Ghost Hunting Equipment Archives - Ghosts and Haunted Places

Typical K-II Interactions

This video was a good example of a typical, informal investigation using a K-II meter. The video was long – over an hour and a half – so I didn’t watch the whole thing. However, you could learn a few good things in the first five or ten minutes.

Here’s where it was, at YouTube.

http://youtu.be/0f-vpjZE3iA

The video seems to be gone now. (That’s true of a lot of “investigation” videos from when the ghost hunting trend peaked. )

I’m leaving this article online for two reasons:

The video might return…? Maybe, but probably not with that URL. And it may be another spam effort. I’m not sure.
More importantly: my summary, below, may explain the patience ghost hunters need. You can sit for hours with nothing happening.

First of all, this video showed how imperfect real-time communication is with any EMF meter, but especially a highly sensitive meter like the K-II.

There were times when the lights flickered so quickly, it was difficult to tell whether it flashed just once (for “yes”) or two or three times. In fact, at least once, a team member said he didn’t see it, when the light had flashed quickly.

This video also provided a vivid example of how tedious ghost hunting can be, particularly when you’re focusing on one specific research technique or tool. Really, by the 47 minute mark, one of the investigators asked, “Is the fourth letter of your last name between the letters A and L?”

Wow. That’s a very patient investigator.

You might ask, “Why not use a Ouija board, instead? It’s faster.”

The answer is personal safety. The more people physically connect with the energy – like with a glass or platen that points to letters – the more risks they’re taking. With a tool like a K-II – one that requires no physical contact with the device – dangers are reduced.

The K-II results in this video could be pretty good. I really wanted to like it and give it a very favorable review. However, I had some major doubts.

The TV

My first concern when using a K-II is variable, environmental electronic energy.

Right away, I saw the TV in this video’s background. Is that enough to cause normal EMF fluctuations? Unlikely, but I wouldn’t rule it out until I’d checked it carefully. I’m not sure the guy in the video did that.

The cat

At times, a cat was on the bed where the K-II was. I’m not too worried about that because I saw no reaction from the K-II when the cat was nearby. Also, one of the researchers seemed to sit on the bed with enough vigor that the K-II moved around, but the K-II didn’t react to that, either.

The fan

The rotating fan in back of the EMF meter was a greater concern. I thought I noticed more flashes after the fan moved to the far left and had just begun the return motion, but I wasn’t sure. (I’m still not sure.) I’d definitely want to study some freeze-frame shots when the K-II is flashing.

Response synchronicity

I casually checked the frequency of the K-II responses. In the first five minutes, the timing seemed odd. In a spot-check near the beginning of the video, I noted K-II flashes at these times:

1:21
2:21
2:28
3:20
4:20

In other words, the K-II was flashing about once a minute, always around the :20 or :21 mark. If that pattern continued – or even repeated sporadically – I’d discount all of those flashes.

However, the 2:28 response was anomalous and fairly strong, so I’d be more likely to take that response seriously, if no other strong flashes sync with it near :28 marks.

That is the kind of analysis that researchers must do, in more formal investigations. On the other hand, this looked like a very informal investigation.

If I were analyzing this video as part of a formal investigation, I’d be concerned about the TV and the rotating fan. Also, I’d wonder what else was in the room – or near enough to affect a K-II – that we don’t see in the frame of the video.

And, finally, the biggest credibility issue connected with this video was how it was uploaded to YouTube.

Keyword stuffing

In a misguided attempt to attract more viewers, the foot of the video description was stuffed with keywords that weren’t related to ghosts, such as “epic funny Santa Claus prank Christmas pranks bloopers,” “50 Cent The Voice” and “make money free cash” and “Black Friday Walmart black Friday.”*

I suspect the research team received bad advice about that tactic. Please, don’t stuff keywords if you want to look like a serious researcher. (On the other hand, if you main goal is to boost your numbers to look popular or earn more money from your YouTube videos… Err, umm, no… what am I saying? That’s never okay.)

Summary

All in all, this was a good video to learn from. And, the results might be impressive in a different context.

If this were one of several supporting investigations related to a single, haunted site, this might be good, but I’d need far more compelling evidence.

For starters, I’d like to have seen a detailed analysis of the video, especially related to the rotating fan and the timing issues. Without that, there were too many red flags to trust the results. Also, it would have been simple to eliminate most or all of them, in a follow-up investigation, if they were serious researchers.

Originality (Doesn’t really apply. It’s a K-II meter.)

Credibility (The results were pretty good, but the context — especially the timing issue and the keyword stuffing — were huge red flags as far as I’m concerned, and made the entire effort look questionable.)

* No matter who tells you that keyword stuffing is a good idea to get more YouTube views, don’t do anything like the screenshot below. It looks spammy, reduces your credibility, and… really, do you want people finding your serious, ghost hunting video using search terms like “prank ghost video” or “swimsuit boys dance gangnam style”?

And, if you scrolled this far, here’s a very speculative way to think about EMF:

Homemade EVP Devices?

tesla-spirit-radio — Image from the Instructables article.

I’m fascinated by things that are emerging from mad scientists’ labs… or at least the kitchen tables of kindred spirits (no pun intended) who think like I do.

Here are a few odd, recent discoveries:

I’m not sure what to think of the Super Beacon Auto-mapper Crystal Quantum Radio.

(I try never to dismiss anything that might help us figure out what anomalies really are.)

Well, the price tag on that tool is a little steep for my experiments.

Then there’s the Beta-Blocker Spirit Radio, at that same website.

As Alice said, “Curiouser and curiouser!”

I recommend cruising through that website. If you’re an electronics geek, you may get some ideas for tools we can actually use in this field.

But wait… there’s more!

The photo at left shows a homegrown variation. It might just work. It’s the Spooky Tesla Spirit Radio.

The complete directions are at Instructables: Spooky Tesla Spirit Radio.

The following video… well, the guy sounds pretty snide at times. However, the tests he demonstrates are worth noting. Be sure to listen to the sounds produced by the color yellow. What is the radio reacting to?

httpv://youtu.be/aFxBmEpGIBw

The “lost journals” of Nikola Tesla might be someone’s clever work of fiction. Nevertheless, Tesla’s life may need closer investigation.

In those “lost journals,” it says:

“Around 1918, Tesla started to receive what he considered to be voice transmissions, except the voices he was picking up were not human. Instead, Tesla wrote that, “The sounds I am listening to every night at first appear to be human voices conversing back and forth in a language I cannot understand. I find it difficult to imagine that I am actually hearing real voices from people not of this planet. There must be a more simple explanation that has so far eluded me.”

This is consistent with Tesla’s comments in Talking with the Planets, publishing in 1901:

“My first observations positively terrified me, as there was present in them something mysterious, not to say supernatural, and I was alone in my laboratory at night; but at that time the idea of these disturbances being intelligently controlled signals did not yet present itself to me. “

If you build this radio and test it, please let me know about your results. I’m very interested in homemade devices, and in voice-related ghost hunting tools in general.

EVP Survey Results

For over six months, I’ve been collecting EVP results from a wide range of paranormal teams and individual ghost researchers. My goal was to see if there are patterns we can use to improve our EVP research techniques.

After studying hundreds of cases, here are my suggestions for the best EVP results:

1. Ask questions. Ask each question once or twice. Repeating the question doesn’t seem to help. Also, your results won’t improve if you rephrase the question. Phrase it clearly — not using modern slang — and ask it just once or twice.

Remaining silent won’t improve your results. At least 90% of the successful EVP recordings were responses to statements or questions. Allow breaks for the spirit to reply, but don’t just sit in silence. If you’re quiet, the ghost is likely to be quiet, too.

2. Assume that the ghost is male. If you’re using contextual cues, talk about things that will interest a man. (Unless you’re sure the ghost is female, don’t ask about kitchen chores or things classically assigned to women.)

If you have a name for the male ghost, use it. If not, it’s okay to use general references such as, “Sir, we’d like to talk with you.” Or, “Hey, guy, I want some answers.”

3. Expect anger. For the most intense responses, investigators should sound as if they are angry, antagonistic, or afraid. These emotions — even if portrayed in theatrical ways — are likely to resonate with the spirits and evoke a reply.

If anyone on your team is genuinely frightened, or good at venting anger, he or she should be included in your EVP research. The ghosts may be more responsive to real emotions in someone’s voice and demeanor.

(This is not a license to taunt or “provoke” ghosts in cruel ways.)

4. Adjust your recorder for quiet voices. Most voices were recorded at normal or quiet levels. Set your recorder at a high sensitivity level, and — if it’s an option — choose an omni-directional microphone.

(Some microphones only record directly in front of where they’re pointed. Others record anything in the general area, in front of the microphone, in back of it, or on any side. You want the latter, so you’ll record voices and sounds from anywhere around you.)

5. Stay with your recorder. Hardly any EVPs were reported when recorders were set up, and left running while the investigators explored another room or area.

Survey statistics

Over 90% of the EVPs were recorded in response to an investigator speaking or asking questions. Fewer than 10% were recorded when the investigator was quiet, or when the recorder was left running while the team went to another room.

More than 80% sounded like the voices of male adults. The remainder were mostly female adults. Very few sounded like female children. Only one researcher reported recording male children’s voices, and his results seemed like an anomaly; most of his recordings included male children.

An equal number of EVP voices replied in normal or quiet tones. Slightly less than 15% shouted at the investigators, even when the ghost was clearly angry.

In other words, the anger was conveyed with the words used or the tone of voice (including hissing sounds and obvious sneers), not in volume.

Most of the EVPs were clearly related to the comment or question by the investigator (or investigators) recording the EVP session. However, when asked to repeat something (or if a question was repeated with the same or different phrasing), most ghosts did not reply a second time.

About 1/3 of the recordings seemed to include random words and phrases, apparently unrelated to the questions asked. (This ratio seems consistent with results from Ovilus, Puck, and other real-time communication devices.)

When a mood was evident in what was said, the responses were almost equally distributed among the following emotional levels: Apathy, anger, pain, grief, fear, or boredom. Only anger seemed more prevalent, and that was only slightly.

In the future, I’ll be conducting additional surveys related to ghost hunting techniques and practices. I hope you’ll participate, so we can pool our information to improve our research results.

[Thanks to Joanne W. for helping us restore this “lost” article.]

How Much Should I Budget for Ghost Hunting Equipment?

Here’s something most TV shows won’t tell you:

You don’t need ANY ghost hunting equipment.

First, make sure this will be a long-term interest, hobby, or profession.

With experience…

You’ll know what kind of ghost hunting you enjoy.
You’ll know how much you’re willing to budget for equipment (if any).
You’ll have seen others’ equipment, and know what works best where you investigate.

But, whether you’re a beginner or a pro, never invest more money than you can afford to lose.

Expensive Mistakes with Ghost Hunting Equipment

trees and moonlight in haunted setting Expensive ghost hunting tools come with risks.

For example:

– People drop things when they’re startled. In the dark, you might not find what you dropped.

(The problem becomes worse if you drop what you’re carrying, and run away in terror.)

– If you drop a sensitive $5k camera or a $2k heat-sensing device, it can break the same as a $40 camera or a $15 digital thermometer.

If you didn’t buy a replacement warranty, or it doesn’t cover that kind of accident, you may have wasted thousands of dollars.

– Electronic equipment can fail in extremely haunted settings. In fact, unexplained equipment failure can indicate intense paranormal activity.

I think EMF spikes are to blame. Most electrical devices will glitch or fail when exposed to intense magnetic energy. That’s reasonable, unless it’s remarkably well shielded.

If your expensive camera or other device won’t work when you’re ghost hunting, you’ve wasted your money. Worse, it can be difficult to return that equipment if it shows any wear, or if you can’t demonstrate how it fails.

Here’s one of my videos about ghost hunting equipment failing at haunted sites.

Instead, focus on just one aspect of ghost hunting.

For example, if you like ghost photography, invest in photographic equipment.

As a New Ghost Hunter on a Budget…

If I were starting fresh, today, I’d probably spend $100 or less. Maybe far less.

– I’d use the camera in my phone. It’s good enough. I wouldn’t bother with a fancy ($$) after-market lens attachment, either.

For many investigations, that’s all you need.

– I’d use the voice recorder on my phone, or buy an inexpensive one at an office supply store or warehouse. (Make sure the microphone is omni-directional, so it picks up sounds all around you, not just in one direction.)

– I’d buy an inexpensive flashlight with a metal case. I’d make sure the light bulb housing unscrews easily. Then, for fun, I could test yes/no responses when the housing is loosened. (Do I take that seriously? Of course not. There are too many normal – and some odd – explanations, so even correct yes/no answers might not be ghostly.)

– I’d carry good surgical-type masks that protect me from toxins, bacteria, and viruses around me. (This was my recommendation long before Covid. Remember, some ghost hunters have died from exposure to toxic fumes, diseases in rat droppings, etc.)

Since Covid, you’ll find lots of good options. For ghost hunting, I like disposable masks, but be certain they’re actually good. (Many free masks at doctors’ offices are designed to contain germs inside the mask… not keep bad things out. Make sure your mask actually protects you.)

– I’d also add a small, inexpensive first aid kit.

– I’d put all of that in a backpack with several pockets or dividers (to find things in complete darkness).

My own backpack is the basic Amazon one. My cameras, Ovilus, etc., go in the big pocket. Maps, pen & a notebook, small first aid kit, etc., in the next largest. Spare batteries in the outside pocket. And so on.

Don’t spread yourself too thin, in terms of learning or financial investment. Set a firm spending limit and do not exceed that.

It’s easy to get carried away. Keep your ghost hunting expenses low.

Above all, don’t let ghost hunting jeopardize other aspects of your personal, professional, or family life.

When you’re a beginner, see how well you enjoy ghost hunting, before you spend much money.

You’re likely to decide that you don’t need the ghost hunting equipment you’ve seen on TV. In fact, the experience… the ambience, might be what you really seek.

Make Your Own Dowsing Rods

This is from my original Hallowfields’ course about homemade and low-tech ghost hunting equipment: Dowsing Rods for Ghost Hunters.

Here’s how to start working with homemade dowsing rods.

You’ll need two wire coat hangers. They should be thin wire, the inexpensive kind that dry cleaners and laundries use.

Trim each so you’re using a little more than half of the coat hanger. (You’ll discard the part with the hook.)

Here’s the one-minute video.

How to Make Dowsing Rods for Ghost Hunting
Easy directions for making ghost hunting dowsing rods. In this one-minute video, you’ll see how to make free or inexpensive dowsing rods that really work.Yo…

Dowsing Rod Directions

How to Make Dowsing Rods 1.) Use two thin wire coat hangers. (Some people use just one dowsing rod for their investigations. I’ve tried that, and prefer to use two. I think they provide more accuracy and clearer results.)

2.) Cut them so – at the bend – you have one short side (at least 5″ long) and then the long side (the lower part of the coat hanger).

3.) Bend each dowsing rod so each is at a right angle, about a 90-degree angle, not the sharper angle you started with.

4.) Use your pliers to curl each dowsing rod’s longer side, so the pointed/cut end isn’t a hazard. (During “lights out” investigations, it can be far too easy to unintentionally jab or injure a fellow team member.)

The next step is optional. If you want to be sure you’re not influencing your dowsing rods, you have two choices:

Use a hard plastic straw – not the flimsy kind that come with fast food. Grocery stores usually sell them in the soft drink aisle. Cut it into two sections, each about 4″ (9 – 10 cm) long.
Or, get a metal tube (brass or copper can be ideal) that has an opening wider than the coat hanger wire. The tube should be narrow enough to support the dowsing rods, but let them swing freely, as well. (A DIY store may cut the tube for you. 4″ is a good length, or longer if your hands are large. You may also ask them to burnish the cut edges, so you don’t risk cuts.)

Whatever material you use, be sure it’s firm and won’t yield to pressure from your hand. That way, you won’t inadvertently influence the dowsing rods with your hands.

5.) Whether or not you’re using those added handles, the final step is to curl the lower (handle) end of each dowsing rod, for safety.

Note: If you’re using the optional handle protections, be sure each curled handle end is at least 1/2″ below the end of the straw or tube. Otherwise, contact between them could prevent the dowsing rods from swinging freely.

That’s it. You’ve made your first set of dowsing rods.

Use Dowsing Rods to Find Ghosts – How-to Tips

When you’re ghost hunting, dowsing rods can be very useful, especially at outdoor sites such as haunted cemeteries and battlefields. Many ghost hunters consider them essential ghost hunting equipment.

With simple, homemade dowsing rods, you can identify potentially “hot” (very active, haunted) areas.

You’re looking for the rods to swing to the right or left (pointing to a possibly haunted spot) or to cross (like an X) in front of you, suggesting you shouldn’t step forward.

Rods like these can also help you locate areas with false anomalies, by following energy lines the rods indicate. Those lines might be underground streams, water pipes, or buried electrical cables. (That’s especially true if the line is fairly straight and continues at least a dozen feet.)

If you don’t already own dowsing rods, you can find many different styles for around U.S. $20 at Amazon.com. I like the ones with rounded ends so, in the dark, you won’t accidentally jab someone. Here’s one reasonably priced set, similar to the ones I own: 99.9% Copper Dowsing Rods.

Or, you can make your dowsing rods at home. They’re fast and easy, and can even be free. All you’ll need are a couple of wire coat hangers and some tin snips (heavy wire cutters).

These rods can be a great addition to your ghost hunting gear. (I often bring a few extra sets to events, so other researchers can try using them… and keep them if they like.)

Or, you might consider using a homemade pendulum instead, or to confirm what the dowsing rods suggest.