THINKING (only thinking) about a casual NV meet in Leic's

[some bloke]

I might be able to sort out a nite meet at an East Leicester rugby ground that has a flat field with short grass about 300 yards long by 200 yards wide. It's almost totally surrounded by tall trees with currently non existent light pollution, but that could change if the leaves have all gone so it'll need to be soon. It has a hard standing car park that I can lock the gates to for security of kit and no need to get our feet muddy. It will feature little by way of shelter from the elements as the clubhouse will be closed. There would be no shooting at the venue - period.

There are other fields nearby that are rarely shot which might produce an occasional rabbit or fox show.
All would be welcome but as it won't be funded by anyone please don't expect any facilities other than what you can do behind a tree.
There would be no catering but there is a Wetherspoons restaurant close by - it's not a pub, but you can have two pints if you have a meal.

I'd like to see some some tubed - hopefully gen 3 if anyone can bring it - not that I'd be in the market for that much dosh. I think some of you ought to see just what can be done with a Watec 'dedicated' rig but my recording kit is not good enough to make more want to do what I have done.

I might even shoot a quick Watec spotter video of events. It would be at short notice with respect to weather conditions on either a Sunday or Monday Night. I've never been to a NV meet as I always seem to be at work when they are on.

I'd like to judge interest before confirming it's possible - I have a fairly free hand there. I'll be asking on other forums too. Post up any interest please chaps.

[some bloke]

Short notice
Very short notice but a new member on here, a squaddie home on leave untill Jan 5th has requested a gander at my home brew rigs - and we can't let our boys down can we. So hows about them who can join in and let him see some more - being as you possibly have no work this week?

Weather looks like it will be heavy cloud, potential showers, but perhaps an odd glimpse of a near full moon almost directly overhead by midnite - if anyone wants to stay late. If my impression of weather forcasts in general is correct it won't be as bleak as they suggest but check any weather site you like for LE5 area. It's my night off so I'll stay as late as anyone wants. I'll be unlocking the gates about 18.00 hrs. EDITED

The venue is: Stonygate rugby football club, Covert lane, (ironically) Leicester. I shall PM everyone across three forums who have shown an interest so hopefully we can all get a gander at something we have never seen before. As I've never met any of you I'm the old git in the black Shogun Pinin (hair dressers car before anyone else says it).

I will have my home brew dedicated/scopeless crosshair generator rig to view, and a home brew spotter on the car dashboard for an occasional unlit drive round on the dry parts of the field a including obstacles. No elf n safety risk assessments have been drawn up so there will be a strict no shooting policy in place. I've deliberately not shot that venue for a while but I understand somebody else also has permission to shoot there so who knows if any bunnies might appear.

I have a very bad internet set up that gets "stuck" if there are three or more messages waiting so please dont reply to my PM's. Please post up here if you get a chance before you leave out.

Hope to meet a few of you tonight then.

EDIT: ruddy sleep disorders grr!

Weather is looking better than ideal for those who want to sort the wheat from the chaff regarding NVD performance. Typical when we want it a bit grimmer it don't happen!
With this in mind I'm bringing it fowards to an earlier start at 18.00 hrs so we at least get some dark shadows from tall trees all the way along the eastern edge of the field.

Points to note please guys to make it better for all of us, Safety is no accident:

No ammo! There will be rifles pointing around, scanning etc so I implore you all to please leave your ammo home.

Please douse your headlights before entering the gates to help protect peoples NVD's, our own natural night vision, and potentially spooking any quarry.

The car park area can be used for those rigs that need IR illumination at any time - there is about 150 yards of flat available, there will be no quarry in that part.

During the earlier part of the evening please do not use any illumination on the main sports fields - that will give everyone the opportunity to see what can be viewed for 300 yards of flat grass without artificial light - and may assist us in not spooking any quarry away.

If anyone has a remote control fox caller that can be used to maybe 200 yards please bring it.

If anyone is bringing any thermal gear I reserve the right to stroke it and dribble.

[some bloke]

Anyone just now finding this - I'm going up to open the gates shortly, Call me on 077 695 013 73 if you are coming - the moon is not yet showing on the horizon, it's dry and and there's not a cloud in sight. To start with then, we will be blessed with starlight only. Come hither all you locals with NV rigs to compare.

[PESCA]

Here's hoping you get a good turnout, Dave

George

[some bloke]

Here's hoping you get a good turnout, Dave

George

Hmm, very short notice so loads turned up - well - four of us had a pleasant evening.

The conditions were clear starlight sky as I got there, which proved the down point of digital with no stray light but almost straight away some light cloud came over which was sufficient to produce a dim view of bunnies over two hundred yards away with no IR illumination. 50 yard ish ones were easily seen. The moon never showed enough to be of any use as the clouds grew thicker. Putting the 1 watt IR drop-in, ahorton aspheric lens equipped torch on struggled to make much difference apart from eyeshine for the 200 yard ones but closer rabbits were well lit up.

Wink and a friend turned up and I got to look through a 10 years old gen 3 riflescope which was an education in NV clarity, then came the amazing clarity of a 5 year old gen 3 riflescope which blew me away as the expression goes. I found there were more rabbits beyond the 200 yard ones I had digi-spotted. I can't remember the names of the scopes or the tubes that were in them but wow. The only light there was reflected from clouds apart from when we explored the IR.

My hopes that my scopeless rig might be a poor mans alternative to gen 3 in those conditions were dashed there and then. If the ambient light was better I feel it might have been a slightly closer comparison though.

Red eye jedi then arrived and viewed both formats. He has used gen 3 rifle scopes very frequently in his professional capacity - good lad and its performance was no surprise to him. I sort of wondered why he would want to look at digital after experiencing the clarity of gen 3 and it boils down to firstly: A digital spotter is easy to record from (a priority) and partly the cash tied up in it, £450 ish Vs £4500 ish. I am very impressed with gen 3 but personally, my £450 ish digital option is good enough for me, my budget and my point blank range needs - up to 17 REM for rabbit head shots fetching me £2 each.

After wink left we took the opportunity to compare the three scopes we had between us with regards to light transmission to my Watec based add-on with a 25mm lens using the 1 Watt drop-in Ultrafire torch. I had taken two scopes with me and the one red eye had on his air rifle.

4x40 WTC classic wide angle was the best.
1.75-5x40 AO Tasco came second.
3-9x40 BSA essential was the worst.
100 ish yards was just about do-able for the first two scopes.


I think if I had been able to give a longer notice more would have attended and seen the light so to speak.

[wink]

hi dave nice to meet you and your buddy..just to clarify..the first scope you looked through was a hth731 with a 10 year old 10130c the other bit a kitt was a d760..pinnie tube..v..gain.pity more never turned up But still its that time off year :crazy:that venue its spot on dave be good for future meets dave's digi not my cup a tea..but for those on a budget as dave demonstrated a very cabable bit a kitt with the right illuminator ..just to add price for these 2 units the 731 if i sold it i would ask..1200 but its not for sale..the 760 not mine a friends..2500 would be the asking price for that but not for sale so they are out there..and dont cost a arm and a leg