FROM: w.j.markerink@a1.nl (Willem-Jan Markerink) SUBJECT: Ionizing Russian NV tubes? DATE: Wed, 21 Nov 01 22:33:32 GMT NEWSGROUPS: sci.optics Just read this on a vehicle-related mailinglist. Any comments? I knew there was an urban myth floating around, about these things being inherently radioactive, but this is the first time I read something in the context of ionization....same urban myth, slightly altered over time? xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx To: pinzgauer@yahoogroups.com From: "Joe Taylor" Date sent: Wed, 21 Nov 2001 09:42:01 -0800 Send reply to: pinzgauer@yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: [pinzgauer] Russian Night vision goggles Eric, Be careful with the Russian night vision equipment! When I worked at Lawrence Livermore Lab. A test was run on some night vision equipment from Russia.  It turns out that when the equipment is first turned on it emits ionizing radiation from the ocular (eye piece). Fortunately this is not long lasting so all you have to do is turn it on for a second or two before you hold it up to you eye, that is what I do with mine. -- Bye, Willem-Jan Markerink The desire to understand is sometimes far less intelligent than the inability to understand [note: 'a-one' & 'en-el'!] FROM: Greatest Prime SUBJECT: Re: Ionizing Russian NV tubes? DATE: Thu, 22 Nov 2001 01:53:03 GMT ORGANIZATION: Road Runner NEWSGROUPS: sci.optics in article 9th9nh$2livf$1@ID-34205.news.dfncis.de, Willem-Jan Markerink at w.j.markerink@a1.nl wrote on 11/21/01 2:33 PM: > Just read this on a vehicle-related mailinglist. > Any comments? > I knew there was an urban myth floating around, about these things being > inherently radioactive, but this is the first time I read something in the > context of ionization....same urban myth, slightly altered over time? > > xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx > To: pinzgauer@yahoogroups.com > From: "Joe Taylor" > Date sent: Wed, 21 Nov 2001 09:42:01 -0800 > Send reply to: pinzgauer@yahoogroups.com > Subject: Re: [pinzgauer] Russian Night vision goggles > > Eric, > Be careful with the Russian night vision equipment! > When I worked at Lawrence Livermore Lab. A test was run on some night > vision equipment from Russia.  It turns out that when the equipment is > first turned on it emits ionizing radiation from the ocular (eye piece). > Fortunately this is not long lasting so all you have to do is turn it on > for a second or two before you hold it up to you eye, that is what I do > with mine. What is the operating voltage for the tube? If it is less than 10 kV it is hard for me to believe that there would be any significant x-ray output. From what you say, I presume that there is no problem from thorium in lens coatings. It wouldn't be a problem anyway. Bill FROM: Sam Goldwasser SUBJECT: Re: Ionizing Russian NV tubes? DATE: 22 Nov 2001 11:45:00 -0500 ORGANIZATION: University of Pennsylvania NEWSGROUPS: sci.optics w.j.markerink@a1.nl (Willem-Jan Markerink) writes: > Just read this on a vehicle-related mailinglist. > Any comments? > I knew there was an urban myth floating around, about these things being > inherently radioactive, but this is the first time I read something in the > context of ionization....same urban myth, slightly altered over time? > > xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx > To: pinzgauer@yahoogroups.com > From: "Joe Taylor" > Date sent: Wed, 21 Nov 2001 09:42:01 -0800 > Send reply to: pinzgauer@yahoogroups.com > Subject: Re: [pinzgauer] Russian Night vision goggles > > Eric, > Be careful with the Russian night vision equipment! > When I worked at Lawrence Livermore Lab. A test was run on some night > vision equipment from Russia.  It turns out that when the equipment is > first turned on it emits ionizing radiation from the ocular (eye piece). > Fortunately this is not long lasting so all you have to do is turn it on > for a second or two before you hold it up to you eye, that is what I do > with mine. Could it just be that there is some electrical discharge or corona effect as the HV charges that is resulting in interference and confusing the radiation detector near it? As someone else noted, at the voltages involved, there is little danger of X-rays penetrating the glass. --- sam | Sci.Electronics.Repair FAQ Home Page: http://www.repairfaq.org/ Repair | Main Table of Contents: http://www.repairfaq.org/REPAIR/ +Lasers | Sam's Laser FAQ: http://www.repairfaq.org/sam/lasersam.htm | Mirror Site Info: http://www.repairfaq.org/REPAIR/F_mirror.html FROM: "John Blandford" SUBJECT: Re: Ionizing Russian NV tubes? DATE: Fri, 30 Nov 2001 16:57:42 -0000 ORGANIZATION: Virgin Net Usenet Service NEWSGROUPS: sci.optics Radioactive coatings are usually for the IR. Thorium was a big safety issue in glass materials for UK military eyepieces in the late 1960's, until lanthanum replaced it. But the radioactivity wouldn't go away after a few seconds like our reporter suggests. Perhaps the X-rays from the tube interact in some way with the thorium in the lenses? brian.blandford@physics.org