Teardown: Optischer Empfaenger (that is an optical receiver :-)

[wkb]

Went to a HAM meet yesterday and spent a whopping EUR 3 on a robust piece of military kit calling itself an Optischer Empfaenger.  That is an optical receiver for the non-German speakers.

Enjoy the pictures and help me understand this thing..

[wkb]

OK, the 2 dark optical filters are indeed IR filters like I expected. 

It took considerable mechanical abuse, physical strength, some strong language and one bandaid but I managed to get both filters out unharmed.

This darned thing was really built to withstand a full strike of the Russian equivalent of SAC.. wow..    It must have cost a small fortune.

Pictures show the so called Wood-effect with the filter held in front of my IR-converted Kodak  (for details on that conversion see http://wkb.home.xs4all.nl/IR-DC3400/)

[wkb]

And a close up of the IR detectors.  One was placed behind each of the IR filters.

[Spawn]

Nice one wkb, military equipments are always build simple as possible but are very strong against mechanical beating, the reason for this is actually very simple when it comes down to use this equipment in a war situation and the equipment fails it must be fairly easy to fixable it with minimum effort. And like you said, they don’t come cheap 

I should know this because I was in military for almost 4 years (verbindingen)

[wkb]

Well, robust it was for sure.  Easily fixable not really, with silicone sealant everywhere etc.

Still, built to last: Teflon insulated wire, all stainless steel screws, waterproof connectors etc.

It reminded me of my 12 months in the Dutch airforce

[wkb]

Following my lifelong mantra "there are no things that cannot be dismantled" I put the optical receiver on my milling machine.  And sure enought, the victory is mine 

[qno]

Great pictures, are ou living in Arnhem?

[wkb]

Great pictures, are ou living in Arnhem?

Yep, in Arnhem, of "A Bridge Too Far" fame.  Not Arnhemland... 

[siliconmix]

are all the ic's ceramic ?

[wkb]

are all the ic's ceramic ?

There is only one IC, my guess an opamp, which is housed in a metal can.  The IR sensor (the one with the optical window) is housed in a similar metal can enclosure.