PLONK AND PLAY truck spotters.

[some bloke]

Its difficult to figure out how to sell one of my PLONK and PLAY (as I've now dubbed them) magnetic roof spotter transmitter setups without going round the houses a bit - so here's a way that might work as I continue to thin out my shooting kit. The PLONK AND PLAY aspect comes from there being no cables of any kind between the transmitter on the roof and the monitor in the truck to faff about with.

I have one FPV receiver and two FPV spotters that both transmit a video signal on the same radio frequency (not to be confused with wifi) - so I can use either - but not both at the same time. Point is I simply don't need both. I was very happy with the IR spotter until a rare thermal core came up for sale - but now the IR one is unused.

Sooo. I can offer a used 7" FPV receiver which records with either spotter transmitter which I will list on the next two posts so please don't make any posts until I finish the third post - although I will likely be editing them until one is sold because - as some on here will know I'm a slightly dyslexic old git with bad memory too. Questions by PM are fine. I'd rather the IR one gets sold so I'll list that first in the next post.

The 7" FPV receiver battery isn't very brilliant so a cigar lighter socket cable is supplied with it.

Here's a quick look at both options:

https://youtu.be/09uXCRLz4DM

The reason so few of this type of spotter are available is that hardly anyone shoots almost solely from a vehicle. I do so it suits me admirably - and I'm sure there will be a small amount of others in similar health circumstances that they will appeal to.

There is also a possibility that someone has their own FPV receiver - or would rather buy a new one with a guarantee allowing me to keep mine with the unsold transmitter.

The price for the receiver is £100 if bought with either transmitter.



Shown with 75mm Cosmicar TV lens on the IR transmitter


Shown with the 25mm TV lens on the IR transmitter.

[some bloke]

I made this dual purpose 850nm IR spotter some time ago but rarely used it as I subsequently made a thermal one that replaced it - with lots of help from Bruce off this forum. The pan and tilt base will attach to a steel roof - ideally with a tilt slide sunroof to reach up to manually adjust it as required - or a steel rail or bracket above the drivers window.

The Illuminator torch head rotates to adjust the zoom of the IR beam. A 3 memory mode 850nm AS LED pill is fitted (controlled by the upper switch) The switch is seriously quiet and will cycle through lo/med/hi power modes by half pressing it. Leaving it on any power setting for three seconds or more will activate the power mode memory.

The used but expensive 75mm F1.4 Cosmicar TV lens (about £400 new) is a serious upgrade but has some scratches on the anodising - the spotter is otherwise as new. It is best suited to longer ranges. Also supplied is a 25mm F1.4 TV lens for wider viewing angles at shorter range - they simply screw in.
With the expensive 75mm Cosmicar TV lens


With the 25mm TV lens for close range:


The box requires three USER SUPPLY 18650 batteries: I don't supply batteries or chargers so the buyer doesn't need to return the spotter for repair if a battery cell fails. Expect 5 hours from the optics - powered by the two batteries - and about an hour or so from the single battery powering the illuminator at high power - so best carry a spare or two, they are quick and easy to change and lower power setting improves battery life. A spotter is best used with minimal IR required to spot the quarry - they don't like to see moving illuminators. Use more IR for checking safety with the rifle optics as you take the shot.


On good moonlit nights - or that 'in between' light at dusk or dawn where your eye can't see much, the famous genuine KPC E700 low light camera will respond extremely well to the remaining ambient infra red light, letting you see to near infinity without an illuminator. On poor moonlit nights you'll see very little unless you use the 3 power mode zoom illuminator - which is why they have two switches.

I recommend this charger:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NITECORE-D4- ... 2981059930

The transmitter is seen in the latter part of this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3acKW7 ...

The price of this IR spotter transmitter alone is £300 collected or £315 posted RMSD to UK postcodes + £100 if the receiver is required.

The FPV transmitter fitted to a heatsink on the rear flip out cover - just press the bottom of the lid to flip it open.

[some bloke]

A 'PLONK AND PLAY' magnetic base thermal truck roof spotter that requires no trailing cables into a 7" FPV receiver monitor/recorder inside the vehicle: The video signal is transmitted by FPV (drone) radio signal with no lag and is superior to wifi. Its ideally reached through a tilt/slide sunroof to pan and tilt but can also be plonked onto a steel roof rail or bracket above the drivers window.
More about it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVwsMnxpvMI...



Core spec is 17 micron 384x288, monocolour, shutterless, 35mm F1.2 lens so doesn't need constant adjustment for differing ranges.


The transmitter is a unique one off that will never be repeated. The menu is basic black or white hot with no frills like PIP or colour palettes etc. In fact its best just kept set at white hot because that shows more heat detail such as the head than black hot.
Note the small white dot fault evident in the lower left of the transmitted image showing my heat reflection from the patio door glass. That area would be just ahead of the vehicle so would not be mistaken for eyeshine that close to the truck.


The home built transmitter unit is rechargeable with an approximate constant transmitting time of four to five hours. An external battery or charge lead can be plugged into the 5.5/2.1 DC charge port if more time is needed. I incorporated a microphone into its build but keep it switched off to extend battery life and reduce upload data of recordings – much of which might be wind.

This format of spotter is not generally available because there is very little demand for a vehicle based spotter. Its perfect for a shooter who mostly shoots from a truck for health reasons which is why it suits me so admirably, but can also be deployed on a tripod if you have a companion present. Also note quarry will often scarper if it sees a torch or IR illuminator 'floating about' but the thermal 'finder? really comes into its own as a driving spotter that emits no light of any kind.

The lid at the rear is currently flip out-able but would be better sealed with a smear of silicone round it once you satisfy yourself that its current setting is best. The only adjustment needed is pan/tilt and lens focus but that is quite tolerant regarding depth of focus.


Any 1/4" tripod thread device can be screwed into the anodised aluminium mount screwed through the box.


It will be supplied with tripod thread adaptors to also screw onto a T-bar or similar type remote handle or pivot ball stud with 1/4" or 3/8" male or female threads - simply unscrew the magnet base as needed using pliers or 11mm spanner to release the locknut.




Price is £1100 posted RMSD to UK postcodes only + £100 if the 7” receiver is required.

Demo of either unit available at East Leicester city boundary if required - lockdown permitting. Any questions please ask.

[some bloke]

I've now discovered I can get a 640 module for my torch conversion for a higher base mag using the same 35mm lens - and use my existing 384 module to make another spotter with a spare 35mm lens I have.

To fund the more expensive 640 module the above thermal spotter is now reduced to £1000 with the receiver/monitor/DVR

Or £900 if buyer gets a new receiver/monitor/ DVR so I keep mine for the other spotter:

https://www.banggood.com/Eachine-LCD580 ... rrency=GBP

[phoenix]

Dave,
Replacing the 384 module with a 640 module and still using the same lens will not increase magnification - it will reduce it.
It will however, increase the field of view.
Assuming it's a 17 micron, module, the detection range and level of detail will be unchanged.
Also, that 35mm lens may have been designed to focus incoming heat over the surface area of a 384 module and may not focus the incoming heat over the larger surface of a 640 module.
Think back to camera lenses designed for 1/3 sensors as opposed to 1/2 sensors - same issue here

Cheers

Bruce

[some bloke]

Dave,
Replacing the 384 module with a 640 module and still using the same lens will not increase magnification - it will reduce it.
It will however, increase the field of view.
Assuming it's a 17 micron, module, the detection range and level of detail will be unchanged.
Also, that 35mm lens may have been designed to focus incoming heat over the surface area of a 384 module and may not focus the incoming heat over the larger surface of a 640 module.
Think back to camera lenses designed for 1/3 sensors as opposed to 1/2 sensors - same issue here

Cheers

Bruce

Argh - thanks mate.

I got it wong again and assumed the 640 sensor had more base mag potential - via smaller pixels in the same size sensor that allow say two times zoom without loss of detail. (Peter has 640's too apparently)

This slight autism (which until recently I thought was dyslexia) ain't doin me much good lol.

Would I be right to assume its 12 um pixel pitch instead of 17 um that does that using the same size lens?

[phoenix]

A 17micron 640x480 sensor is physically larger than a 17 micron 384x288 sensor
Just multiply the pixel size by the number of pixels to get the physical size of the sensor
Here are all the common sensor sizes:
a. 17 micron 384x288 = 6.528 x 4.896mm, 8.16mm diagonal
b. 17 micron 640x480 = 10.88 x 8.16mm, 13.6mm diagonal
c. 12 micron 320x240 = 3.84 x 2.88mm, 4.8mm diagonal
d. 12 micron 640x480 = 7.68 x 5.76mm, 9.6mm diagonal
e. 12 micron 640x512 = 7.68 x 6.14mm, 9.83mm diagonal
For a given lens size, magnification mainly depends on the diagonal size of the sensor.
The larger the diagonal size, the lower the magnification and the wider the field of view so, even a 12 micron 640x480 sensor won't give you as much magnification as a 17 micron 384x288 sensor - because that 12 micron sensor is still physically larger than that 17 micron sensor.
However,a 12 micron sensor will give you a more detailed image than a 17 micron sensor with the same size lens.
I doubt very much that Peter has 12 micron 640 sensors.

Cheers

Bruce

[some bloke]

Ah thanks so much for that Bruce - its probably getting quite obvious I'm a bit slower than the average bear.

If I understand you correctly, if I want to gainfully employ a surplus 35mm lens for a higher base mag core I'd need to find a 12 micron 320x240?

I have loads of time on my hands.

[phoenix]

You would indeed need a 12 micron 320x240 core, although I have no idea where you might find such a thing.
Of course, it would also need to be mounted in a way that allows to actually connect it to the lens and also be able to set the lens at the correct distance from the sensor.

Chers

Bruce

[some bloke]

Bless - that's enough to thinker on for now - at least till I get out with my rifle rig and see what black hot bunnies look like at 100 yards using a small white retical at 1x and 2x.

Have to admit I've become sort of addicted to home building - and simply wouldn't buy a near eye screen rig so self restricted to heads up monitor types despite them looking so fugly. About 95% of my shooting is off a 4WD door mirror - the other 5% off the roof.

The forestock is always supported and I simply don't shoulder a rifle any more so its a bit like indoor bench and back rest heads up shooting - or take up knitting.

I'm surprised none of our forum suppliers are not offering cores and such yet.