PULSAR AXION 2 XQ35 (discontinued) Manual

Axion 2 thermal imaging monoculars are designed for use both at night-time and during the day and provide exceptional image quality even in adverse weather conditions (fog, smog, rain) and beyond obstacles like branches, tall grass, dense foliage, etc. known to hinder target detection.

Unlike night-vision devices based on electron-optical converters, thermal imaging devices do not need an external light source and are resistant to bright light.

Axion 2 thermal imagers are designed for various applications including hunting, observation, security, terrain orientation, search and rescue operations, etc.

To get started, see the sections:

Battery Charging

Battery Installation

Powering on and Image Setting

Stream Vision 2

• Axion 2 thermal monocular
• APS 5 rechargeable battery
• 2 battery-locking covers
• Power adapter
• USB Type-C cable with USB Type-A adapter
• Carrying case
• Hand strap
• Quick reference user manual
• Lens cleaning cloth
• Warranty information
• Tripod adapter

• Compact and lightweight
• Functional and ergonomic design
• 8-colour display palette
• 3 calibration modes: Manual, Semi-Automatic, Automatic
• Three levels of sensitivity enhancement: Normal, High, Ultra
• Stadiametric Rangefinder
• Display-Off function
• Defective pixel repair
• Updatable firmware
• Wide operating temperature range (-25°С to +40°С / -13°F to +104°F)
• Fully waterproof (IPX7 rated)
• Tripod mount

Video/Audio Recording

• Built-in video and sound recorder
• Integration with iOS and Android devices
• Wi-Fi remote control and viewing using a smartphone
• Storing photos and videos in Cloud when using the Stream Vision 2 App

Battery Pack

• Quick Change Li-Ion Battery Pack APS 5
• Charging from USB Power Bank
• Quick-Charge power delivery​

1. Eyepiece focus ring
2. LED indicator
3. DOWN/REC button
4. MENU button
5. UP/ZOOM button
6. Power ON/OFF/CALIBRATION button
7. Lens focus ring
8. Lens cover
9. USB Type-C connector
10. Tripod adapter socket

LED indicator (2) displays the current status of the device:

LED Indicator	Operating Mode
	Device is turned on
	The device is turned on/video recording
	The device is turned on/battery charge < 10%
	The device is turned on/video recording/battery charge < 10%

• Always use the APS 5 charger (purchased separately) to charge APS 5 batteries. Using an unsuitable charger can cause irreparable damage to the battery and fire.
• Do not charge the battery immediately after exposure to a cold environment. Let the battery warm for at least 30 minutes before charging.
• Do not leave the battery unattended while charging.
• Do not use the charger if it has been modified or damaged.
• Do not leave the battery in a plugged-in charger after charging is complete.
• Do not expose the battery to high temperatures or open flames.
• Do not use the battery as a power source for devices that do not support APS 5 batteries.
• Do not disassemble or deform the battery or charger.
• Do not drop or strike the battery or charger.
• Protect the battery and charger from water and moisture.
• Keep the battery out of the reach of children.

• The battery should be partially charged (50 to 80 %) for long-term storage.
• Charge at an ambient temperature of 0°C to +35°C (32°F to 95°F) or the lifespan of the battery will decrease significantly.
• Using the battery at sub 0°C (<32°F) ambient temperature decreases battery capacity. This is normal and not a defect.
• Using the battery at temperatures outside the range of -25°C to +40°C (-13°F to 104°F) may reduce battery life.
• The battery is short-circuit protected. Any situation that may cause short-circuiting should be avoided.

The Axion 2 thermal imager comes with an APS 5 rechargeable Lithium-ion battery. APS 5 batteries support USB Power Delivery fast charging technology when using a standard charging set (charger*, USB Type-C cable, power adapter). Before first use, make sure the battery is fully charged.

The icon  in the status bar will flash when the battery is low. The battery needs to be charged.

To check the battery level when the device is turned off briefly press the MENU (4) button. The LED indicator will display the battery charge status (see table).

Option 1

1. Install the APS 5 battery (11) in the battery compartment (13) of the device.
2. Connect the USB cable (17) to the USB Type-C connector (9) of the device.
3. Connect the other end of the USB cable (17) to the Power Adapter (18) by removing the USB Type-A adapter.
4. Plug the Power Adapter (18) into a 100-240 V socket.
5. Wait until the battery is fully charged (indication in the status bar: ).

If the device is off, the LED indicator will display the battery charge status:

LED Indication	Battery Charge Status
	Battery is empty
	Battery charge level is from 0% to 50%
	Battery charge level is from 51% to 75%
	Battery charge level is from 76% to 99%
	Battery is full

Option 2

1. Insert the APS 5 battery (13) along the guide into the APS 5 charger* (15) slot as far as it will go.
2. Connect the plug of the USB Type-C cable (17) to the USB Type-C connector of the Power Adapter (18) by removing the USB Type-A adapter.
3. Plug the Power Adapter (18) into a 100-240 V socket.
4. Connect the other end of the USB Type-C cable (17) to the USB Type-C connector (15) of the charger.
5. LED indicators (16) will display the battery charge level (see Table).
6. Wait until the battery is fully charged (LED indication (16): ).

Note: Two batteries can be charged at the same time, a second slot is provided for it.

LED indication (16) in the battery charging mode	Battery Level
	Battery charge level is from 0% to 25%
	Battery charge level is from 26% to 50%
	Battery charge level is from 51% to 80%
	Battery charge level is from 81% to 99%
	Battery is fully charged. Charging will automatically stop. The battery can be disconnected from the charger.
	Defective battery. Do not use the battery!

LED indication (16) in the standby mode**	Battery Level
	Battery charge level is from 0% to 25%
	Battery charge level is from 26% to 50%
	Battery charge level is from 51% to 80%
	Battery charge level is from 81% to 99%
	Battery is fully charged. It can be disconnected from the charger.
	Defective battery. Do not use the battery!

*Available separately

** Standby mode is when the batteries are in the charger but the Power Adapter is not connected. In this mode, the indicators are only on for 10 seconds.

Attention! When using a Power Adapter that does not support USB Power Delivery fast charging technology, the flicker frequency of the LED indicators decreases by a factor of 3 and the charge time increases.

Attention! The charger heats up during fast charging. Excess heat is removed through the radiator and does not affect the device operation.

Attention! Before installing the battery, make sure that there is an undamaged rubber insulating ring on the battery. The ring is designed to protect your device from moisture getting inside. Damage to the device due to a missing ring is not covered by the warranty. To replace or purchase a ring, contact your local distributor.

1. Put the Lock-cover (12) on the rechargeable APS 5 battery (11).
2. Insert the APS 5 battery (11) along the guide into the battery compartment (13).
3. Lock the battery (11) by turning the Lock-cover (12) clockwise until it stops.
4. Turn the Lock-cover (12) counter-clockwise to remove the battery (11).

Power can be supplied from an external source such as a 5 V or 9 V power bank.

1. Connect the external power source to the USB Type-C connector (9) on the device.
2. The device will switch to draw power from the external source while the АPS5 battery is gradually recharged.
3. A battery icon  will appear on the display showing the percentage-charged level.
4. An icon   will be displayed when the device is powered by an external power source and the АPS5 battery is not connected.
5. The device automatically switches to the APS 5 battery when the external power supply is disconnected.

Attention! Charging APS 5 batteries from an external source at temperatures below 0°C (<32°F) can reduce battery life. When using external power, connect the power bank to the device only after it has been turned on and working (warming) for at least several minutes.

1. Open the lens cover (8). The lens cover can be secured to the strap using the built-in magnet.
2. Press the ON/OFF (6) button briefly to turn on the device.
3. Adjust the eyepiece focus ring (1) of the device until the symbols on the display are sharp.
4. Rotate the lens focus ring (7) to focus on the object being observed.
5. Enter the main menu with a long press of the MENU (4) button and select the desired  calibration mode: Manual (M), Semi-Automatic (SA) or Automatic (A).
6. Calibrate the image by briefly pressing the ON/OFF (6) button. If the SA or A calibration mode has been selected the microbolometer is closed with an internal shutter automatically. However, if the M calibration mode has been selected you must close the lens cover before calibrating manually.
7. Select the required amplification level (“Normal” , “High” , “Ultra” ) by briefly pressing the UP (5) button.
8. Enter the main menu with a long press of the MENU (4) button and select the desired colour mode (for more details see the Colour Modes section).
9. Activate the quick menu by briefly pressing the MENU (4) button to adjust the brightness, contrast and smooth digital zoom (for more details see the Quick Menu section).
10. After use, turn the device off by a long press of the ON/OFF (6)

Observation conditions: time of day, weather, different observation objects affect the image quality. Custom settings for brightness, display contrast as well as the function of adjusting the microbolometer sensitivity level will help to achieve the desired quality in a particular situation.​

Warning! Never point the lens at intensive energy sources such as laser radiation emitting devices or the sun. It can damage electronic components in the device. The warranty does not cover damage arising from failure to comply with operating instructions.

The status bar at the bottom of the display shows current operating statuses via icons, including:

• Colour Mode:

– White hot

– Black hot

• Amplification level
• Smoothing Filter (displayed when the function is on)
• Calibration Mode (in Automatic calibration mode a countdown timer  will appear instead of the calibration mode icon 3 seconds before automatic calibration begins).
• Microphone
• Magnification
• Wi-Fi Connection
• Time
• Power Indication:

– charge level if the device is powered by a battery

– charge level if the device is charging and powered by a battery

– no battery, the device is connected to an external power supply

The basic settings (adjusting brightness and contrast, using the Stadiametric Rangefinder function) can be changed using the quick access menu.

• Enter the menu by briefly pressing the MENU (4).
• A short press of the МENU (4) button enables you to toggle between functions, as described below.

Brightness – press the UP (5)/DOWN (3) buttons to change display brightness from 0 to 20.

Contrast – press the UP (5)/DOWN (3) buttons to change image contrast from 0 to 20.

Stadiametric Rangefinder – change the position of special marker lines to determine the distance to the object being observed by pressing the UP (5)/DOWN (3) buttons (for more details see the Stadiametric Rangefinder section).

Smooth Digital Zoom  – press the UP (5)/DOWN (3) button to change the value of the digital zoom from 2 to 8. The digital zoom changes in 0.1 increments.

Note: the magnification value is reset to the base value when the device is switched off.

• Press and hold the MENU (4) button to exit the menu or wait for 10 seconds to exit automatically.

Axion 2 thermal imagers are capable of video recording and photography. Videos and images are saved on the built-in memory card.

Before using this feature please set the date and time (see General Settings section).

For information on how to watch recorded photos and videos, see the Stream Vision 2 user manual: Android, iOS.

The built-in recorder operates in two modes – Video and Photo.

Video mode. Video recording

• Switch to Video mode by pressing and holding the DOWN/REC (3) button.
• Theicon and the remaining recording time in HH:MM (Hours:Minutes) format are displayed in the upper left corner, for example 4:20.
• Press the DOWN/REC (3) button briefly to start video recording.
• When the video recording starts, the icon will disappear and the REC icon and timer in MM:SS (Minutes:Seconds) format will appear

• Pause and resume recording video with a short press of the DOWN/REC (3) button.
• Stop recording video with a long press of the DOWN/REC (3) button.
• Video files are saved to the built-in memory card after the video recording has been stopped.
• Press and hold the DOWN/REC (3) button to switch between the Video and Photo modes (Video -> Photo -> Video…).

Photo Mode. Capturing an image

1. Switch to the Photo mode by pressing and holding the DOWN/REC (3) button.
2. Press the DOWN/REC (3) button briefly to take a photo. The iconflashes – the photo file is being saved to the built-in SD card.

Notes:

• You can enter and operate the menu during video recording.
• Recorded videos and photos are saved to the internal memory card in the format img_xxx.jpg (photos), video_xxx.mp4 (videos).
• Videos are recorded in clips with a maximum duration of 5 minutes. The number of recorded files is limited by the capacity of unit’s internal memory.
• Regularly check the free capacity of the internal memory and move recorded footage to other storage media to free up space on the internal memory card.
• In case of a memory card error, you can use the format function in the General Settings section of the main menu.
• When the Display Off function is activated, video recording continues to run in the background.

The device functionality allows you to quickly increase the base magnification by 2 or 4 times as well as return to the base magnification.

Note: the magnification value is reset to the base value when the device is switched off

Press and hold the UP/ZOOM (5) button to change the digital zoom.

The PiP (Picture-in-Picture) function allows you to see both the main image and a magnified image in a dedicated window.

• To turn on and off the PiP function see the PiP Mode section.
• Press and hold the UP (5) button to change the magnification ratio in the PiP window.
• The zoomed image is displayed in a dedicated window, while the image in the rest of the screen is displayed at base magnification (2x).
• When the PiP is turned on you can control both the discrete and smooth digital zoom. In this case the zoom value changes only take place in the dedicated window.
• When the PiP function is turned off, the screen will display at the magnification that was set in PiP mode.

This function darkens the screen, which aids the user’s concealment. However, the device stays on.

When this function is in use, the device switches to the standby mode, which allows it to be switched on instantly.

1. When the device is on, press and hold the ON/OFF (6) button. The display will turn off, the current time and the “Display off” icon will appear.
2. Turn the display back on with a short press of the ON/OFF (6) button.
3. When you press and hold the ON/OFF (6) button, the display shows the “Display off” icon with a countdown. Pressing & holding the button down for the duration of the countdown will power the device off completely.

The device has a function enabling wireless communication with external devices (smartphone or tablet) via Wi-Fi.

• Turn on the wireless module in the Wi-Fi Activation menu option.

Wi-Fi is displayed in the status bar as follows:

Indication on the status bar	Connection Status
	Wi-Fi is switched off
	Wi-Fi connection is in progress
	Wi-Fi is switched on, no connection with device
	Wi-Fi is switched on, device connected

• The device is recognized by an external device as AXION2_XXXX where XXXX are the four last digits of the serial number.
• After entering the password on a mobile device (see Password Setup subsection of the Wi-Fi Settings section for more information on setting a password) and setting up a connection, the iconin the status bar will change to.
• The Wi-Fi function will turn off automatically if there is not enough battery power for Wi-Fi. The battery icon will turn red  and flash. To use the Wi-Fi function again, you need to charge the battery.

Axion 2 thermal imagers are equipped with a stadiametric rangefinder which allows the user to determine the approximate distance to an object of a known size with reasonable accuracy.

1. Select the Stadiametric Rangefinder function with short presses of the MENU (4) button until the icon  is selected.
2. You will see on the display: measurement bars, icons of three reference objects and respective distances for the three objects.
3. Position the lower fixed bar under the object being ranged.
4. By pressing the UP (5)/DOWN (3) buttons, move the upper horizontal bar relative to the lower fixed bar until the object fits entirely between the two bars. The distance to the object is automatically recalculated as you move the upper line.
5. Exit the rangefinder mode with a long press of the MENU (4) button or wait 10 seconds to exit automatically.

Notes:

• There are three predefined values for the reference objects: Hare – 0.3 m height, Boar – 0.7 m height, Deer – 1.7 m height.
• Before it appears on the display, a measured distance value is rounded up to 5m for larger values and rounded down to 1m for smaller values.
• To select the unit of measurement (Meters or Yards), go to the General Settingsmenu item => Units of Measure submenu

1. Open the cover (20) of the socket (10).
2. Attach the tripod adaptor (19) to the socket (10).
3. Rotate the adaptor handle clockwise until it stops.
4. Secure the adaptor with the device on a tripod.

1. Connect one end of the USB cable to the USB Type-C port (9) of your device and the other end to the USB port of your PC / laptop using a USB Type-A adapter..
2. Turn the device on with a short press of the ON/OFF (6) button (a device that has been turned off cannot be detected by your computer).
3. Your device will be detected by the computer automatically; no drivers need to be installed.
4. Two connection modes will appear on the display: Power and Memory Card (external storage device).
5. Select the connection mode with the UP (5)/DOWN (3) buttons.
6. Confirm the selection with a short press of the MENU (4) button.

Power

• In this mode, a PC/laptop is used as an external power supply. The status bar shows the icon  . The device continues operating and all functions are available.
• Battery recharge feasibility depends on your computer’s USB port.
• When the USB is disconnected from the device when in the Power mode, the device keeps operating with the Battery Pack if it is available and sufficiently charged.

Memory Card (external memory)

• In this mode the device is detected by the computer as a flash card. This mode is designed for work with the files saved in the device’s memory. The device’s functions are not available in this mode; the device turns off automatically.
• If video recording was in progress when the connection was made, recording stops and the video is saved.
• If the device is in Memory Card mode and is disconnected from USB, the device will remain on.

Install the Stream Vision 2 application to download files, update firmware, control the device by remote control and broadcast images from your device to a smartphone or a tablet via WiFi.

We recommend using the latest version – Stream Vision 2.

You can find further guidelines on Stream Vision 2 here.

Download from Google Play

Download from App Store

Find answers to frequently asked questions about using Stream Vision 2 here.

Stream Vision 2 Manual

Android

iOS

1. Download the free Stream Vision 2 App in Google Play or App Store.
2. Connect your Pulsar device to your mobile device (smartphone or tablet).
3. Launch Stream Vision 2 and go to section “Settings”.
4. Select your Pulsar device and press “Check firmware update”.
5. Wait for the update to download and install. Pulsar device will reboot and will be ready to operate.

Important:

• if your Pulsar device is connected to a phone or mobile device, please turn on mobile data transfer (GPRS/3G/4G) to download update;
• if your Pulsar device is not connected to your phone or mobile device but is already listed in “Settings” > “My devices” section, you may use Wi-Fi to download update.

Find answers to frequently asked questions about using Stream Vision 2 here.

Is your firmware up to date?

Click here to check the latest firmware for your device.

It is recommended to inspect your device before each use. Check the following:

• The device should be free of any cracks or deformations.
• The lenses should be free of cracks, grease, dirt or debris.
• The battery level of the device should be full. Electrical sockets should be free of salts, oxidation, or other debris.
• All controls should be responsive.

Maintenance should be carried out at least twice a year and should include the following steps:

• Wipe the exterior surfaces of metal and plastic parts with a cotton cloth. Do not use chemically active substances, solvents, etc. as these will damage the paint.
• Clean the electric contacts of the Battery Pack and the device’s battery slot using a non-greasy organic solvent.
• Check the objective and eyepiece lenses and if required, remove dust and sand from the optics (it is preferable to use a non-contact method). Cleaning of the exterior surfaces of the optics should be done with cleaners designed especially for this purpose.
• Store the device in a carrying case. Remove the Battery Pack for long-term storage.
• Avoid getting repellent on the housing of the device. This may damage the appearance of the housing coating.