hiflier Posted February 8, 2019 Share Posted February 8, 2019 This thread is to share knowledge of equipment and gear that folks might know about or have rigged for themselves. Things don't have to cost an arm and a leg to be effective in the field and a little ingenuity can go a long way. I will be sprinkling some of my own gear and things that I've come up with that I either have created or purchased along with the reasons for my decisions or applications. Might be interesting to see what others have come up with in the quest for our Hairy Friend 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hiflier Posted February 9, 2019 Author Share Posted February 9, 2019 (edited) When I first picked up this unit it was on sale for $149. It has night vision, 7 levels of IR illumination, image capture and video capture, a diopter and 3x digital zoom. It also has a range out to 100m (330 ft.) and is light weight and runs 2-4 hours on 4 AA's. It does show a faint red illuminator though but for the price along with its features I thought it a good deal https://www.barska.com/nvx100-night-vision-monocular-by-barska.html Edited February 10, 2019 by hiflier Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NathanFooter Posted February 10, 2019 Share Posted February 10, 2019 2 hours ago, hiflier said: When I first picked up this unit it was on sale for $149. It has night vision, 7 levels of IR illumination, image capture and video capture, a diopter and 3x digital zoom. It also has a range out to 100m (330 ft.) and is light weight and runs 2-4 hours on 4 AA's. It does show a faint red illuminator though but for the price along with its features I thought it a good deal https://www.barska.com/nvx100-night-vision-monocular-by-barska.html Can you post a video clip of this in action ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hiflier Posted February 10, 2019 Author Share Posted February 10, 2019 (edited) 25 minutes ago, NathanFooter said: Can you post a video clip of this in action ? You know? I just might do that in the near future As an added note, not everyone is comfortable being in the forest at night. For about $15 each one can acquire motion lights to aim out from the camp. They are good out to about 15 or 20 feet and so if place 20 feet away something moving coming down a trail toward camp at about 40 feet away will get illuminated. it will remain dark until then which means one won't have to juggle a flashlight unless something is farther from their location. Trails can be very packed down and so much quieter than surrounding vegetation so a motion light aimed down the trail, or a couple spaced in series about 15 feet apart, is a good option for lighting up the approach from the trail. Edited February 10, 2019 by hiflier Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catmandoo Posted February 10, 2019 Share Posted February 10, 2019 (edited) What's in your 72 hour kit? When you are camped out in the field for extended periods, keep that towel orientated in the correct posture. I can't remember how I found Liquid Silk. This is the best stuff when you are wearing your 72 hour socks. It is bio-static ---- blocks bacterial growth. Good if you have athletes foot.. I used to wear my work boots for more than 12 hours. I coated my toes and never had any problems. It is a good .general moisturizer also. Edited February 10, 2019 by Catmandoo add more text Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catmandoo Posted February 10, 2019 Share Posted February 10, 2019 (edited) How do you protect temporary electrical connections from the weather? I am experimenting with different power supplies ( NiCd, NiMh, 6V & 12V sealed lead acid batteries ) for my equipment and need protection from the elements before I finalize housings and connectors. There are numerous measuring devices available. My fav is the pocket rod in metric. Edited February 10, 2019 by Catmandoo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catmandoo Posted February 10, 2019 Share Posted February 10, 2019 (edited) Various measuring devices are available for field work. I prefer an open frame flexible tape for long distance. A typical tape measure falls over on a slope or irregular terrain. My fav is a pocket rod, in metric. The pocket rod is the yellow housing with arrow on top, 3rd in from upper left. Below are the hook ends. Substantial hooks. The metric pocket rods are easier to see at distance. One side is red ink, opposite side is black. The metric type is 2 meters. Below is the tail end. One pulls the tape out of the housing for use. Then, just stuff it back in. Hook ends. The below side by side lay out in visible light is for infrared light comparison. Some members may not be familiar with infrared light on a 'red' object. You don't use the red side in front of your trail camera. The below image is infrared. Edited February 10, 2019 by Catmandoo adding text 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catmandoo Posted February 10, 2019 Share Posted February 10, 2019 (edited) ^^^^^^^I ran out of editing time. Above, 2nd from bottom is a bubble level with concave mounting surface. Placed at 1 meter for the mid point, it is easy to see on a trail cam image. I have not had these levels until recently' Bottom image is pocket rod standing erect by itself. Good for people who work alone. It is 2 meters high. This was a Sasquatch hiding spot, watching me put up a trail camera 38 meters behind the rod. I pulled a tape for that distance. Edited February 10, 2019 by Catmandoo adding text Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catmandoo Posted February 10, 2019 Share Posted February 10, 2019 Too much unsteady video. There are many 'foul-it-up yourself' videos on you tube. I made this as an example for shaky people. I have seen versions using a flat washer. This unit is for boots and knees. The stop knot is offset so if one kneels on this, the knot is not jammed into a knee. The acrylic was a piece of scrap. The line is strong and does not stretch. The quick disconnect camera plate is just an example but all my cameras are set up with them for trekking pole, tripods, trail cam mounts and chest pack. With or without eye bolts, the QD plates are set up for ground wires. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catmandoo Posted February 10, 2019 Share Posted February 10, 2019 (edited) How are you going to mark/layout an event? Track/track way measurements? Plastic tent stakes !!!! About a buck apiece, Available in several colors. The top is sliced by a saw. A plastic mallet ( tent stake mallet ) is used to drive them in if you can't push them with your hand. Old CD's with contact paper for labels/messages works. Alphabetically or numerically lay out your find. For example, numbers; odd for left feet, even for right. Location A, location B. Messages for associates. Color code importance or beginning/end. Watch your P's and Q's. The sawing is ugly because the plastic melts. The stakes will accept a flexible tape if you need an anchor point. See the last images. When the tape is pulled through the stake, subtract the amount that is buried. The below image is 10 centimeters to be subtracted. The same amount on the standard side is about 4". Don't use these stakes if you are looking for Dracula at midnight. Edited February 10, 2019 by Catmandoo add more text 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hiflier Posted February 10, 2019 Author Share Posted February 10, 2019 (edited) 2 hours ago, Catmandoo said: Don't use these stakes if you are looking for Dracula at midnight That's right......use the wooden ones! Thanks Cat, handy things to have. Good reminder on the infra red-on-red thing too. Nothing you show weighs much either which is an important consideration. Getting more boots on the ground looking for things is good but some folks can have some understandable issues about being in the forest at night. Like Norseman said in another thread though, we are stronger together. One of the things I came up with in that regard is a couple of cow bells and small 300 yd. spool of good black thread (not button and carpet). As a simple bear alert I run a perimeter of thread about two feet above the ground all the way around a camp about 50-75 feet out in a rough circle. I start from where I came into camp, tie off an end, and go around behind trees and shrubs in one continuous loop using just enough tension to keep the line from sagging. I bring the other end around to the other side of where I entered the camp and tie it off leaving the path open for travel in and out of camp. I then hang a couple of cow bells over places that have rocks underneath. Once in camp for the night I close off the trail section with a short piece of thread tied off at one end with a cow bell tied to the other. I simply take the bell, cross the path, and hang it over the main perimeter thread as a sort of doorway that can be left open or closed. This is pretty handy if there's a lot of bear sign where one is camping. And in the Spring especially thread is low enough to be broken by a curious bear cub! The set up is light, and packs small with everything nested together so it takes up little room and only costs about 10 bucks to put together. Don't want to pay for cow bells? Tin cans work just fine. They are light but can take up a lot of space unless one packs small items inside them when trekking.. Edited February 10, 2019 by hiflier Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wiiawiwb Posted February 10, 2019 Share Posted February 10, 2019 One device I do NOT have and would love to is a parabolic listening device. I've heard mixed reviews about this unit which is inexpensive: https://www.ebay.com/itm/202348825822 I've seen posts from people who made their own larger parabolic device which would be infinitely more effective and could be reasonable if you knew how to make one. I'm all thumbs so there's little hope for me. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBhJWTPzohY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOxmdVWbmDE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLiUJoLJYRs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hiflier Posted February 10, 2019 Author Share Posted February 10, 2019 I have thought about that myself, wiiawiwb. Part of the issue here is that there just isn't a history of even moderate activity to a point where there would be known areas to set up research. Maine is vast and if Sasquatches are here they are vastly under reported as well. Being a musician for so many years I have extremely sensitive recording mics which if installed into a dish might just pick up something that might make me never leave my house again! Heck, even MICE would sound like bears walking around LOL. And bears would sound like......... ........nevermind Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DugasCajun Posted February 10, 2019 Share Posted February 10, 2019 I work for the USGS, I work down the hall from the liasion for USGS/States, he can get you current maps/lidar/topography for any state......through one of his other Liasion partners for other states. I can assist in matters like that. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catmandoo Posted February 10, 2019 Share Posted February 10, 2019 7 hours ago, hiflier said: One of the things I came up with in that regard is a couple of cow bells and small 300 yd. spool of good black thread (not button and carpet) Cow bells. "Needs more cow bells". I visit a hardware store that has cow bells and cow magnets. Not common in Seattle. Cow bells have a nice tone. However, if your cow bell perimeter alarm goes off and sounds like an Olympic downhill ski race, you are in big trouble or big luck. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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