ATN IR450-B1 Illuminator

Good addition but has some limitations

The ATN external Illuminator makes a good addition to the Night Scout NV binoculars. It is well built (as expected from ATN) and easily attaches directly to the battery housing where it is convenient, but not in the way. It has considerably more power than the onboard illuminator, but don’t expect it to give you much more than another 20 yards in an urban environment. A great advantage is that it is independent of the main unit and is separately controlled and powered. This means that it does not draw power from the onboard batteries thus extending their life while giving the operator a little more reach only when needed. On the downside, although the onboard illuminator is faintly visible, the external illuminator is much more visible when turned on and can be clearly seen as a red spot from at least a hundred feet away. Although not flagrant, a knowledgeable subject would immediately recognize its signature. Of course, any other NV detector will instantly detect it. It works very well for surveilling wildlife, although I wonder if raccoons might be seeing it. If you are operating right at the edge of the Night Scout envelope, this might give you that extra little range you need.