Am I doing something wrong with my Axiom Key XM30.
- Thread starter Gnasher308
- Start date
Jon P
Well-Known Member
That will be your answer then
they are pretty much useless in that weather.Not sure they are from the same area so conditions might have been different. But agree they are not good in damp conditions.That will be your answer then
Scandially
Well-Known Member
I had unrealistic expectations too. No mater what i did it had ghosts and shadows on all but perfect conditions.
The Axion XM30 Key and XM30S offer similar detection range to a Helion XQ38F , so for foxes you should pickup at 300-400yds with them.. Obviously there not as good up close as a Helion, but last 150yds there little between them..
I would check your not doing anything wrong with it like you mentioned, and again as mentioned humidity plays a big part in thermal performance in these conditions , on a good night all work great, but anything over 90% humidity you can lose background detail quite easily on certain models..
I would check your not doing anything wrong with it like you mentioned, and again as mentioned humidity plays a big part in thermal performance in these conditions , on a good night all work great, but anything over 90% humidity you can lose background detail quite easily on certain models..
I must admit a few points have let me down since my upgrade from quantum lite to xm30s the most noticeable being battery life.
I always run my 30s on red monochrome as its less wearing on the eye, semi auto refresh...although it never appears to refresh by itself!?!?!?! I am used to manually hitting the refresh button since the quantum lite so no drama.
I have found that the picture quality becomes shadowy or ghosting if not refreshed quite regular but its hardly a major issue to hit refresh ever now and then. Now the focus...this does tick me off! I can set the focus fine and then put unit into standby and turn unit on a few mins later and the focus be buggered...could be weather conditions change granted but the old quantum was set it and forget it, very user friendly.
In good to perfect conditions though the unit is superb. I've started to turn the unit off between scans and it seems to conserve battery life better while its tucked in my smock to keep battery warm in colder evenings.
I keep spying a squirrel drey in a tree top over 300m away and it throws me every time seeing a hot blob up high in a tree
I always run my 30s on red monochrome as its less wearing on the eye, semi auto refresh...although it never appears to refresh by itself!?!?!?! I am used to manually hitting the refresh button since the quantum lite so no drama.
I have found that the picture quality becomes shadowy or ghosting if not refreshed quite regular but its hardly a major issue to hit refresh ever now and then. Now the focus...this does tick me off! I can set the focus fine and then put unit into standby and turn unit on a few mins later and the focus be buggered...could be weather conditions change granted but the old quantum was set it and forget it, very user friendly.
In good to perfect conditions though the unit is superb. I've started to turn the unit off between scans and it seems to conserve battery life better while its tucked in my smock to keep battery warm in colder evenings.
I keep spying a squirrel drey in a tree top over 300m away and it throws me every time seeing a hot blob up high in a tree
Utectok
Well-Known Member
I get 4 hours per battery and carry two batteries so that usually does but I run a key 22I must admit a few points have let me down since my upgrade from quantum lite to xm30s the most noticeable being battery life.
I always run my 30s on red monochrome as its less wearing on the eye, semi auto refresh...although it never appears to refresh by itself!?!?!?! I am used to manually hitting the refresh button since the quantum lite so no drama.
I have found that the picture quality becomes shadowy or ghosting if not refreshed quite regular but its hardly a major issue to hit refresh ever now and then. Now the focus...this does tick me off! I can set the focus fine and then put unit into standby and turn unit on a few mins later and the focus be buggered...could be weather conditions change granted but the old quantum was set it and forget it, very user friendly.
In good to perfect conditions though the unit is superb. I've started to turn the unit off between scans and it seems to conserve battery life better while its tucked in my smock to keep battery warm in colder evenings.
I keep spying a squirrel drey in a tree top over 300m away and it throws me every time seeing a hot blob up high in a tree
I've noticed I average 3.5hrs and like you I have a spare battery. Don't bother with WiFi and rarely take footage or images. Recently sent a duff battery back for replacement and that thing was all over the show with taking and giving a charge!!
The Axion xw38 has a different thermal sensor that the other Axion and gives a better picture in damp conditions
Gnasher308
Member
The weather was clear and cold as it turned dark, I am sure it worked much better when I first got it, I tend not to use it to much as I haven’t been that impressed with it, but had never used any thermal before so thought that was it, then when you read other posts about how good they are it gets you thinking.
I had an issue in the cold weather this morning where my own breath, whilst wearing a face covering was fogging up the eyepiece. This made it pretty difficult to see any detail on the thermal.
Yes, stick with it and find out what the problem is. I had a dud pulsar a few years ago (can't remember the model) which was returned to Scott Country after I spotted a deer in perfect dry conditions with my bare eyes and couldn't see it in the thermal at all. A working thermal spotter is a game-changer and radically reduces the number of bumped deer. Find someone that has one and do a side-by-side comparison with the exact focus and settings to make the comparison fair.
Brittany boy
Well-Known Member
I was initially disappointed with mines and thought it would do more! It’s down to getting out with it in different weather conditions and practicing with it, flick between white hot for distance and black hot for close up, very little movement needed on the focus and don’t zoom unless you need to keep a wide field of view. The weather does play a big part and changes as the night goes on , the damp fog builds up slowly but it effects the TI.
Utectok
Well-Known Member
You will find you get better at reading the signs of life. I tried my friends as he said there are 4 deer over there I could see them.... fine in mine but his set up differently I couldn’t pick them out!
You kind of start to know oh that’s a rock that’s a deer instinctively after a while.
You kind of start to know oh that’s a rock that’s a deer instinctively after a while.
Ive got 2 Axion's the Axion XQ38 LRF and the Axion XM38 and every night is different, Depends how dense the fog or mist is, Ive seen some foggy nights where I have just given up but other foggy nights where I can see through the fog enough to make an image out and then rely my scope which is slightly better.
I'm not familiar with the XW38 so can't comment how good it is in fog/mist
Gnasher308
Member
Well I finally think I’ve got the hang of it, out walking the dogs on Friday and had a bit play with settings, could pick other dog walkers at a distance, crows about 400 yards small birds in hedge lines.
Proof in the pudding as they say, out last night sitting in high seat could pick out hares, pheasants going to roost and up in the trees when there. Managed to spot three roe at about 600 yards but to dark by then for a stalk, luckily mate had shot one other side of farm.
Thanks for all the replies.
Proof in the pudding as they say, out last night sitting in high seat could pick out hares, pheasants going to roost and up in the trees when there. Managed to spot three roe at about 600 yards but to dark by then for a stalk, luckily mate had shot one other side of farm.
Thanks for all the replies.
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