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Letter Re: Yukon Gen 1 Night Vision Rifle Scope - A Product Review
Jim,
I had delayed writing a review of the Yukon
night vision rifle scope because I have to wonder who
else is reading your site. I don't want to do
a disservice to all the good folks that visit your [blog] site.
I surely don't want the bad guys knowing the following. Unless they
stumble on it themselves. If they are going to use one I would rather
they use one of these gems. I may buy a few
other night vision scopes just to see if the problem is in the design
or I got a bad one. Here's what I
found:
The scope is a Yukon Gen 1 with a illuminated circle/dot reticle, 1.5x42mm
NVRS. It has an IR illuminator that supposedly gives it a 350 yd. range.
I found that when the scope is first turned on with the illuminator
off the operation is normal. The resolution is poor...it was a challenge
seeing a 4x6 foot target board 100 yards down range. I had an equally
difficult time
finding my (black) horse in the pasture 50-60 yards out with fresh
batteries. With the illuminator on targets were easier to spot and
maintain.
Now the fun part: After the illuminator was switched off the IR source
continued to produce an output albeit at a LOWER INTENSITY but VERY
visible.
So, not sure what I was dealing with, I ran a test. While in a very
dark closet the NVRS was switched on nv only and I donned a NVG to "see" what
I
would find. Nothing. Okay. I then switched on the illuminator which
functioned fine. I then switched off the illuminator and sure enough
there was
a healthy glow emanating from the IR diode. I waited quite a while
and re-checked the IR just to be certain I was not seeing some persistence
in the diode and/or circuit that drives the diode and it was still
producing an
output. I shut off the NVRS and the IR glow was still present. If the
batteries were removed from the NVRS and after the IR circuit discharged
the NVRS and illuminator would function normally until the IR switch
was again out in the "on" position.
I can assume that either the IR driver has a component leaking current
to the diode, a very long time constant on a capacitor or the "problem" is
in the design. Either way this is one accessory I would not want to
have
on me in a TEOTWAWKI situation.
The green "power on" indicator LED is
bad enough.
It lights up the operator's face as a beacon in the night!
So, as you can see - if the problem is in the design and not confined
to the one that I had - I would rather the bad guys have the scope.
I do tell those I trust, respect and would like to see remain at 98.6
degrees F. - Joe
