Ghost Hunting Should Be Professional
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Robert W. Benjamin asked:
Ghost Hunting can be very fun and yet at times it can be one of the most terrifying things you will probably ever do in your life.
The following are just a few of the things folks have encountered during ghost hunting or paranormal investigations:
Smells: These smells can seem to come from no where, and develop instantly and disappear just as fast. The smells are often putrid like rotted meat, or like fresh bowel movements, and are very overpowering at times.
Apparitions: Some spirits appear as barely visible forms, while some become as solid and normal looking as a living person.
Clouds – Mists – Masses: Often fleeting shadows, things seen out of the corners of the eyes are encountered. Or a rolling black mass may appear, sometimes a whispy form like smoke is seen.
Disembodied voices: These are often heard and at times they can be very scary. Imagine being in a darkened room, and having something invisible whisper or even shout in your ear. These are not EVP’s, but normal sounding speech.
Physical Sensations – Some ghost hunters have been touched, pinched, slapped, had their hair pulled, been scratched or even bitten by invisible entities.
Rappings – Scratching – and Knockings: In walls, ceilings and floors. Strange sounds and noises are often heard in haunted locations, as well as hearing what sounds like objects being dropped, or moved in nearby rooms.
Cold spots: Sometimes just before a spirit manifests they draw energy from the surroundings. Often a spot in one area of a room will suddenly become very cold. For example the temperature thoughout a room may average 75 degrees but in one corner or area, the temperature will suddenly plummet to 50 degrees or even colder. This is a sure sign of a spirits presence or a soon manifestation.
Power drains and equipment malfunctions: Like cold spots, when a spirit is drawing energy needed to become solid or more visible, they will often draw-in nearby energy, this energy can also come from batteries in video camers, and other devices. Often cameras, tape recorders, even lights will suddenly go haywire or stop working all together when a spirit is present.
Almost everyone that does ghost hunting believes that there are two types of spirits, human and in-human, the latter are also called demons. I am a born again christian and believe the bible 100%. From my beliefs in the bible as factual. I believe there is only one type of spirit involved in any haunting, and these are in-human or demons.
According to the bible, when we are dead our spirits or souls are present with God, from there we are either granted a life of love and peace in heaven with the creator and the other believers, or we are cast into hell forever, with no chance of escape. The bible also says there is a huge chasm or void that separates the living from the dead, they cannot cross over or communicate with each other. There are other statements in the bible that clearly says that ghosts can not be the spirits or souls of people who have died.
Whether the creatures involved in a haunting are spirits of dead humans or whether they are demons, if one is trying to prove that they truly exist or if you are trying to disprove a haunting, then you must do paranormal investigations as a professional.
A professional Ghost Hunter or paranormal investigator needs to have the right tools. Here I will explain devices that every ghost hunter or paranormal investigator MUST have, if he or she is truly taking the phenomenon as real or as a business, and not as a joke.
Voice Recorder: It doesn’t matter if you use a standard tape recorder or one of the new digital recorders, what does matter is the quality and the ability to use an external microphone. Try to get one that is of good quality, but make sure you get one that has a plug in microphone with a cable or cord so the end of the microphone is away from the recorder. The small all-in-one recorders that have the built in microphones, pick up a lot of the hiss and gear noise from the recorder when they are in record mode. A recorder is a necessity for recording EVP’s. EVP’s also called (electronic voice phenomenom) are a very unique and sometimes frightening thing that is often encountered in a haunted area. What an EVP is, is a voice or other communication that is heard on a tape or digital recorder during playback, that was not heard when the recorder was recording.
Film Camera: Do NOT use a digital camera because the photo will always be questioned as being fake, no matter how good it is, where if you use a film camera, you at least have the negatives as some proof. And unless you buy a high mega-pixel digital camera, the photo quality will be less than a nice cheap 35mm film camera.
Camcorder: A camera is good, but a camcorder is even better. Get one that uses a tape, either the small cassettes or one of the older models that use the full sized VHS tapes. I bought two of these older camcorders for under $75 each recently.
Thermal Imaging scopes or goggles: These capture the upper portion of the infrared light spectrum, which is emitted as heat by objects instead of simply reflected as light. Hotter objects, such as warm bodies, emit more of this light than cooler objects like trees or buildings. Often spirits that manifest have a temperature in their form that stands out in this spectrum, especially if a spirit is present in a cold location.
Night Vision scopes or goggles: These little devices have become very cheap, a nice night vision scope can now be purchased easily for under $200. They work by collecting the tiny amounts of light, including the lower portion of the infrared light spectrum, that are present but may be imperceptible to our eyes, and amplifying it to the point that we can easily observe the image.
Flashlight: Take along two small pocket ones for each team member. What can be worse then exploring a dark cellar or underground area, and having the lights or another flashlight fail.
Walkie Talkies: If you have a group of team members, and you are investigating a large location, walkie talkies are not just a good thing to have, but they can be a life saver at times.
Notebook and pencils: Often any electronic, electrical or other devices may fail in a haunted location, so it’s very wise to carry along a small notebook and some pencils in case you need to keep some valuable notes.
Thermal Scanner: A hand held thermal scanner (thermometer) uses infrared technology to measure the surface temperature of material without touching it. You simply point at your target, pull the trigger and read the temperature on the lit LCD display.
One of the best tools I recommend, is also the cheapest, under $10 U.S. It is a computer software program that is made just for Ghost Hunting and Paranormal Investigations. It’s called ‘Ghost Hunter’. The software is for anyone who explores haunted houses or locations where any type of paranormal activity is occurring. Whether you are trying to gather evidence of the haunting or other proof, this software can help make the job more organized and easier.
Ghost Hunter software was made as a scientific tool, for paranormal researchers that believe in spirits, demons, or ghosts. Researchers can easily keep track of vital data gathered at the haunted locations. With this software you can know at a glance such vital information as; the date and times of the activity, location info, GPS data, telephone numbers, notes, sounds heard, odors detected, temperature anomalies, and more.
You can use the software on location during the investigation with any WINDOWS based notebook Computer or back at home or in the office after the investigation.
For more information and the ability to download and try a free demo version of the ‘Ghost Hunter’ software, please visit the website:
http://www.rb59.com/ghosth
By Robert W. Benjamin
Copyright © 2006
You may publish this article in your ezine, newsletter on your web site as long as it is reprinted in its entirety and without modification except for formatting needs or grammar corrections.
Ghost Hunting can be very fun and yet at times it can be one of the most terrifying things you will probably ever do in your life.
The following are just a few of the things folks have encountered during ghost hunting or paranormal investigations:
Smells: These smells can seem to come from no where, and develop instantly and disappear just as fast. The smells are often putrid like rotted meat, or like fresh bowel movements, and are very overpowering at times.
Apparitions: Some spirits appear as barely visible forms, while some become as solid and normal looking as a living person.
Clouds – Mists – Masses: Often fleeting shadows, things seen out of the corners of the eyes are encountered. Or a rolling black mass may appear, sometimes a whispy form like smoke is seen.
Disembodied voices: These are often heard and at times they can be very scary. Imagine being in a darkened room, and having something invisible whisper or even shout in your ear. These are not EVP’s, but normal sounding speech.
Physical Sensations – Some ghost hunters have been touched, pinched, slapped, had their hair pulled, been scratched or even bitten by invisible entities.
Rappings – Scratching – and Knockings: In walls, ceilings and floors. Strange sounds and noises are often heard in haunted locations, as well as hearing what sounds like objects being dropped, or moved in nearby rooms.
Cold spots: Sometimes just before a spirit manifests they draw energy from the surroundings. Often a spot in one area of a room will suddenly become very cold. For example the temperature thoughout a room may average 75 degrees but in one corner or area, the temperature will suddenly plummet to 50 degrees or even colder. This is a sure sign of a spirits presence or a soon manifestation.
Power drains and equipment malfunctions: Like cold spots, when a spirit is drawing energy needed to become solid or more visible, they will often draw-in nearby energy, this energy can also come from batteries in video camers, and other devices. Often cameras, tape recorders, even lights will suddenly go haywire or stop working all together when a spirit is present.
Almost everyone that does ghost hunting believes that there are two types of spirits, human and in-human, the latter are also called demons. I am a born again christian and believe the bible 100%. From my beliefs in the bible as factual. I believe there is only one type of spirit involved in any haunting, and these are in-human or demons.
According to the bible, when we are dead our spirits or souls are present with God, from there we are either granted a life of love and peace in heaven with the creator and the other believers, or we are cast into hell forever, with no chance of escape. The bible also says there is a huge chasm or void that separates the living from the dead, they cannot cross over or communicate with each other. There are other statements in the bible that clearly says that ghosts can not be the spirits or souls of people who have died.
Whether the creatures involved in a haunting are spirits of dead humans or whether they are demons, if one is trying to prove that they truly exist or if you are trying to disprove a haunting, then you must do paranormal investigations as a professional.
A professional Ghost Hunter or paranormal investigator needs to have the right tools. Here I will explain devices that every ghost hunter or paranormal investigator MUST have, if he or she is truly taking the phenomenon as real or as a business, and not as a joke.
Voice Recorder: It doesn’t matter if you use a standard tape recorder or one of the new digital recorders, what does matter is the quality and the ability to use an external microphone. Try to get one that is of good quality, but make sure you get one that has a plug in microphone with a cable or cord so the end of the microphone is away from the recorder. The small all-in-one recorders that have the built in microphones, pick up a lot of the hiss and gear noise from the recorder when they are in record mode. A recorder is a necessity for recording EVP’s. EVP’s also called (electronic voice phenomenom) are a very unique and sometimes frightening thing that is often encountered in a haunted area. What an EVP is, is a voice or other communication that is heard on a tape or digital recorder during playback, that was not heard when the recorder was recording.
Film Camera: Do NOT use a digital camera because the photo will always be questioned as being fake, no matter how good it is, where if you use a film camera, you at least have the negatives as some proof. And unless you buy a high mega-pixel digital camera, the photo quality will be less than a nice cheap 35mm film camera.
Camcorder: A camera is good, but a camcorder is even better. Get one that uses a tape, either the small cassettes or one of the older models that use the full sized VHS tapes. I bought two of these older camcorders for under $75 each recently.
Thermal Imaging scopes or goggles: These capture the upper portion of the infrared light spectrum, which is emitted as heat by objects instead of simply reflected as light. Hotter objects, such as warm bodies, emit more of this light than cooler objects like trees or buildings. Often spirits that manifest have a temperature in their form that stands out in this spectrum, especially if a spirit is present in a cold location.
Night Vision scopes or goggles: These little devices have become very cheap, a nice night vision scope can now be purchased easily for under $200. They work by collecting the tiny amounts of light, including the lower portion of the infrared light spectrum, that are present but may be imperceptible to our eyes, and amplifying it to the point that we can easily observe the image.
Flashlight: Take along two small pocket ones for each team member. What can be worse then exploring a dark cellar or underground area, and having the lights or another flashlight fail.
Walkie Talkies: If you have a group of team members, and you are investigating a large location, walkie talkies are not just a good thing to have, but they can be a life saver at times.
Notebook and pencils: Often any electronic, electrical or other devices may fail in a haunted location, so it’s very wise to carry along a small notebook and some pencils in case you need to keep some valuable notes.
Thermal Scanner: A hand held thermal scanner (thermometer) uses infrared technology to measure the surface temperature of material without touching it. You simply point at your target, pull the trigger and read the temperature on the lit LCD display.
One of the best tools I recommend, is also the cheapest, under $10 U.S. It is a computer software program that is made just for Ghost Hunting and Paranormal Investigations. It’s called ‘Ghost Hunter’. The software is for anyone who explores haunted houses or locations where any type of paranormal activity is occurring. Whether you are trying to gather evidence of the haunting or other proof, this software can help make the job more organized and easier.
Ghost Hunter software was made as a scientific tool, for paranormal researchers that believe in spirits, demons, or ghosts. Researchers can easily keep track of vital data gathered at the haunted locations. With this software you can know at a glance such vital information as; the date and times of the activity, location info, GPS data, telephone numbers, notes, sounds heard, odors detected, temperature anomalies, and more.
You can use the software on location during the investigation with any WINDOWS based notebook Computer or back at home or in the office after the investigation.
For more information and the ability to download and try a free demo version of the ‘Ghost Hunter’ software, please visit the website:
http://www.rb59.com/ghosth
By Robert W. Benjamin
Copyright © 2006
You may publish this article in your ezine, newsletter on your web site as long as it is reprinted in its entirety and without modification except for formatting needs or grammar corrections.
I Used my EVP Machine!
December 10, 2009 by admin
Filed under Uncategorized
Bobby Elgee asked:
by Bobby Elgee; Sights Unseen Paranormal
Today, I used my EVP machine and it recorded a ghost’s voice. I also utilized my Ghost Image Capture Device to take a picture of a ghost. Another investigator used an Electric Detector that picks up spirit energy. I also used my Indoor Battery-Powered Illuminator–fancily called ‘a torch’ by our friends across the pond–to light up some ghosts in a dark room. We also used an interesting invention, a Television Spirit Capture Device, which records video of dead people. Finally, we analyzed all this research data on a computer that is specifically set up with programs–like Photoshop and Itunes–that help to find ghosts.
Does the above paragraph sound as asinine and ignorant to you as it does to me? Interestingly enough, there are ghost hunting teams that use language similar to what I’ve typed above. To me, reading a paragraph like this makes a couple of things painfully obvious:
1. The person writing it has absolutely no technical expertise whatsoever.
2. They aren’t even coming close to practicing debunking. For people like this, everything is a ghost.
Sorry, for venting…the moral to this story is KNOW YOUR EQUIPMENT. I have a lot to learn, that’s why I do research, read my owner’s manuals, and depend on experts and consultants to help me research potential evidence.
None of the technology used in ghost hunting was originally designed to find ghosts. Be accurate in your description of the equipment you use. Know what it was originally designed for, and the theory behind using it to detect possibly paranormal events.
Otherwise, you risk looking like a fool. Not sure about you, but I’m enough of a goof ball as it is, so I like to cover all my bases.
Now, you’ll have to excuse me because my Electoplasma Initiator/Personal Massager is ringing.
by Bobby Elgee; Sights Unseen Paranormal
Today, I used my EVP machine and it recorded a ghost’s voice. I also utilized my Ghost Image Capture Device to take a picture of a ghost. Another investigator used an Electric Detector that picks up spirit energy. I also used my Indoor Battery-Powered Illuminator–fancily called ‘a torch’ by our friends across the pond–to light up some ghosts in a dark room. We also used an interesting invention, a Television Spirit Capture Device, which records video of dead people. Finally, we analyzed all this research data on a computer that is specifically set up with programs–like Photoshop and Itunes–that help to find ghosts.
Does the above paragraph sound as asinine and ignorant to you as it does to me? Interestingly enough, there are ghost hunting teams that use language similar to what I’ve typed above. To me, reading a paragraph like this makes a couple of things painfully obvious:
1. The person writing it has absolutely no technical expertise whatsoever.
2. They aren’t even coming close to practicing debunking. For people like this, everything is a ghost.
Sorry, for venting…the moral to this story is KNOW YOUR EQUIPMENT. I have a lot to learn, that’s why I do research, read my owner’s manuals, and depend on experts and consultants to help me research potential evidence.
None of the technology used in ghost hunting was originally designed to find ghosts. Be accurate in your description of the equipment you use. Know what it was originally designed for, and the theory behind using it to detect possibly paranormal events.
Otherwise, you risk looking like a fool. Not sure about you, but I’m enough of a goof ball as it is, so I like to cover all my bases.
Now, you’ll have to excuse me because my Electoplasma Initiator/Personal Massager is ringing.
Evp Electronic Voice Phenomenon Voices From the Dead
August 11, 2009 by admin
Filed under News And Society
David Slone asked:
Electronic voice phenomenon, if true, seems to exceed the bounds of what is physically possible; thus, it is of paranormal origin. Colin Smith invented the term to describe speech or sounds resembling speech on recording media that has never been used.
Some researchers speculate that its origins rest in psychokenisis or the voices of spirits. Psychokenisis connotes the ability to move objects with your mind. It concerns the manipulation of matter and energy with just the mind.
Other researchers, more skeptical, point to pareidolia or radio interference. Pareidolia means that you mistakenly perceive images and sounds as being recognizable. A man in the moon, a face in ripples of glass windows, or hearing messages on records played in reverse are keen examples of pareidolia.
Most EVP sounds are in short, abrupt segments, usually the length of a word or phrase; sentences are uncommon, but not unheard of. The segments are frequently heard in the language of the listener.
A psychologist, Konstantin Raudive, conducted over 100,000 recordings under different conditions. His research amassed some conclusions about elements that all EVP sounds share. They used an altered rhythm compared to customary speech, were short in duration and resembled telegram-like speech, did not follow grammatical guidelines and rules, and several languages were heard over the space of a single recording.
Possible explanations, paranormal and non-paranormal, have been proposed and scrutinized by researchers and laymen.
A paranormal explanation, for example, is the idea that bodiless, ethereal spirits, in the absence of their own vocal cords, imprint their messages on recording media through some elusive method. Another is that extraterrestrials communicate, intentionally or accidentally, through some blip in space-time. The third most common idea is psychokenisis in which the subject is said to possess influence over matter with his mind. This term is popular in parapsychology.
Non-paranormal and scientific explanations include interference, pareidolia, capture errors, processing artifacts, and hoaxes. Interference is common when EVP phenomenon is recorded on devices that contain RLC circuitry. The sounds are, evidently, voices and sounds from broadcast radio sources. Capture errors are anomalies created by the overamplification of a signal at the time when it was initially recorded. A plethora of odd noises can result from it. A processing artifact is a sound that results from attempts to boost the clarity of an existing signal. I.e., frequency isolation, re-sampling, and noise reduction and enhancement can all conspire to create a sound that is artificially unique in comparison to the original.
Important researchers of the past and present are notable in the course of your further studies in electronic voice phenomenon. Some names to remember are Attila von Szalay, Raymond Bayless, Alexander MacRae, Judith Chisholm, Konstantin Raudive, Friedrich Jurgenson, Hans Bender, William O’Neil, and Sarah Estep. Many of these researchers made strides in exploring and popularizing EVP, but they don’t represent a good sample of current researchers. This is because there are very few researchers today. There are scant articles in peer-reviewed journals, but EVP continues to be ignored by scientists at large. Experiments have produced mixed results. Despite this, there are several organizations that collect research, articles, photographs, and other media that support the legitimacy of EVP.
In the end it is up to you to decide whether or not electronic voice phenomenon recordings are of paranormal origin or if they have a more mundane explanation.
Electronic voice phenomenon, if true, seems to exceed the bounds of what is physically possible; thus, it is of paranormal origin. Colin Smith invented the term to describe speech or sounds resembling speech on recording media that has never been used.
Some researchers speculate that its origins rest in psychokenisis or the voices of spirits. Psychokenisis connotes the ability to move objects with your mind. It concerns the manipulation of matter and energy with just the mind.
Other researchers, more skeptical, point to pareidolia or radio interference. Pareidolia means that you mistakenly perceive images and sounds as being recognizable. A man in the moon, a face in ripples of glass windows, or hearing messages on records played in reverse are keen examples of pareidolia.
Most EVP sounds are in short, abrupt segments, usually the length of a word or phrase; sentences are uncommon, but not unheard of. The segments are frequently heard in the language of the listener.
A psychologist, Konstantin Raudive, conducted over 100,000 recordings under different conditions. His research amassed some conclusions about elements that all EVP sounds share. They used an altered rhythm compared to customary speech, were short in duration and resembled telegram-like speech, did not follow grammatical guidelines and rules, and several languages were heard over the space of a single recording.
Possible explanations, paranormal and non-paranormal, have been proposed and scrutinized by researchers and laymen.
A paranormal explanation, for example, is the idea that bodiless, ethereal spirits, in the absence of their own vocal cords, imprint their messages on recording media through some elusive method. Another is that extraterrestrials communicate, intentionally or accidentally, through some blip in space-time. The third most common idea is psychokenisis in which the subject is said to possess influence over matter with his mind. This term is popular in parapsychology.
Non-paranormal and scientific explanations include interference, pareidolia, capture errors, processing artifacts, and hoaxes. Interference is common when EVP phenomenon is recorded on devices that contain RLC circuitry. The sounds are, evidently, voices and sounds from broadcast radio sources. Capture errors are anomalies created by the overamplification of a signal at the time when it was initially recorded. A plethora of odd noises can result from it. A processing artifact is a sound that results from attempts to boost the clarity of an existing signal. I.e., frequency isolation, re-sampling, and noise reduction and enhancement can all conspire to create a sound that is artificially unique in comparison to the original.
Important researchers of the past and present are notable in the course of your further studies in electronic voice phenomenon. Some names to remember are Attila von Szalay, Raymond Bayless, Alexander MacRae, Judith Chisholm, Konstantin Raudive, Friedrich Jurgenson, Hans Bender, William O’Neil, and Sarah Estep. Many of these researchers made strides in exploring and popularizing EVP, but they don’t represent a good sample of current researchers. This is because there are very few researchers today. There are scant articles in peer-reviewed journals, but EVP continues to be ignored by scientists at large. Experiments have produced mixed results. Despite this, there are several organizations that collect research, articles, photographs, and other media that support the legitimacy of EVP.
In the end it is up to you to decide whether or not electronic voice phenomenon recordings are of paranormal origin or if they have a more mundane explanation.
