Top 10 Optics for Observation Posts

[@dtl5623]

OPTICS FOR OBSERVATION POSTS 1. Binoculars - Good magnification, good field of view (large objective lens), lightweight. 2. Night Vision Devices (NVD) - Force multiplier but expensive. 3. Spotting Scope - A mainstay of any post. Has the magnification of a telescope & portability of binoculars. Field of view is small compared to binoculars so couple with a tripod. 4. Trench Periscope - Work best in static urban observation posts. 5. Endoscope - Can see around corners, flexible. 6. Rangefinders - Used for shooting & mapping. 7. Thermal Optics - Very good for static reconnaissance. Work best in remote locations rather than in urban environments (glass, many warm objects & bodies). 8. Game Cameras - Great for long term surveillance ('no glow' preferred) & are relatively inexpensive. 9. DSLR Cameras - Less conspicuous than binoculars. 10. Adaptors, Tripods & Improvisation Tools - Bring the correct adaptors for your kit, tripods relieve fatigue, zip ties organise leads, paracord can be used to string up your gear so you can rest.

[@5jjt]

​@@SuperBrahimosNV, if you can. If not, a quality magnification optic on your rifle, or binoculars.

[@daveybernard1056]

7:09 If you see the glow, it's "near" infra red. If your unaided eyes can't see the glow, it's "far" infrared. BTW, criminals use cell phone cameras to see ALL infrared surveillance light. Want to "see" far infrared light? Aim your IR TV remote at your cell phone camera. If pressing a button on the control makes the end of the remote appear to have a white dot on it, U just saw far IR. Cell phone cams can have astonishing optical detail qualities with sky high megapixels. Which is why my neighborhood's (convicted!) cat burglars walk around, aiming their cell phones at properties they want to recon-- looking for security cams and IR game cams.

[@ppolean]

Glad you brought that up. I only figured this out a few years ago, but not many ppl know about it. It has been my biggest reason for not investing in a quality IR set up.

[@saiga12forme88]

Thanks, learn something new every day. I tried it with my TV remote and was pretty bright through the cell phone camera.

[@oh2txb18]

Thanks for the tip, never heard this before.

[@Energine1]

Back in the day if you wanted lit photos at night you could use off camera lights already found in the environment. If only there were other common items that emit IR 😉

[@daveybernard1056]

@@Energine1 There are. My neighbors have amber yard lights (lightbulbs?) strung up all over. They seem to barely emit any visible light. On my security cams, they emit TONS of IR, which spills over into my backyard, too.

[@minarchist1776]

A good pair of 7x50 binoculars could be considered to be generation 0 night vision. They are what the U.S. Navy has been using for bridge watch standers and lookouts for decades.

[@dananorth895]

Yes I've got NV and Flir IR, but I've got a pair of Bushnell binoculars that have incredible light gathering capacity at night. When using NV rifle a good 50mm scope really pulls in the light.

[@amariner5]

The Navy testing in WWII found that 10x50s were optimal for SHIPBOARD use.

[@minarchist1776]

@@amariner5 Maybe. All I can say for sure is that when I was in all the binoculars that were provided for use by bridge watchstanders on my ship were 7x50s.

[@OldStuPedasso]

Yeah, I'm sure the Taliban are really happy with their new supply of free NODS.

[@GeorgeOrwell-yz6zx]

Don't forget the hundreds of thousands of dollars left sitting around. It's almost like the current administration wanted them to have this free stuff, no?

[@pyrodemon131]

Don't worry in a few months everything will fall apart

[@yourfreedomisanillusion]

I wonder if they’d send me some money and NODS

[@TomahawksNShotShells]

@@pyrodemon131 🤣 they got the best technicians from Russia, Pakistan, Iran and China along with the logistics that go with them to keep em going. Don't hold your breath, you'll only die lightheaded

[@yourfreedomisanillusion]

@bLackstar -Hey, pick one or two up for me. And nods. And an Apache

[@slik560]

Yet another S2 video that will go into my "gee, I didn't think of that" file. I do need a good pair of 7 x 50 [the Bushnell Outlet is 1.5 miles from me :) ] but I had been thjnking about selling my big Nikon DLSR and the long lenses since I don't do motorsports photography any more. A 600m lens will give me a really good look at whatever is out there. This camera will also plug into a laptop or tablet for monitoring. THANKS for the suggestions.

[@manimalcok9938]

outside of observation posts I've added a little monocular optic to my EDC bag. Small but helpful if you need to create a SALUTE report while out and about.

[@S2Underground]

Yep, that is a great thing to have too. Very useful, compact, and lightweight

[@dananorth895]

Picked up several cheap cell phone monocs and found for the price their pretty good. One of the larger ones has screw hole like my NV and mounts on my helmet for quick telescopic sighting.

[@Bishop30Solutions]

Very good video. The other side is picking and constructing a good hide site. Keep up the good work, I also enjoyed you Afghanistan updates.

[@arrowpath5190]

Concerning all of your conent : thank you for the smart, practical, thoughtful, essential, and powerful tools for the toolbox. Keep up the great work.

[@rustym.shackelford5546]

I already got a old school Nikon Binocular set. Just need another w/ ranging hashes and Tritium.

[@josie4065]

Excellent channel, I can’t believe I hadn’t found it before

[@daveybernard1056]

yootoooob hides stuff

[@ADE1000SON]

Me too.

[@schrodingersgat4344]

If I may: I have a product recommendation. Torrey Pines Logic, used to make a series of ultra compact thermal viewers. The TP-10 and TP-12 were under $800 when new to the market. They are less if you can find one ,now. They were sold under several brand names ,internationally. Great short -medium range option.

[@ninja5672]

I doubt 80x60 pixels is going to do anything useful except extremely short range.

[@schrodingersgat4344]

@@ninja5672 Within 300 m for vehicles. People sized objects to120 amid trees. It's the close range where it does its best.

[@groovydon5761]

New garden episode when?

[@S2Underground]

Very soon. The next Welwyn episode required a lot of time to elapse before we could film it.

[@mpireoutdoors5274]

In exchange for the information may I suggest the Olympus OMD EM1 mirrorless camera series as a rugged digital camera of relatively small size with long range and middling low-light performance. Also, reusable cable ties can be extremely useful especially given how well they clamp down on cylindrical objects.

[@blake102989]

Got me a pair of ok military stiners with the ranging reticle

[@DJTheMetalheadMercenary]

Excellent points as always! Love my Leupold binos, I also recommend a Stealth Cam- brand handheld NV/ Thermal mono or bino unit for those on a budget, they're sold in many hunting sections of sporting goods stores and online, not crazy fancy but they work well enough (and they have memory card slots for recording). I need to find me an old periscope-- or maybe I should start a company making good quality new ones... Damn you wallet!!!

[@daveybernard1056]

I think modern submarines use a camera on a pole. No reason civilians can't duplicate this in a simple way with an outdoors rated security cam.

[@dananorth895]

Seen em on Ebay. On my bucket list. Tube cams are dirt cheap and plug into phone.

[@DJTheMetalheadMercenary]

@@daveybernard1056 Some periscopes are outfitted with cameras now yes, the biggest issue is focus and how the lenses refract when involving a camera, but absolutely doable with enough testing.

[@DJTheMetalheadMercenary]

@@dananorth895 Yep (though somewhat limited availability and they're mostly overseas for the good old ones, shipping nightmare lol), tube cams are definitely viable, I wouldn't rely on the phone though just my opinion.

[@oh2txb18]

Yeah, totally gonna play with making one at work now. I still remember making a milk carton one in school waaaay back in the day.

[@isntimportant]

0:58 Guy on the spotting scope is a consummate professional.

[@The13thRonin]

How about the MK1 eyeball?

[@prepperpov5852]

Thank you

[@Leothelion357]

5:51 omg that is some scary stuff 😮 If I’m in war I’m staying inside during the nite🫣

[@johngriffiths118]

4.20 that shoot is UK defence of CIMIC House in Iraq . The trench scopes they had were WW2

[@abstractapproach634]

I have binoculars, a small 4k camera and Ironsites. I decided not to spend money on optics until I can outshoot whitebox Winchester 223 at 256 meters. If I can't make solid iron shots in a calm range, I don't trust myself to use optics under adrenaline without becoming dependent.

[@mikeborrelli193]

This moronic approach to shooting isn't doing you any favors.

[@Michael_Douglas007]

That a boy soldier!

[@YetiMama]

Love your content bro

[@falsekings-p9z]

8x56 is the best night binocular in old ways but thermo is the new one .But it is also expencier one.

[@Comrade_Akimov]

If I had only one set to bring with, it's high end DSLR that connects to smartphone for instant reporting + 500mm or bigger lens + solid tripod. The rest is location, camo and discipline.

[@CarnivoreDMD]

Don’t forget yardage scopes for golf....dual purpose, I went Leopold.

[@stevedepew9613]

Not sure if you have done a security system camera video but do you have any recommendations for a decently priced wireless setup that doesn't come with Chinese spyware?

[@twc9000]

I'm interested, too.

[@mikeborrelli193]

"Chinese spyware" should be at the very bottom of your purchasing priorities.

[@thomaslauter9811]

Nothing beats modafinil for night watch.

[@michaelarmbruster586]

We had periscopes when we were kids

[@johndowe7003]

Please do a hour long trench pariscope video plez

[@danthoreson4062]

what is the footage at the end from?

[@mattpatton8887]

Can you link to the gen 3 wp nods you were talking about?

[@NGWhite-mw9kz]

Tactical Nightvision Company (TNVC), JRH Enterprises, Nocturnality Gear are the names the come to mind. I've personally done business with Robert Henry at JRH and recommend him. He's a bit of a character, but he's a good guy and has direct industry contacts that help him cut deals. It's not really as simple as go to NVG mart and pick up a unit. Most NV setups are not "ready-made" like other off-the-shelf tactical gear and have very long lead times. Waits in excess of six months aren't unheard of if you have a dealer that takes spec requests or if there's a supply shortage of a specific tube type. There are not many ready-to-ship gen 3 devices in any configuration, let alone WP which is ever-popular these days. Something that IS sometimes ready to ship are the various Photonis Gen2+ tubes. I find those "in stock" from different sellers often. Some are a smidge cheaper than gen 3, and for civilian applications you may find them to be "enough." Definitely capable units, and KZbin is full of demonstrationals. I know they make green tubes, but virtually all the ones I've seen were WP. NVGs are a bit weird--it's analog tech, and specialized at that, so the industry reflects accordingly.

[@me-cq7wv]

Tip if you are buying optics dont buy cheap rubbish buy good quality they will last and you will see so much more.

[@BobBob-il2ku]

Anyone have a source for the trench periscope besides eBay? What’s the price you paid?

[@Nagger666]

Got a back story on that thermal video?

[@mikemcdonald5147]

its top secret. He could tell ya but then he'd have to kill ya :)

[@S2Underground]

Ha yeah it's allegedly footage from Afghanistan from years ago, snipers targeting T-ban fighters

[@kwdoug]

Thank you secret squirrel

[@nicholasshaler7442]

Not me, I am a SuperSpecialDeltaRangerSEAL.

[@henryc7548]

crap whats the story with 5:42

[@My_Alchemical_Romance]

6:19 was that an actual k-shot right there? Dope. Not; but cool footage.

[@somethinsomethin7243]

Why manned?

[@ID-8491]

Apparently the British SAS do not leave their hidden observation posts while on a mission. That's why each trooper carries several ziplock bags. Guess why.

[@davidb9323]

They practice freeze drying?

[@dlysachev]

So that friends could bring more sandwiches from nearby Subway?

[@davidb9323]

To use as packing airbags to keep themselves off the ground?

[@ID-8491]

You kidding, guys? They pee and poo in these bags. Pee goes in a separate bag. I've read about poop issue during the SAS selection (which takes about 6 months). The candidates are supposed to bring back their poop with them (in plastic bags). Why? Because they are not supposed to leave anything behind. Feces could be examined and determined to come from someone who eats western (and not local) diet. One of the SAS candidates brought very little poop from a 2 days trip in the mountains. He was questioned about. Luckily, he's explanation made sense and that was end of story.

[@davidb9323]

@@ID-8491 I thought we were close.

[@mikepanda117]

As soon as i turned on video my location icon went up. Are they watching me?

[@jebthereb2]

Damn 6:02

[@NDSMD]

Don't forget 11. Drones

[@feetoorourke]

Can we talk about low detection alternatives to LRF? A radar detector will light right up if a vehicle for instance is ranged with my sig bino rangefinder.

[@sactoeazy]

civ LRFs are seen under NV as well. I'm not aware of any non-mil LRFs that won't be detected by these methods.

[@SkeezyFPV]

You'd need swir and you can't have swir lol

[@feetoorourke]

@@SkeezyFPV thanks, and actually you can. I mean it's 23k but it's available

[@S2Underground]

Yeah LRFs can definitely be detected; anything that emits a signature wouldn't be super great to use all the time. But for filling out a rangecard during the daytime, it's very handy. Plus, even in normal use a blip of the laser for half a second wouldn't be too big of a deal. But yeah to totally control emissions, it's definitely something to be mindful of

[@SkeezyFPV]

@@feetoorourke I'm not aware of any out of spectrum >1,100nm nods or LAMs available on the civilian market.

[@joshwizardguy7662]

I'd like to know more about S2 and gain skills by being part of the team. How do I join?

[@Henryivika]

There is a lot of Russian footage...

[@johndowe7003]

War for ukraine is the.most recent war with two modern militaries with similar tools at their disposal. So it's good footage compared to afgan guerilla type warfare

[@Henryivika]

@@johndowe7003 even with Russian music?

[@johndowe7003]

@@Henryivika perhaps

[@محمدباقر-ن6ث8ط]

Hello, is there anyone who can help with the Attac program? It was working fine, but today I cannot access it and it asks for a password for the encryption that was previously tuned. Is there any help please? ATAK

[@thomasandersen5349]

"I am not a spy. I am not a troll." - @user-hi5ti1mq2c