah, that's from the IR illuminator you were blasting against the wall that burned your tube. We warn people about that in our tracking email and paperwork, but it still happens.

Same goes for any IR output- don't sit and stare at it- security cameras, etc. One wannabe expert on another forum suggested mounting a high powered IR illuminator (Luna ELIR3) on a HELMET. That's dumb AF cause you naturally turn your head to talk to people, so at some point he was going to turn to talk to his buddy on the range at blast his NODs with high power IR. You have to be careful with IR outputs.

Get a quality helmet mount like a Norotos Lo sto and a dovetail arm like the MAX14 arm and throw the military J arm in the trash. You'll have better lock up, articulation and tighter stowing to the helmet with more adjustment than a G24 and no stupid push button to forget when your cold, tired under stress and wearing gloves (seen more than 1 student do this 1 or 2 am at NV classes).

Tether your unit to the helmet. Even a "ghetto tether" of 550 cord via a key ring or the neck cord secured fastened to the unit and tied into the helmet or mount is better than nothing. If your helmet has bungees you can clip to a key ring and go that way on the cheap also.

When your done with it every night, cover the lenses, remove the battery and store it. Your grandkids will be using it 30 years from now if you take a modicum of care of it.

If you have any specific questions post them and tag @Lowdown3

 

[HiCapMag]

Thanks folks, I appreciate all the comments.

Looking at the Norotos invg mount… not sure yet

 

[roostercogburn98]

Do look at the back of your cellphone and ask yourself why it blinks constantly while wearing nods.

Dont look directly into a IR laser. More than the tube will burn

 

[Zebulon]

Couple things-

Get used to removing the battery every time after your finished using it- doesn't matter the type. Even if you think you will use it again tomorrow, take the battery out. Only takes a couple seconds to install battery.

Most common problem is people leaving batteries in unit which go to $hit over time and no one covers that under warranty cause it's user error.

Remember you will have to focus the front and the back lenses (obj and eyepiece). An easy thing we tell folks at class is stand about 10 yards from the back of your car and focus to where you can read the license plate.

The gain control knob (if you bought a standard 14) adjusts the brightness level of your tube, similar to how you can adjust the brightness level on your phone/Ipad, etc. Every single night and lighting conditions is different and you will "tweak" it a bit every time you use it. The newbie idea is max it out but that will bring some scintillation (snow). Find that sweet spot for you. I like to run mine at about half and use the contrasts to help spot things.

The IR illuminator has been the bane of many a new 14 owner- the reason I say that is that we have seen quite a few "sheetrock Rangers" over the last couple years that want to sit and stare at sheetrock inside the home. Hey, fine, whatever floats your boat. But don't BLAST IR AT THE WALL while doing it! It's bouncing back and will burn your tube. One guy did this, emailed me pics of it showing the IR light on and said "this ring developed". Yeah, that's from the IR illuminator you were blasting against the wall that burned your tube. We warn people about that in our tracking email and paperwork, but it still happens.

Same goes for any IR output- don't sit and stare at it- security cameras, etc. One wannabe expert on another forum suggested mounting a high powered IR illuminator (Luna ELIR3) on a HELMET. That's dumb AF cause you naturally turn your head to talk to people, so at some point he was going to turn to talk to his buddy on the range at blast his NODs with high power IR. You have to be careful with IR outputs.

Get a quality helmet mount like a Norotos Lo sto and a dovetail arm like the MAX14 arm and throw the military J arm in the trash. You'll have better lock up, articulation and tighter stowing to the helmet with more adjustment than a G24 and no stupid push button to forget when your cold, tired under stress and wearing gloves (seen more than 1 student do this 1 or 2 am at NV classes).

Tether your unit to the helmet. Even a "ghetto tether" of 550 cord via a key ring or the neck cord secured fastened to the unit and tied into the helmet or mount is better than nothing. If your helmet has bungees you can clip to a key ring and go that way on the cheap also.

When your done with it every night, cover the lenses, remove the battery and store it. Your grandkids will be using it 30 years from now if you take a modicum of care of it.

If you have any specific questions post them and tag @Lowdown3

I second the battery comments

I 3-print battery compartment and fake batteries . positive is always in

 

[tucaz]

never had a lithium energizer leak, ever, in 7-8 years and i use them in everything.

if you are going to do the helmet thing, get a wilcox mount with the dove tail j-arm too. much more adjustable and sturdy.

assuming this is a new unit with autogating so high white light wont be an issue.

 

[Lowdown3]

I've never experienced it with lithiums also, but a guy on Arf several years back posted pics of it happening to him.

Also, cuts down on other stupid stuff that can happen if the battery is out. Like someone without experience leaving the POWER ON. If the caps are covered no big deal. But if it's left running like that staring at a bright light source for a long period of time, your going to get a burn.

 

[tucaz]

I've never experienced it with lithiums also, but a guy on Arf several years back posted pics of it happening to him.

Also, cuts down on other stupid stuff that can happen if the battery is out. Like someone without experience leaving the POWER ON. If the caps are covered no big deal. But if it's left running like that staring at a bright light source for a long period of time, your going to get a burn.

i had alkaline leak in my pvs17 when i first got it with no damage and swore them off then

also did the “leave on” with a pvs 14 but it was in a drawer.

learned my lessons!

 

[Lowdown3]

I know what you mean. We have rental NODs at our classes and despite the instructions before students use them, we always check them over well after we get them back. Very common to receive units back that are still turned on.. LOL

As for normal SOPs, I always check to make sure any IR lasers are off first (via the NODs), then remove them from helmet mount after turning them off. Then check them again before battery is removed and lenses capped and then stowed.

 

[Zebulon]

Thanks folks, I appreciate all the comments.

Looking at the Norotos invg mount… not sure yet

Look at eBay. KVC mounting system

I bought set up with mount

Work perfectly fine and about $290 when alllll said and done

I bought two set ups
One for dual
Tubes and one for thermal and mono tube

KVC RQE Dual Bridge Mount Universal Light Weight Night-Vision Goggles Stent | eBay

KVC RQE Universal Dual Bridge Mount Light Weight Night-Vision Goggles Stent for L4 G24 Mount PVS-14 MUM DVO MINI-NSEAS Mount. The KVC Universal Bridge allows users to pair up a large variety of night vision and thermal monocular systems using RQE mounting accessories.

www.ebay.com

 

[tucaz]

OP, just wait until the helmet bug hits you! for extended wear its way more comfortable that the standard head pincher gear.

if you take the helmet route, dont cheap out on the helmet. a good internal pad system makes a big difference.

the big helmet makers have bump helmets that have the same suspension system as their ballistic version. i even got the left eye dominance chin strap to work on my team wendy bump, when they said it wouldnt fit. those guys are assholes and i’d never buy their stuff again if i had to do it over.

 

[hlee]

Do look at the back of your cellphone and ask yourself why it blinks constantly while wearing nods.

Ranging for the autofocus camera. Why all the time, and not just when the camera is in use? I can think of a reason or 2…

 

[Zebulon]

Ranging for the autofocus camera. Why all the time, and not just when the camera is in use? I can think of a reason or 2…

They say it is a measuring tool
For the “light setting”

I watched a video that showed no actually night camera

But I don’t really know if I believe that

 

[HiCapMag]

Well, got the 14 in this afternoon and impatiently waited until dark.
Unfortunately overcast sky, but went for a walk in my pitch-black dark backyard. It looked like broad daylight through the 14. Truly amazing! This is going to be fun.

The helmet will be an Ops Core bump.
Lowdown, thanks for the recommendation on the Max 14 arm. That looks like the ticket.
Still debating the Norotos INVG or the LoSto… any recommendations appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[Zebulon]

Well, got the 14 in this afternoon and impatiently waited until dark.
Unfortunately overcast sky, but went for a walk in my pitch-black dark backyard. It looked like broad daylight through the 14. Truly amazing! This is going to be fun.

The helmet will be an Ops Core bump.
Lowdown, thanks for the recommendation on the Max 14 arm. That looks like the ticket.
Still debating the Norotos INVG or the LoSto… any recommendations appreciated.

Thanks!

What I’ve found. All mounting systems have advantages and disadvantages. There is no one really good do all set ups. My 2 cents ? Spend as little as you can to get the things that works for the reality of what you are doing. It didn’t make sense to me to spend $1200-$2000 on mounts when I am basically in my yard watching the woods and going to the range occasionally to shoot at night

So per use cost? Each time I go out it costs this $xxx much . Do the math and be willing to
Pay for the experience

The kvc bridge I have as well as the armasight bridge for dual nods and thermal nvg combo

Either works
But the kvc ($140) is awesome

 

[Lowdown3]

The MAX14 is a great choice for an Arm. Norotos Lo Sto is a good choice for a helmet mount. Will stow it tighter to the helmet than a G24, has more adjustment and doesn't have the goofy button to try to find and manipulate under stress, with gloves on, etc. When your ready for it to go up, you'll just push it up and it will fold back on the helmet and lock. When your ready for it to come down, you'll just pull it down.

 

[WhereNow&How]

First thing is to pee with it in the dark.

Yeah but you forgot to give full instructions. Horta says if you pee on the device, you will give it SUPERPOWERS.