I'm in the East Tennessee area and I'm wondering if anyone would like to go exploring with me. I'm learning of places as I go but I'd like to have people to go with.

I've explored the former (REDACTED) facility with a buddy at night. We explored maybe a 1/5th of the facility until we were pursued. We successfully evaded our pursuers, thanks to the cloaking abilities of darkness. What little we did explore, had me hooked. I can't wait to go back at some point and hope to have some serious gear. I know its a little overboard... but I'm looking into Class 3 Night Vision Goggles (NVG). If I run NVG and utilize an IR (InfraRed) flood light, I can use the darkness to my full advantage. Which is expensive, but I love it.

If anyone wants to connect/chat about urban exploration feel free to contact me at my email below.

Email: [email protected]

Hi, welcome to UER! A couple things of note- first off, the night vision goggles are at best a money sink and at worst a liability. A flashlight with a red filter and a little light discipline is all you really need to explore even the darkest buildings. Plus, if you get caught it's easier to explain than a pair of night vision goggles if the cops search you, and flashlights are more durable to boot.

Second, name dropping places is heavily frowned upon in the urbex community, as most of the places we visit are vulnerable to thieves, scrappers, and vandals.

Lastly, you won't find exploring partners on here this way. The urbex community is extremely tightly knit. Some stranger showing up with no posts to his name, demonstrating a complete lack of knowledge of the etiquette and customs of this subculture, and asking for a level of trust it took most of us months or even years to earn won't be welcomed with open arms- especially if he wants us to contact him because he can't be bothered to frequent our forum.

If you want to find exploring partners, read the FAQ, hang around for a few months, and show us some exploring pics. Trust in this community is not easily earned but well worth the effort.

The human eye's peak sensitivity is in the green wavelength.
Red light it's not as sensitive to so you need much more to see.
Direct light from a red light will be easy to spot.
Red light is a wash and ineffective.
Simply dim down the white light and control it.

Falls and injuries are your biggest hazards.
Night vision can keep you out of a hellhole without being seen.
However IR light sources show up quite well on FLIR.
LEOs will probably be using better night vision equipment than you if they have it.
Most police helicopters have exceptional FLIR systems as well as some cruisers.

That said it is better to explore during daylight when you can fully use your vision.
Much harder to shoot in the dark and any use of flash can give you away.
Predawn if need be, leave after dark if you must.

The only exception to this are places that are completely sealed and perpetually dark. For these enter whatever time is best.
Remember vandals and bad guys come out at night... cops know this.

Posted by blackhawk The human eye's peak sensitivity is in the green wavelength. Red light it's not as sensitive to so you need much more to see. Direct light from a red light will be easy to spot. Red light is a wash and ineffective. Simply dim down the white light and control it. Falls and injuries are your biggest hazards. Night vision can keep you out of a hellhole without being seen. However IR light sources show up quite well on FLIR. LEOs will probably be using better night vision equipment than you if they have it. Most police helicopters have exceptional FLIR systems as well as some cruisers.

Green light may be easier to see by, but it's absolute hell on your night vision. Conversely, red light doesn't affect your night vision so you can switch off your lights when needed without waiting for your eyes to adjust. Plus, since it doesn't carry as far there's less of a risk of pedestrians or guards seeing your light through a window or something, and if they do they'll probably chalk it up to a reflection from the traffic lights if your in an urban area.

If whatever you're exploring draws the attention of a police helicopter, perhaps you'd be better off choosing a different location.

Posted by Aran Green light may be easier to see by, but it's absolute hell on your night vision. Conversely, red light doesn't affect your night vision so you can switch off your lights when needed without waiting for your eyes to adjust. And if whatever you're exploring draws the attention of a police helicopter, perhaps you'd be better off choosing a different location.

Red light is vastly inferior to see with than low level white at night.
This offsets any night vision preservation advantage.
"The cones are the colour receptors sensitive across the range of colours but need quite a bit of light to work, the rods are better at night - low light - but are less sensitive to the red end"
That means your night vision doesn't work well in red light.
Again their performance peaks near the green wavelengths.
You will also saturate the red cones more making low light reds harder to see for at least a minute if you use red light.

You're not in the Nam jungle reading maps, you're trying to avoid falling to your death or being seriously injured.
I've used limited beam white light at Beth and Pennhurst multiple times with discretion, no detection and no broken bones.
Red light is pretty worthless which why I stopped using it over a decade ago.
I have excellent night vision...

Two other important tips for night vision is to close one eye before bright light exposure to preserve night vision in at least one eye.
Second, always scan from side to side at night, if you keep your eyes static, the shadows will play tricks on you. Easier to detect movement if you keep your eyes moving. Plus your night vision blind spots are dead in the center; virtually no night vision there.
And stay off the bloody smartphone screens.

Hey guys, already learning! I redacted the location where I explored. I didn't think scrappers/vandals would frequent this site:/ And I'm on here everyday, I just left a point of contact so if someone wanted to reach out that they could do so. Trying to explore as much as I possibly can before I ship out for the military.

Check out Garand Thumb, he has a video on NVGs. As of now, civilians can purchase generation 3 night vision (same as military/government agency). The only one that's not available to the public is the 4 optic ones, which cost like 45 grand! Good white phosphor costs anywhere from 6-9 grand. I also like shooting/SUT and I'd be running NVGs there too. So id get my moneys worth LOL.

Posted by Dark Passenger Hey guys, already learning! I redacted the location where I explored. I didn't think scrappers/vandals would frequent this site:/ And I'm on here everyday, I just left a point of contact so if someone wanted to reach out that they could do so. Trying to explore as much as I possibly can before I ship out for the military. Check out Garand Thumb, he has a video on NVGs. As of now, civilians can purchase generation 3 night vision (same as military/government agency). The only one that's not available to the public is the 4 optic ones, which cost like 45 grand! Good white phosphor costs anywhere from 6-9 grand. I also like shooting/SUT and I'd be running NVGs there too. So id get my moneys worth LOL.

You want explore in daylight whenever possible.
Falls and structural collapse are the biggest hazards you face.
Even with night vision your ability to assess the conditions and integrity of a structure are greatly diminished.
Once almost took the last step to oblivion in an Atlas F site; the steel staircase was missing midsection.
Only a good handgrip on the rail and fast reflexes saved me from a 20 or so foot drop.
Best wishes on your enlistment.

I'll try going during the day! Some of the places you can't, due to heavy patrols or people that will call you in. You are absolutely right about reflexes and judgement being effected at night.

Posted by Dark Passenger I'll try going during the day! Some of the places you can't, due to heavy patrols or people that will call you in. You are absolutely right about reflexes and judgement being effected at night.

Predawn it and wait in a safe spot for dawn.
Take advantage of the golden 15 minutes of dawn light if so.
Try to prearrange what you want to shoot then; time is very limited, results can be incredible.

Scope out the area from a good concealed vantage point if security is present.
Try to detect their routines and hiding spots if any.
Do they go inside buildings?
Will they go inside if they spot you? Some won't.
Best to avoid being spotted to begin with. Stay out of open spaces whenever possible.
No smoking, and keep all noise levels to a bare bones minimum.
Turn off cell phones or put in airplane mode.
Stay off roof tops and other high spots.
Movement is easy for the human eye to spot even at a distance; see them, hear them first.
Avoid looking directly out of windows and doorways when possible or unsure; view from further back in the darkness of the room so you're harder to spot.

Look for and note good places of concealment as you explore.
Bed down* if you need to and wait them out if you have a good hiding spot.
However...
K-9s mean big trouble; leave the area quickly if you can.
If not and especially if there are no doors between you and the K-9 probably best to surrender before they are released if commanded to!

If the site is hot and you predawned it, explored it successfully and are ready to leave, wait in a safe spot for darkness to leave if you must.



*Bedding down is an effective evasion tactic many times, wait as long as needed, make sure you bring at least a quart of water as it could drag on for hours.

Posted by blackhawk Red light is vastly inferior to see with than low level white at night. This offsets any night vision preservation advantage. "The cones are the colour receptors sensitive across the range of colours but need quite a bit of light to work, the rods are better at night - low light - but are less sensitive to the red end" That means your night vision doesn't work well in red light. Again their performance peaks near the green wavelengths. You will also saturate the red cones more making low light reds harder to see for at least a minute if you use red light. You're not in the Nam jungle reading maps, you're trying to avoid falling to your death or being seriously injured. I've used limited beam white light at Beth and Pennhurst multiple times with discretion, no detection and no broken bones. Red light is pretty worthless which why I stopped using it over a decade ago. I have excellent night vision... Two other important tips for night vision is to close one eye before bright light exposure to preserve night vision in at least one eye. Second, always scan from side to side at night, if you keep your eyes static, the shadows will play tricks on you. Easier to detect movement if you keep your eyes moving. Plus your night vision blind spots are dead in the center; virtually no night vision there. And stay off the bloody smartphone screens.

You are right about closing one eye.

Not many people realize this is why the a pirate on the high seas would wear a patch over his eye. The eye patch could be used to prepare one eye to see in the dark, so when they would go below deck they could swap the eye patch from one eye to the other and see with the eye that has already adjusted to low light conditions. This would allow them to instantly see in the dark to look at charts or whatever pirates did below decks.

Peripheral vision offers better night sight!
Your best night sensitivity is not in the center of your field of view in darkness. It takes a little practice but at night you can let your eyes adjust for a few minutes. Then use your peripheral vision. Rods are found on the edges or periphery of the retina. Rods are 1,000 times more sensitive to light, but they do not respond to color.

Try it some time, its fun and effective.

I don't explore at night though.

B