wigwamitus
LSB Active Member
2015-02-01
2000 - 2200
05F
20 mph NNW
Goal: Night walk, acclimation.
Forecast showed 20 mph wind and 6F temp. I couldn't pass up an opportunity like this! Our thermometer showed 6F when I went out and 4F when I returned.
Environment: Variable. We had 2 snows yesterday and 2 snows today. Winds hit 30 mph today at 2pm. But there was some sun both days and that has caused melting on the gravel surfaces and then freezing and so ice on most of the gravel and even non-gravel trails on our land. Overcast when I went out, clearing when I returned. At end of journey I could see Cass and barely Andromeda, but not Orion. The moon was a fuzzy orb in the sky but was lighting up the snow. I kept checking to make your my admin light wasn't on, the snow was so bright.
Equipment: Thermal as a handheld monocular on a lanyard around neck. This allows me to let go of the thermal when it is not being used. Dual 14s on helmet. Kestrel, LRF, 3x for 14, .45acp, canteen, walking stick. Light jacket, sweater and wet suit on top with snow pants below. I was not cold except on exposed skin. I had gloves, but had to keep taking right hand off and on to manipulate some of the gear. Left hand remained on. Had to replace thermal batteries at 80% point thru the exercise. Also had snow goggles. And when walking into the 20 mph wind, I was glad I had brought the snow goggles.
Activity: Started off inspecting around the bales with the thermal, looking for rats. Given the warmth and food supply this might be an ideal area for rats, which might be the reason the Coyotes like it around these bales. But the critters were smarter than I tonight, none spotted.
Walked across Turtle Creek Bridge and halfway up Signal Hill doing 360s with the thermal as I went. At top of Signal Hill (about 1280) I got behind the tree (a.k.a. Lone Tree Hill) for cover from the wind and took a drink. I measured 2m avg of 12.7 mph which wasn't as high as I expected. I flipped up the 14s to read the Kestrel and turned on the 3L Red admin light as well. It is visible at 10-15yds per prior testing. I have 4 of these 3l (R, B, G, W) lights they are handy.
I realized the 14s were fogging up ( I had treated both rear eyepiece lenses with anti-fog juice right before I went out, but it was cold. So I flipped one out and continued to use the other.
As I stopped when crossing the pond bridge dam, I decided to flip both 14s up and continue without them. The pasture was very bright to the unaided eye. The big light in the sky, even though significantly obscured by cloud was still lighting up the landscape.
Up on top of Hill 1309 I got a 20.4 mph 2m avg. The wind was pushing me around.
For the descent, I put the snow goggles on my eyes and that was a big relief as I was walking directly into the wind. I could see well enough, at first and the wind and snow was not pelting me in the eyes. I don't think it was snowing, but the wind was whipping up the snow and it was hitting me in the face. But the goggles were a great shield.
About 2/3 of the way back the goggles fogged up so much I took them off and switched to the 14s ... they were actually 100% clear. They had not iced up. The antifog juice might have worked a miracle. Even though the 14s had been right in front of my eyeballs while climbing Signal Hill, when flipped up afterward for about 1 mile of the journey, they had not fogged up. That was great! But I quickly realized the wind had died considerably. So turned them off and flipped them up again. I could see fine and no wind or snow hitting me in the face, I was shielded by a tree line as I went different route on way back.
At the 80% point the thermal died and I changed the batteries. I only had one extra set so I could not power up the DVR any more. I went unaided using the thermal for periodic tree line checks until I reached the bales again. Then I lowered one 14 and used the thermal on the unaided eye to inspect the bales again. No rats spotted.
Results: Total distance traveled a bit over 2 miles in 2 hours including several short stops. It was icy when I tried to walk on the buggy trails, so I got off of them for most of the journey. I guess there had been enough sun to melt the snow by the rocks of the trails and then it re-froze.
The walking stick (a straight 4 foot cottonwood branch I pulled out of our creek 3 years ago (I have another also)). was one of the most critical pieces of equipment I took with me. This item acts like a third leg and since it can be in contact with the ground about 80% of the time, it is almost 2 more legs. The stick slipped several times on the ice, but neither of my other two feet did and I walked many steps on "near" ice, ice that was cracking as I walked across it. I was good to remind myself that under some conditions 14s are not needed to navigate. I walked 70% of the distance tonight without them. I could see fine to walk in the pastures.
I need to take minimum of two extra sets of 123 batteries for the thermal. I have two small zippered pouches to carry 1 pair each. I use rechargables for practice exercises and they don't carry the same charge as the surefire lithiums I use for hunting. About 2 hours, best case for the re-chargables about double that for the surefires.
Anti-fog juice can't stop fogging under 10F degrees, but it can stop icing at least under some conditions. I didn't know that and did not think that was possible. But I saw it tonight. The snow goggles did ice up, but I can't use the juice on them (I don't think - I need to check). The snow goggles did help a lot though. I have another clear lens. By swapping the lens I could probably keep using the snow goggles all night.
On another exercise the EOTech did ice up under similar conditions even though I had prepared both sides of the EOTECH glass with anti-fog juice. Why did the EOTech freeze up and not the 14s under similar conditions? I do not know. Does the Eotech put out enough heat to matter?
2000 - 2200
05F
20 mph NNW
Goal: Night walk, acclimation.
Forecast showed 20 mph wind and 6F temp. I couldn't pass up an opportunity like this! Our thermometer showed 6F when I went out and 4F when I returned.
Environment: Variable. We had 2 snows yesterday and 2 snows today. Winds hit 30 mph today at 2pm. But there was some sun both days and that has caused melting on the gravel surfaces and then freezing and so ice on most of the gravel and even non-gravel trails on our land. Overcast when I went out, clearing when I returned. At end of journey I could see Cass and barely Andromeda, but not Orion. The moon was a fuzzy orb in the sky but was lighting up the snow. I kept checking to make your my admin light wasn't on, the snow was so bright.
Equipment: Thermal as a handheld monocular on a lanyard around neck. This allows me to let go of the thermal when it is not being used. Dual 14s on helmet. Kestrel, LRF, 3x for 14, .45acp, canteen, walking stick. Light jacket, sweater and wet suit on top with snow pants below. I was not cold except on exposed skin. I had gloves, but had to keep taking right hand off and on to manipulate some of the gear. Left hand remained on. Had to replace thermal batteries at 80% point thru the exercise. Also had snow goggles. And when walking into the 20 mph wind, I was glad I had brought the snow goggles.
Activity: Started off inspecting around the bales with the thermal, looking for rats. Given the warmth and food supply this might be an ideal area for rats, which might be the reason the Coyotes like it around these bales. But the critters were smarter than I tonight, none spotted.
Walked across Turtle Creek Bridge and halfway up Signal Hill doing 360s with the thermal as I went. At top of Signal Hill (about 1280) I got behind the tree (a.k.a. Lone Tree Hill) for cover from the wind and took a drink. I measured 2m avg of 12.7 mph which wasn't as high as I expected. I flipped up the 14s to read the Kestrel and turned on the 3L Red admin light as well. It is visible at 10-15yds per prior testing. I have 4 of these 3l (R, B, G, W) lights they are handy.
I realized the 14s were fogging up ( I had treated both rear eyepiece lenses with anti-fog juice right before I went out, but it was cold. So I flipped one out and continued to use the other.
As I stopped when crossing the pond bridge dam, I decided to flip both 14s up and continue without them. The pasture was very bright to the unaided eye. The big light in the sky, even though significantly obscured by cloud was still lighting up the landscape.
Up on top of Hill 1309 I got a 20.4 mph 2m avg. The wind was pushing me around.
For the descent, I put the snow goggles on my eyes and that was a big relief as I was walking directly into the wind. I could see well enough, at first and the wind and snow was not pelting me in the eyes. I don't think it was snowing, but the wind was whipping up the snow and it was hitting me in the face. But the goggles were a great shield.
About 2/3 of the way back the goggles fogged up so much I took them off and switched to the 14s ... they were actually 100% clear. They had not iced up. The antifog juice might have worked a miracle. Even though the 14s had been right in front of my eyeballs while climbing Signal Hill, when flipped up afterward for about 1 mile of the journey, they had not fogged up. That was great! But I quickly realized the wind had died considerably. So turned them off and flipped them up again. I could see fine and no wind or snow hitting me in the face, I was shielded by a tree line as I went different route on way back.
At the 80% point the thermal died and I changed the batteries. I only had one extra set so I could not power up the DVR any more. I went unaided using the thermal for periodic tree line checks until I reached the bales again. Then I lowered one 14 and used the thermal on the unaided eye to inspect the bales again. No rats spotted.
Results: Total distance traveled a bit over 2 miles in 2 hours including several short stops. It was icy when I tried to walk on the buggy trails, so I got off of them for most of the journey. I guess there had been enough sun to melt the snow by the rocks of the trails and then it re-froze.
The walking stick (a straight 4 foot cottonwood branch I pulled out of our creek 3 years ago (I have another also)). was one of the most critical pieces of equipment I took with me. This item acts like a third leg and since it can be in contact with the ground about 80% of the time, it is almost 2 more legs. The stick slipped several times on the ice, but neither of my other two feet did and I walked many steps on "near" ice, ice that was cracking as I walked across it. I was good to remind myself that under some conditions 14s are not needed to navigate. I walked 70% of the distance tonight without them. I could see fine to walk in the pastures.
I need to take minimum of two extra sets of 123 batteries for the thermal. I have two small zippered pouches to carry 1 pair each. I use rechargables for practice exercises and they don't carry the same charge as the surefire lithiums I use for hunting. About 2 hours, best case for the re-chargables about double that for the surefires.
Anti-fog juice can't stop fogging under 10F degrees, but it can stop icing at least under some conditions. I didn't know that and did not think that was possible. But I saw it tonight. The snow goggles did ice up, but I can't use the juice on them (I don't think - I need to check). The snow goggles did help a lot though. I have another clear lens. By swapping the lens I could probably keep using the snow goggles all night.
On another exercise the EOTech did ice up under similar conditions even though I had prepared both sides of the EOTECH glass with anti-fog juice. Why did the EOTech freeze up and not the 14s under similar conditions? I do not know. Does the Eotech put out enough heat to matter?
. Lots of spare parts, of all flavors ... that all fit the DPMS platform. You can get an 80% lower and a receiver and buy everything else you need to 100 different places if you like. Same with Remington on the bolt gun side. I know these things now. But as long as I'm paying the bills, I'm going for standardization going foward. I just wish I'd known that 2 years ago. None of my "experts" at that time told me anything about "maintain ability" ... but I already should've known ... shame on me ...