Team,
I just purchased two BK7 retroreflectors from this vendor.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Retroreflector- ... 4d340e3532
http://www.ebay.com/sch/optical-flats/m ... pg=&_from=
They came in, are HUGE, and look great (just like the picture).
I'll be testing them this weekend to see what type of range I'll be able to get.
Price wise, these are a much better deal than a HP 10703A Retroreflector (much smaller) or Banner BRT-92X92C Retroreflective Target.
If anyone is looking for something much less expensive than the NOPTEL units, this is the best price I've been able to find.
My very rudimentary understanding of the NOPTEL system is that it requires at least two targets to provide cant information.
I'll be mounting these at the 5 and 11 o'clock positions on my target (and open to suggestions from any experienced NOPTEL users )
Just sharing a good deal.
Chris
PS
Moderator: If this is the wrong place or inappropriate, please delete and let me know
VR
NOPTEL Reftroreflector (Sharing a Good Deal)
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Chris__Colorado
- Posts: 81
- Joined: Fri Aug 03, 2007 5:17 pm
- Location: Colorado
Re: NOPTEL Reftroreflector (Sharing a Good Deal)
I've done a lot of experimenting with 3rd party retroreflectors. In the NOS 4 software, it will give you a signal level and a "power level" that you can use to do detailed comparisons. If the reflection is really strong, it will back off on the transmit power level. One step in power level is equivalent to about 300 in signal level. You need a signal level of ~ 600 or more to get a green light in the Sport software.
I wanted to be able to use the system with free pistol at 50 feet for the team I coach, and the Noptel retroreflector prices seemed a bit much. You can get new & used plastic IR retroreflectors from eBay for cheap. Noptel used to sell SUNX RF-230 retroreflectors, and those can be bought for a few bucks if you are patient. One of those will work at 50 feet. I have an HP glass laser corner cube (I used to work in that division), and I can get a stronger signal with an RF-230, which is only slightly larger, but much lighter and cheaper. I only have a sample of one, but a plastic Banner HRS-300 is WAY better than the SUNX RF-230's.
I hadn't thought about needing two, but I don't believe that is necessary. The Noptel air rifle targets are 100% symmetrical around the bullseye, so there is no way to detect cant if an asymmetrical reflector is needed. The air pistol targets have the bottom cut off so as not to distract the shooter's sight alignment.
Noptel uses something similar to 3M 3000X reflective tape on their targets. I discovered that 3M #983 tape is cheaper, less orientation sensitive & more reflective. I've mounted some on a plastic ring that goes around an air pistol target, so I can live fire. The match between actual & predicted shot placement isn't perfect using the "Sport" software. It's not bad most of the time, but occasionally will be off by a ring or so. I contacted their tech support, and there are additional parameters for barrel time & recoil that you can tweak in the NOS 4 software that I haven't played with yet.
I wanted to be able to use the system with free pistol at 50 feet for the team I coach, and the Noptel retroreflector prices seemed a bit much. You can get new & used plastic IR retroreflectors from eBay for cheap. Noptel used to sell SUNX RF-230 retroreflectors, and those can be bought for a few bucks if you are patient. One of those will work at 50 feet. I have an HP glass laser corner cube (I used to work in that division), and I can get a stronger signal with an RF-230, which is only slightly larger, but much lighter and cheaper. I only have a sample of one, but a plastic Banner HRS-300 is WAY better than the SUNX RF-230's.
I hadn't thought about needing two, but I don't believe that is necessary. The Noptel air rifle targets are 100% symmetrical around the bullseye, so there is no way to detect cant if an asymmetrical reflector is needed. The air pistol targets have the bottom cut off so as not to distract the shooter's sight alignment.
Noptel uses something similar to 3M 3000X reflective tape on their targets. I discovered that 3M #983 tape is cheaper, less orientation sensitive & more reflective. I've mounted some on a plastic ring that goes around an air pistol target, so I can live fire. The match between actual & predicted shot placement isn't perfect using the "Sport" software. It's not bad most of the time, but occasionally will be off by a ring or so. I contacted their tech support, and there are additional parameters for barrel time & recoil that you can tweak in the NOS 4 software that I haven't played with yet.