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Scot’s Product Review: ARMASIGHT Spark CORE
Seeing in the dark is huge. Danger comes in the darkness, while darkness can also provide cover to move effectively and to counter attack. The military calls night vision a force multiplier, and the ability of American troops to see in the dark with night vision technology has provided us with a dramatic edge in conflicts since WW II.
As preppers, night vision could be invaluable. Controlling predators that could take out our livestock or damage our crops is one critical use, while defending our homes is another obvious one.
The first night vision gear was German and based on the idea that the human eye does not see infrared light. Bulky infrared spotlights were used to illuminate targets, while unwieldy scopes with cathode ray tubes allowed the user to see infrared light reflected from them. The Germans made some small ones for infantry weapons but also mounted large ones on armored vehicles. The United States was not far behind and also developed such equipment in time for the end of the war and continued using them in Korea. The Soviets were players as well with this sort of gear in World War II. This level of technology is sometimes referred to as Generation 0, or Gen 0.
The problem with these units was the need for powerful infrared searchlights, which required heavy power supplies. It didn’t matter as much for vehicles as it did for the guys on foot, but it was still a problem. Further, the range was limited by how far you could throw the infrared light. The U.S. version mounted on an M1 Carbine went less than 100 yards. Another issue was that your light was a bullet magnet. The other guy could sit there and use his gear passively and shoot you when you turned yours on. Making matters worse, he could see you farther than you could see him, just as you can see someone shining a flashlight farther than he can spot you with his light.
These drawbacks led to the development of image intensifiers, which got nicknamed starlight scopes when the U.S. deployed them to Southeast Asia. The early versions are called Generation 1, or Gen 1. These devices amplify light about 1,000 times and can work pretty well in bright moonlight or on an overcast night near a city when light is reflected back down by the clouds. Since this equipment is sensitive to infrared light, one can use an infrared light source to enhance their view of the dark with the caveat that you are broadcasting their location to anyone else who has night vision gear.
Night vision development has continued since Vietnam and we now have more generations, each more sensitive than the last. Gen 2 upped the score on light amplification as well as improving resolution and durability. The military currently has Generation 3 with autogating– a technology that improves performance. This type of equipment can amplify light by as much as 50,000 times, which is stunning. You may still need an illuminator, if you are inside or in deep shade on a moonless night where there is literally not any ambient light, but generally you can get by without it and not worry about revealing your position.
Source: http://survivalblog.com/scots-product-review-armasight-spark-core/
