Multi IR led arrrays for NV illuminator?

[N4aeq]

There are alot of adds on ebay lately for 36 & 72
IR led arrays,also for large packs of IR leds.Im
wandering if these would be a big improvement over
the small build in IR sourse in my Night Owl
Cyclops.
Also does anyone know where to buy surplus gen
2 or 3 tubes for making Night vision equipment.

 

[PsycoBob[Q2]]

The IR LED's would need to be withing the viewable frequencies for the Cyclops. I'm looking at a Discovery NODS3 right now...

The IR range of both the NODS3 and the NOCC3 is 400-900nm. I assume anything closer toward the center of that will look brighter. Flipping open my Allied Electronics catalog, the brightest IR-LED I found was 80mW, 1.7v 880nm, with a 18degree beam angle. $0.39 each, unless you get more than 24.

I don't know what the ratings are on the built-in illuminator, but I suspect even one of those 80mW monsters would do well. (why can't I get a 5w IR Luxeon?

)

[edit]several of those 80mW LED's would provide a slightly looser beam, and you could hand-tune them to evenly cover the entire viewing angle of the scope. I might just do something similar, with a resistor to keep from frying the LED's with 2AA, and a 1/4W variable resistor to adjust output.