OK so my search-fu is busted and I didn't find enough answers to my questions. I understand that the systems are vastly different, but I don't understand their strengths and weaknesses relative to each-other. This is a situation where I absolutely don't know what I don't know and I may end up asking all the wrong questions. If I miss anything important, help out please. My experience is limited to a shitty set of gen2 binoculars that can't see across my back yard with a full moon.
I'm looking for a straight image comparison between the two technologies. I'll take the time to consider mounting options and versatility (seems to be a HUGE plus for NV). In this case, I'd be looking at something like a Raytheon W1000-9 or a PVS-14 + TNVC Torch Pro or similar. Hand-held thermal units are pretty much out, which limits me to weapon mounted thermals or extremely versatile NV systems like the PVS-14.
Anyway lets start with what I assume are pretty good conditions for NV - clear sky and a full moon with no other lighting. What kind of useful detection range would a PVS-14 unit have in an open field? What about the range at which you can clearly ID an individual and what they have in their hands?
What about with total overcast or a blacked out building with zero ambient light?
And for my nightmare - the real reason I've started on this quest. There is a field with a road running along it. At one end of the field is a slight bend in the road, and a tree line that runs parallel to the road. A street light opposite the tree line over-shoots the road a bit and casts a shadow onto the field, however the edge of the tree line runs right up against the edge of the corona and only light side-spill hits the field. Just past the end of the tree line is another street light, but on the same side as the field/tree line. The main illumination of bot street lights overlap to form a very well illuminated section of road that has a very high contrast with the field, especially the section which has a shadow cast on it. You could park a bus in this shadow and no one would ever see it. It isn't possible to be sky-lined in this field unless you are roughly 45 degrees to the left of the tree line from my point of view, where you might get some back-lighting from some apartments nearly a mile away. My point of view is from across the street from the field/trees, roughly at the bend in the road and maybe 80 feet from the road.
Under those conditions, would a NV unit work well, or would the street lights cause problems?
Are there any of the above situations where a thermal unit would really shine? Do thermal units require ambient light, or are they helped in any way by it? If the ambient temperature is ~100F - or roughly the temperature of what you are trying to observe -, are thermal units less able to resolve images?
Ultimately what I'd really like is something like a quality thermal unit compared side by side with the images in the TNVC NV Generation comparison guide under the same circumstances - especially the warehouse and loading dock scenarios. Any help and information would be greatly appreciated.
Are there companies that rent thermal or NV units? That is one hell of an investment for something that may not work out as intended.
I'm looking for a straight image comparison between the two technologies. I'll take the time to consider mounting options and versatility (seems to be a HUGE plus for NV). In this case, I'd be looking at something like a Raytheon W1000-9 or a PVS-14 + TNVC Torch Pro or similar. Hand-held thermal units are pretty much out, which limits me to weapon mounted thermals or extremely versatile NV systems like the PVS-14.
Anyway lets start with what I assume are pretty good conditions for NV - clear sky and a full moon with no other lighting. What kind of useful detection range would a PVS-14 unit have in an open field? What about the range at which you can clearly ID an individual and what they have in their hands?
What about with total overcast or a blacked out building with zero ambient light?
And for my nightmare - the real reason I've started on this quest. There is a field with a road running along it. At one end of the field is a slight bend in the road, and a tree line that runs parallel to the road. A street light opposite the tree line over-shoots the road a bit and casts a shadow onto the field, however the edge of the tree line runs right up against the edge of the corona and only light side-spill hits the field. Just past the end of the tree line is another street light, but on the same side as the field/tree line. The main illumination of bot street lights overlap to form a very well illuminated section of road that has a very high contrast with the field, especially the section which has a shadow cast on it. You could park a bus in this shadow and no one would ever see it. It isn't possible to be sky-lined in this field unless you are roughly 45 degrees to the left of the tree line from my point of view, where you might get some back-lighting from some apartments nearly a mile away. My point of view is from across the street from the field/trees, roughly at the bend in the road and maybe 80 feet from the road.
Under those conditions, would a NV unit work well, or would the street lights cause problems?
Are there any of the above situations where a thermal unit would really shine? Do thermal units require ambient light, or are they helped in any way by it? If the ambient temperature is ~100F - or roughly the temperature of what you are trying to observe -, are thermal units less able to resolve images?
Ultimately what I'd really like is something like a quality thermal unit compared side by side with the images in the TNVC NV Generation comparison guide under the same circumstances - especially the warehouse and loading dock scenarios. Any help and information would be greatly appreciated.
Are there companies that rent thermal or NV units? That is one hell of an investment for something that may not work out as intended.
