Night Vision L3 Unfilmed WP Weird Ghosting Issue.

[NateSavannah]

So I have a dual pvs14 setup and Ive been having a weird issue with one of them. One of them exhibits a weird ghosting outline when i move the monocular side to side looking at the skyline. It doesnt do it in complete darkness or near complete darkness. the more natural light there is the worse it is. and when its bad, its really bad. Ive had a real hard time capturing what it does on video. Ive also had the tube replaced thinking it was the tube. New tube same deal. so its likely not the tube. the two tubes I currently have are matched almost perfectly. They are both fantastic tubes, 2765 fom and all the other specs are either close or exceed what most people consider really good. one does the ghosting, one doesnt. so its not me. or my eyes. any ideas? could it be the battery packs and something in how its delivering power?
Ive done alot of reading and looking and cant find anyone having this issue or talking about it. it could be me, maybe im looking in the wrong places, typing the wrong things. its also been back to the manufacturer and they couldnt reproduce my problem, tho it doesnt do it indoors its specifically outside and has to do with the skyline and objects close to the skyline. They did replace the tube for me based upon my complaints. But being as im right back where I started im trying to do some of my own leg work and figure out whats going on.

 

[compasscall]

Occures at a dark/bright interface and movement causes a traveling wave at the boundary? Sounds totally normal and is related to the resistance of the micro channel plate. So seems you have a totally normal and temporal traveling wave effect. If you quickly oscillate the units FoV at the dark/bright interface, you can probably see a shimmering type of effect, this is the traveling waves. Other than the visual effects, the presence of this is not indicative of a operational defect.

 

[NateSavannah]

why would one do it and the other not at all? and the one that does it be so incredibly extreme? Ive not looked thru ALOT of nightvision but I have some, and this is the first Ive ever seen of what youre saying is totally normal.
Further if having a shimmer effect that massively distorts the image is normal are you saying the one I have thats clear when I move it is abnormal? and all the pvs14s I looked thru in the army were abnormal as well?

 

[compasscall]

Yes, thank you, I should have said this effect is a characteristic of MCP image intensifiers as apposed describing it as normal. While the effect is a characteristic of MCP tubes, the manufactures do try to minimize it. I've seen the effect creeping back in as manufacturers tweak MCP processing.

I am of the opinion, that the effect as described, as I've interpreted it, is related to low MCP resistivity. But I'd also like you to have an answer that you can be certain of. I have not seen your tube, nor the severity of effect described and fully acknowledge the effect is not ok with you, nor is it what you would consider normal. If you feel it is not the tube, I'd suggest swapping lowers, it's the least invasive and easiest of the ways to help the diagnostic process.

I'd also suggest contacting Jason Crum of https://www.identmarking.com, he's the only one I'd be confident for both an accurate diagnosis and deep intellectual beak down of why. He has a lot of the same test equipment that was used at the L3 Garland plant so if it needs to go on a test set, he's got it.

FWIW: I went through my tubes to find one which exhibits the effect I think your describing. If you might take a moment to review it and see if it captures what you are seeing. I would have preferred it to be a horizon line but hope this will suffice for the moment.

 

[NateSavannah]

Yes, thank you, I should have said this effect is a characteristic of MCP image intensifiers as apposed describing it as normal. While the effect is a characteristic of MCP tubes, the manufactures do try to minimize it. I've seen the effect creeping back in as manufacturers tweak MCP processing.

I am of the opinion, that the effect as described, as I've interpreted it, is related to low MCP resistivity. But I'd also like you to have an answer that you can be certain of. I have not seen your tube, nor the severity of effect described and fully acknowledge the effect is not ok with you, nor is it what you would consider normal. If you feel it is not the tube, I'd suggest swapping lowers, it's the least invasive and easiest of the ways to help the diagnostic process.

I'd also suggest contacting Jason Crum of https://www.identmarking.com, he's the only one I'd be confident for both an accurate diagnosis and deep intellectual beak down of why. He has a lot of the same test equipment that was used at the L3 Garland plant so if it needs to go on a test set, he's got it.

FWIW: I went through my tubes to find one which exhibits the effect I think your describing. If you might take a moment to review it and see if it captures what you are seeing. I would have preferred it to be a horizon line but hope this will suffice for the moment.

thats whats going on but on mine its ALOT worse. not a little. Alot. like i said this is the second tube in this housing and both did it the exact same way. so thats why I think its likely not the tube.
when you say lower, are you talking about the battery pack portions?
I originally requested L3 battery packs but because of availability ended up with carson packs. If thats what you suggest I switch out I could probably have them sent back and switched out for free.
Thank you very much for taking the time to respond.

 

[compasscall]

Yes, the battery / PS containing component.

Swap the lowers between the two units. Put the lower on from the tube that's not exhibiting the effect onto the upper with the affected tube and vis versa. Don't think I'd bother with the whomever you've been working with. Yea it may be a comped thing but best to just go neutral party and get it done and resolved.

Sure hope it resolves well as it's clear the tube characteristics are intolerable, don't blame you on that, sounds intolerable.

 

[NateSavannah]

will they need to be repurged after switching battery /ps component?
Thanks.

 

[compasscall]

Sure wouldn't be a bad idea as any nitrogen or argon will be lost.