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Here we will discuss some of the more popular tools used for ghost hunting purposes |
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EMF Detectors:
These devices detect Electromagnetic fields. Some say that spirits emit an EMF field when they are present and they believe that these devices can help you locate paranormal activity by locating these pockets of energy. There are several variety of EMF detectors. Some use a needle to show the spike in activity, some have a digital read out, and some merely light up when an EMF field is present. Most Ghost Hunters like the digital read out because it can help you be more precise in deciding how much energy is present. My group uses digital read out and the light up Cell Sensors because the "warning" light can help you in the dark when you are focused on other things.
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Flash light
Never go on an investigation without one of these. It's simply an issue of safety. It also aids in changing batteries in devices, changing tapes in cameras, and just finding your way around in general. There are MANY different types of flash lights that ghost hunters use these days, there is even a new flash light that has a camera and can record video. There are also lights that shine a red light for those times when you are filming using IR. My preference is a flash light that has more than one brightness setting. When changing batteries or simply finding my footing I just want a dim light but in case of emergency you want to have a bright beam readily available. You will find this all comes down to personal preference.
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Digital Voice Recorder
These devices are used for capturing EVP (Electronic Voice Phenomena) or disembodied voices that cannot be heard by the human ear. The one pictured here is the one I use, it is the Olympus 4100-PC model. It has amazing recording quality and makes it easy for you to get your files to your computer for editing/saving.
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Camcorder with Night Vision mode
You never want to be without a camera to document your findings. Night Vision is a MUST in our field and the only camera company that does this correctly is SONY. Sony handy cams are the best bet for investigators. Whether you want to shoot in Mini-DV, Hi-8, HD-DV, or a hard drive storage camera is completely up to you. Just make sure you have Sony's night vision and you will be prepared for anything. An IR extender is also a good investment because these devices extend the range that your camera can "see" in the darkness.
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Thermometers
Ambient air temperature gauges and IR laser thermometers are important parts of an investigation. These help you track down the cold spots that could indicate the presence of a spirit.
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FLIR style Thermal Camera
These devices are VERY expensive and are not part of every ghost hunters arsenal. If you can afford one of these devices they are amazing for use on an investigation. They allow you to see the temperature variations in a room. They can help you find leaky pipes, animals and rodents, and some say even ghosts. Again, very expensive and not a necessity. These devices are definitely a luxury item only for those who can afford them.
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Digital camera
Digital cameras are used for documenting paranormal evidence. A camera with "burst" mode for the ability to take a series of photos consecutively would be an added bonus. This is a standard piece for any investigator's kit. Some people also like to have disposable 35mm cameras on hand in case the batteries in their digital camera die early in the investigation. Again, this is all up to personal preference.
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Pen and Paper
You never know when you will want to take down some notes to document certain aspects of you hunt such as the time things happened or what people from your group were present when certain activity took place. It's always better to be prepared!
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| Other Tools you can use for gathering evidence: |
The list above is by no means complete, it is simply a good starter set for gathering evidence. Lots of other tools can be very useful on an investigation. For example a DVR system (four channel DVR's are commonly used) with some good IR cameras is a great asset to an investigation. With this setup you can position your IR cameras throughout your location and record all cameras simultaneously through the DVR and you can monitor these cameras in "real-time" with a monitor. No professional or serious group would do an investigation without some sort of a DVR setup, but items like this can be hard for the "common man" to afford. Some people even use devices to measure atmospheric conditions such as humidity and movement of air. All of these tools are great to have and can be very useful. I wanted to give a basic "kit" that anyone can use to begin investigating. I realize that the FLIR camera is not "basic" and should probably have been eliminated from this list, but I love this device and think it is the most cutting edge tool out there at the time and wanted to include it for those reasons.
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Another item you should always have on a "hunt" is a first aid kit. Never be caught without one. You never know when someone will fall, or get hurt in any number of various ways. Never be caught out miles away from anything without some sort of basic first aid kit. |
