Been watching a few youtube videos from mostly those English fellows who shoot alot at night.
Would really like to have one of those DIY homebuilt NV IR setups like some of them have.
My uncle always has a horrible coon problem at corn harvest time every year.
This would help "thin the herd" if it works like I want it to.
Don't have the money to spend on the expensive store bought kind.
Was curious if any of you ever built one from a small camera with IR filter removed, a backup camera viewing screen and a IR flashlight (torch) ?
Read a bunch about a sony E700 camera thats around $65 to $80 bucks depending on where you buy it.
Also saw alot about the "runcam" owl, wolf and eagle brand of cameras.
Just trying to get one put together as inexpensive as possible.
My maximum range would be around 40 yards.
Any ideas?
Thanks
Ray
Calling @rolaids
Yes sir
I've watched nearly every one of his videos.
He is at the forefront of NV design for airgunners in my book 🙂
Ray,
Check out nightvisionukforums
I started there and have put together 6 different nv systems. My hunting buddy and I have been shooting rats with them for a couple of years now. If you search Bullseyeft you should be able to find my systems and what all it took to build them. I have about $150 in each one I built. I like the near eye builds using a VHS camcorder CRT viewfinder. It's just more natural for me, looking into the scope/viewfinder, plus your face doesn't get lit up from the monitor.
Ray,
Check out nightvisionukforums
I started there and have put together 6 different nv systems. My hunting buddy and I have been shooting rats with them for a couple of years now. If you search Bullseyeft you should be able to find my systems and what all it took to build them. I have about $150 in each one I built. I like the near eye builds using a VHS camcorder CRT viewfinder. It's just more natural for me, looking into the scope/viewfinder, plus your face doesn't get lit up from the monitor.
Thanks man. I'm registered on that forum and have browsed it alot.
I can't see your pics or video's cause of that stupid photobucket thing.
Ray
I built 3 different versions of a Frankenscope. Last one actually worked pretty good. However, to get the stability needed I used a aluminum housing. The result was working but heavy. A friend machine out a lightweight enclosure to make a stable platform that was 1/2 the weight. He sold them under the name of Resolute Digital Night Vision. I still use mine, but I think the commercial guys have caught up with X-Sights and Photon’s. You can buy a used one of these as cheap as you can build a real nice DIY scope.
Have u ever check these cheap kits??? https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F292818678541
Theres videos on you tube about those and they say they work pretty good and u can get more night vision distance if u change the ir light for a better one. Honestly for that price is hard to beat .
Very interesting!
I'm still pretty ignorant about night vision — but very interested!
Question: Are there any setups (DIY, or cheap kit) that allow you to look through your regular daylight scope directly instead of a screen (or a dedicated night vision scope)?
In the pictures of my near eye build, you look through the CRT viewfinder. It's way better than the screen setups. You hook up v+ from the camera to v+ on the viewfinder. Most CRT VF only need 5v for power, the camera will run on 7v even though it is a 12v camera. You would need to wire in a step down buck converter to drop the v going into the VF. They are a couple of dollars on Ebay. Easy to wire, 7v power & ground in, 5v power & ground out to VF. You will need a multimeter as you adjust the output v by turning a screw. CRT VF are easy to burn up with too much v. I usually hot glue the screw once set to keep it from moving. Check out my video through the NV on talonairgunforum in Hunting titled Barn Rats 2018. Shots are 12 yards in complete darkness using a 501B 850nm illuminator and recorded through a lawmate PV-806 dvr with my Airforce Talondor .22
I can't see messing around with homemade stuff anymore. Simply not worth it, unless you just enjoy tinkering and are willing to settle for mediocrity
If we are REALLY talking coons at harvest time, you probably do not even need a NV scope. I will assume that you are a person under 40 years old, but old enough to legally hunt pests.
Attraction of food, and peer pressure competition for the food can work to your advantage.
I would locate the "hot spots" where coons access the corn, and about 4 weeks before, set some red lights. The deeper the red color of the light, the better.
LED lamps like this one could be a good point to start:
Make sure that the lamps are "area lamps" Coons CAN and WILL detect the direction from where a light is coming, and if they associate that to the noise and the death of comrades, they will not return to that same spot until the lights are gone.
After 4 weeks , coons will realize that the light is just there and will not associate it with danger.
When harvest comes, use a 50 mm's objective scope dialed down to about 6X 0r 7X. Make sure you are in the dark an hour before starting the hunt.
You will be amazed at how well you can see with a relatively cheap setup.
When the coons come around, PICK ONE that you are NOT going to shoot. Pick a specific individual, either a clipped ear, or a funny gait, or anything that will allow you NOT to shoot that particular coon.
You will be able to pick some coons (don't pick every coon), and this can go on for nights and weeks.
There will be nights when only your "safe" coon shows up. That is alright, they will show up again in force in one or two nights.
If you have different places to shoot from, rotate them.
AND, set a "bounty" with your Uncle. even if it's only a couple of dollars per coon. If possible, check if someone in the area will buy the pelts.
Perhaps next year you can afford a proper NV device?
If this system works so well, why would you want to spend your hard-earned cash in a NV device?
I believe that even pests deserve a quick humane death. And a NV device will allow you to place the shot much better than an improvised setup.
HTH
HM
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F192788113328
I got this one it work's great for me