1970's Vintage Night Vision Binoculars, Mk 1

Hi all, hope someone out there can shed some light, no pun intended!

I have an old pair of mk1 night vision goggles which are in need of a new pair of tubes. Ive heard these are dodgy to take apart due to the radioactive content.

Is this true???

Peter, did you handle these back in the day??

Any info appreciated.

Yep! And if we're talking about the same binos, NVG's they were only withdrawn about 3 years ago. No radioactive content. Don't know where you can get new tubes but you could try Thales who took over Pilkington at St Asaph in NWales

Cheers Peter, these are 1972 dated infrared binoculars mk 1 and are the type that fit the old steel "turtle" helmet.

Am I ok to strip them, there's a guy in Droitwich who gets the tubes from time to time, apparently they are the same tubes which fit periscopes.

cheers
Steve

Steve,
I tackled a pair a few years ago and used EEV tubes mate if they are the old basic head harness version.
They can be got hold of locally on: 01245 493493 They are at Waterhouse Lane, Chelmsford Essex CM1 2QU;)

What we really need to know is exactly what these binos are. Infrared or IIW/NVG's..

If you start stripping these do so in a camera spec dark-room or you WILL start to burn out the phosphorescence capability of the new tubes.

for future reference peter, a black and white spec (with a red light) dark room or a full, no light, colour dark room?

Cheers Gil, Peter. They are Infrared Receiving Binocular, no1, mk1, the type that fitted via a primitive harness to the steel turtle helmet, I believe they require IR illumination so where used mostly by RCT and tankies who fitted IR filters to the vehicle lights . They take a CV6099 tube which was used in several devices and are still just about floating around.

I'd heard one or two scary stories about them and was advised not to open them up. Just wanted some clarification to whether I needed a foil hat before tackling the job.

Steve,
Take current safety advice from EEV who are a good company, there are ALWAYS issues surrounding Phosper and if my memory serves me correctly, mine was simply connecting to wires and removing burnt out tubes, with obviously no batteries connected.
We used to buy their small handheld units called EEV Watchman or Guardman can't remember which, they were brilliant little pocket sized Gen 1 bits of kit. But as Peter says, not wishing to teach you to suck eggs, safety first. Those head harness versions had no IR illumination as you mentioned but had those horrendous MOD bought sealed batteries, similar to the Twiggy but obviously smaller, which I convereted to PP3 for ease of use and operation.
Sadly with my head into buying already manufactured bought GEN 2/3 kit today, my memory isn't the best on the old days of Gen 1.
I know we had Russian plastic bodied pistol type GEN 1 units that every USSR soldier was issued, which radiated more to the user through the phospher screen eye piece when charged into electrons from the onboard batteries that fitted into the pictol grip. We(Home Office) had to inform all Police and Military to ditch them pretty sharpish after hours of detailed testing, that was in the late 80's early 90's if that helps.
So in short, I would send them to EEV and let them do the business for you if you decide to go with them, as I know Delft also do a tube for them too.;)

---------- Post added at 01:22 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:13 PM ----------

Steve,
Just found a business card for EEV it was the Night Watchman series GEN 1 FYI ;)

Thanks for that Gil!!, think I'll do just that.

Cheers
Steve

Steve,
Safest way mate because once you open her up the cathode screen and everything technical comes at you at once, lots of circuit boards as you have never seen them before built in a circle and loads of minute components that need to be handled with great care and white gloves bla bla bla and so forth........;)

---------- Post added at 01:38 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:37 PM ----------

.....and by the way Spec Savers have stopped making glasses for three eyed people now in Russia:lol:

Yep, that's what we used to call NON-passive night vision as it needed an IR light source as opposed to the passive IIW's we use. The last of those were the little LITTON that had a small IR illuminator. But IIW and IR weren't my thing and only dealt with at two workshops in the UK and the manufacturers. The US stuff went back to 'somewhere near Swindon'

Quote:

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Originally Posted by chosenman

I'd heard one or two scary stories about them and was advised not to open them up. Just wanted some clarification to whether I needed a foil hat before tackling the job.

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Make yourself a foil suit and balaclava, then head up to your local hospital and use the X ray room :rofl:

Peter,
Yes Litton in our day were based in Globe Park, Marlow in Bucks I have my old card index box and amazing when you search and what jogs your mind.
They were the little 911's and guess who the chief Sales Manager was who I used to buy them from at I.R Management, Gullivers Wharf London...........Mark Winthrop of NI fame!! yes the one and only.
I have the 911 listed on the card as £3250 for the body, £213 for the eyepiece x3 lens £531.00 and the x1 lens £426.00 dated 12/5/1997 how time does fly, like the prices too:lol::lol:

Hey, I've got a pair of these MK1 Night Vision Goggles, but I'm lacking the CV6099 converter tubes. Do you know where I can get these? Thanks.

From what you describe there with no other info or photo, you have a pair of PG1MS MK1 or 2

If that is the case Delft who are part of B.V.Optische Industrie, PO Box 72, 2600 MD Delft if they haven't been gobbled up are the people to contact.
Some Militaria dealers here in the UK do have boxes of unused 1st Gen Delft tubes laying around. They were pretty expensive in the day, as I have always been taught that they together with GEC were the best of the bestest, which I am sure Peter L or Tanky will corroborate