Survival Lessons Tips for the survivalist, fisherman and hunter
The widespread use of thermal imagers in hunting has provoked a sharp increase in demand for them. However, the cost of professional equipment can reach $10,000, which is unacceptable for many. As an alternative, attempts are being made to make a do-it-yourself thermal imager for hunting. But can it be done at home?
Content
The complexity of manufacturing a thermal imager
This device is necessary for fixing the infrared radiation emitted by animals. In practice, experienced hunters use it not to search for prey, but to quickly find wounded animals. For other aspects, the device is not very suitable, since its range is limited by sensitivity.
The design of a thermal imager is in many ways similar to a classic digital camera. The following elements are used for work:
- Optical system. Needed to focus the image and redirect it to the receiving device.
- photosensitive matrix. It consists of many photocells that capture the difference in the spectrum of an image located within the range of the optical system.
- Information processing block and display for displaying graphic information.
The difficulty of self-manufacturing a thermal imager lies in the special materials used for the production of the optical system and photosensitive matrix. These components can be purchased separately and independently adapted to work together. The budget of such a project will be comparable to the purchase of a factory model.
Adaptation options for other devices
On the Web, you can find many options for altering standard videos and cameras so that they perform the function of a thermal imager. If this were possible in practice, manufacturers would make this option the base for such equipment. But the maximum that can be achieved is the night mode with a limited distance of up to 2 m.
Common options for reworking standard digital video devices:
- Video and cameras. According to the “specialists”, it is enough to dismantle a special filter and the equipment can turn into a thermal imager for hunting. With your own hands, this can be done with a soldering iron and a slight refinement of the design.
- webcam . Additionally, components are purchased that allow the device to operate in the IR range.
- Purchase of devices for smartphones.
To analyze the feasibility of such alterations, you should find out the order of work and the possible consequences of changing the design scheme.
about how to choose the right binoculars for hunting here .
Digital camera
Despite the similarity in design, it is very problematic to make a full-fledged thermal imager from a digital camera. Removing the filter operating in the IR range will not lead to the desired result. The consequences of such an operation are an increase in the level of color noise during shooting and a quick failure of the matrix elements.
Additionally, you may experience the following issues:
- The sensitivity of the matrix in a photo or video device is not designed to perceive the infrared range. Those. it will need to be replaced with the appropriate one.
- For the operation of a special matrix, a special cooling system is required, which is not found in household appliances.
- The software will not allow you to process the image correctly - a flashing will be required.
After taking into account all these nuances, the result will be a not very high-quality thermal imager. The range of its work will be minimal, and the image error on the screen will not allow normal hunting.
Webcam redesign _
An alternative option is to manufacture a device that registers the thermal radiation of animals from a Web camera. The performance of such a homemade product has not been tested in practice - only a theoretical scheme has been found.
For alteration, you will need to purchase a special kit, consisting of the following elements:
- board Anduroconverting an analog signal to digital for further processing;
- two servomotors required for horizontal and vertical camera movement;
- temperature sensor MLX90614;
- laser pointer and camera.
After assembly, the device will detect thermal radiation at short distances - up to 30 m.
Buying an additional device for a smartphone
Recently, household thermal imagers have become popular, which are being adapted for hunting. In practice, they can only be useful for searching for traces of a wounded animal, as they have a range limitation. Most often, such models are used to analyze the heating system or calculate heat losses in the house.
A striking example is the Seek Thermal miniature thermal imager, which works in tandem with a smartphone. But to analyze the relevance of its use during hunting, you need to familiarize yourself with the technical parameters of the device:
- sensitivity - 70 mK ;
- declared detection range - up to 550 m, but in the absence of fog and a large number of thermal objects;
- there is a color light.
The cost of such a model is 17,500 rubles.
It is recommended to purchase a professional thermal imager for hunting only if you really need it. Attempts to make homemade models most often do not lead to success.
Hello, I am Alexander, the mastermind behind the blog.
In terms of career and free time, I connected my life with the forest. How else, when you live in Karelia! In this blog, I am responsible for the hunting, hiking and equipment sections. Welcome to my world!
