Ghost Hunting Equipment and Information
Posts tagged ghost hunting tips
Different Types Of Hauntings
Feb 3rd
As a paranormal researcher you’re expected to be able to analyze and explain a situation such as a haunting. If someone calls on you asking for help due to unexplained events , they’ll have an expectation that you’ll be able to give them good information and help them understand what is happening.
Hauntings have been defined as “the repeated manifestation of strange and inexplicable sensory phenomena — smells, sounds, tactile sensations and hallucinations—said to be caused by ghosts or spirits attached to a certain locale.” The word haunt comes from the same root as the word home, a traditional haunting is said to be the former inhabitants of a home who perhaps died in there. Hauntings are not only confined to a location though, objects have also said to be haunted. From possessed dolls to cursed pianos there have been many strange reports of haunted objects.
In my opinion most reports of hauntings that are said to occur at a particular time, and on a particular day, are most usually false. A haunting generally does not follow any certain time pattern; this is one reason evidence of the paranormal can be difficult to come by. This is also why not everyone that visits a reportedly haunted location will experience anything paranormal. This is not to say that there are not locations where the frequency of haunting activity is higher.
The majority of a reported haunted activity is not visual, but instead involves occurrences such as unexplained noises, footsteps, voices, different odors (perfumes, cigar smoke,etc), or physical sensations such as feeling light headed or a tingling sensation.
Most paranormal investigators will be called to a private residence to investigate paranormal activity; there are several common types of haunts you may encounter
- Residual Hauntings
- Intelligent Hauntings
- Poltergeist Hauntings
Here are some easy ways to determine what type of haunting you are dealing with so you will know how to approach the situation.
Residual Hauntings
A residual haunting is a very common occurrence in the paranormal research field. The theory is that a residual haunting is an event from the past that is replaying itself. For example many people will report seeing a man/woman walking across a room and disappearing into a wall. Often what is discovered is that there used to be a door in that location, so what we are seeing is a moment in time that was somehow recorded and replaying.
There are several theories as to how this may occur. One speculation is that the minerals in ground of the location play a major role in this, for example quartz crystal is believed to have heightened properties when it comes to the storage of energy. A location that is built on land with a lot of quartz may have a higher probability of a haunting.
Many common reports of a residual haunting include sounds of unexplained footsteps, disembodied voices, and full body apparitions.
Intelligent Hauntings
An intelligent haunting occurs when a ghost or spirit appears to be interacting with people in a meaningful way. An intelligent haunting is a bit more rare than a residual, but they are reported quite often. An example of an intelligent haunting may be what people refer to as a visitation where one see’s and interacts with a deceased friend or family member.
Ways to identify this type of haunting include a person reporting to have a two way conversation with a spirit, objects being moved or hidden, or EVP”s that respond directly to questions.
Poltergeist Hauntings
Poltergeist is a German word meaning “noisy spirit”, and is by far the most rare type of haunting. This is very descriptive to what the reports of poltergeist activity have been. Poltergeist can be characterized by sometimes violent physical activity, the moving and stacking of objects, objects or people being levitated or thrown, or rapping and banging noises on doors and windows to name a few.
Often time’s poltergeist activity tends to focus around a particular individual, so it is not attached to a location. For this reason people experience poltergeist activity will try and move only to find the haunting continues. There is also a common theme among many reported poltergeist hauntings that the catalyst tends to be a teenage girl.
Take this knowledge with your when you start to investigate a location to determine which type of haunting yor are dealing with. The easiest to get mixed up are intelligent and residual, mostly because they exhibit much of the same reported activity. Further investigation might be needed in cases like this , so don’t feel like you have to give a definitive answer. Often times what you think going in is not at all what the situation turns out to be. Always have an open mind, you obviously do! Being as you’re a ghost hunter and all.
The Importance of Video in Ghost Hunting
Apr 7th
In today’s media heavy world video is among the most important evidence that a paranormal researcher can gather. There are generally several ways to collect video evidence while ghost hunting. Of course there is the more traditional camera method, which has been replaced predominantly with the digital cameras. Many ghost hunters still prefer older film cameras, but I have found that digital cameras work just as well and are becoming increasingly affordable. Not to mention the fact that you can literally store thousands of photos for future research.
Where things really start to get interesting is with motion video evidence. Much like the booming popularity of cameras and spirit photographs in the late 1800s, videos have also exploded in popularity due to sites such as YouTube, and really the Internet in general. I’m sure we have all noticed the increased popularity in ghost hunting, especially within the past five years. Besides the weekly shows such as Ghost Hunters, or Paranormal State there have also been a slew of documentaries that many cable networks have produced and air regularly.
Now it’s important to mention that there are several different methods of collecting video evidence many of which have only recently become affordable enough for amateur ghost hunters to use. The most widely available and ready to use of these is the IR cameras, cleverly disguised as a form of night vision on most brands. The interesting thing about video is the ability with our new technology to see different spectrum of light that until very recently we have not been able to see. One of these is the infrared spectrum which is all around us but we are unable to see with the naked eye. With modern technology we can record video in the infrared spectrum. Some paranormal researchers speculate that ghosts or spirits can be more readily seen in the IR spectrum.
A slightly more expensive luxury is using heat vision cameras to hunt for ghosts, this is based on the theory that spirits have a different heat signature than the environment and can be easily detected.These cameras pick up temperature fluctuations and displays them visually as different colors. You may have seen this method use frequently on the sci-fi channel television show Ghost Hunters where the two lead investigators have captured some of the most compelling evidence the show has offered.
This is the part that really makes sense to me if ghosts are said to be invisible, and we are unable to see them with our naked eye perhaps we are able to see them in a different spectrum of light that our eyes cannot see. This is a very exciting time in the paranormal research field where we are actually able to use this technology on a regular basis in our investigations where as before the technology was much too expensive for the average person.
Be sure to bookmark this site or subscribe to our RSS feed to catch the follow up where we go in to different ways to use video equipment during your ghost hunting investigation.
Preparing for Your First Ghost Hunt
Mar 20th
Everyone has to start somewhere right? When you’re considering taking that leap into the paranormal and starting your first ghost hunt there are a few things to consider. What are you hoping to accomplish?
This may seem like a rather odd question to ask yourself, but it’s important. Are you hoping to document paranormal activity? Do you really want to see a ghost? Are you trying to prove whether a particular location is haunted?
Maybe you’re just a skeptic and you’re either trying to disprove a reported haunting, or finally get that piece of evidence that will help you believe.
Depending on what the answer to these questions are you may have to prepare in different ways. Most people who are starting their first ghost hunt will want to have at least the basic ghost hunting equipment available to them.
The Bare Essentials Can Include
- A Camera
- An Audio Recorder for capturing EVP’s or disembodied voices
- An EMF Detector for documenting changes in the electromagnetic field
- A flashlight
- A pencil and paper for writing down your experiences
Finding A Location
Don’t forget to ask permission when investigating a location for paranormal activity. The last thing you want to worry about it getting in trouble for trespassing. Start small when first starting your ghost hunt. Focus on a friend or relatives house for example.
Graveyards are really not a good place to investigate, simply because the reports of paranormal activity are generally very low at these types of locations.
Once you have a few paranormal investigations under your belt you may want to inquire about local landmarks or public buildings. If you can present yourself as a professional you will have a much better chance of being given permission.
The important thing to know is that we all have to start somewhere. Take a little time and prepare. Be sure to read over our ghost hunting tips article before you go out as well. Most importantly, have a good time!
Ghost Hunting Locations – Paranormal Investigations and Haunted Locations
Mar 18th
So you want to start ghost hunting but you’re still confused as to where to start looking. Perhaps you’ve read some books, watched television shows and documentaries. You’re ready to start your own investigation, but exactly where do you begin? The Ghost Hunting Parablog has got you covered with a few nice tips to get your feet wet in paranormal investigation.
It may not have occurred to you, but when finding your first location to investigate you don’t need to look any further than your own house. Even if your house has never shown any signs of paranormal activity in the past this is an excellent opportunity to hone your ghost hunting skills. Once you have done a complete investigation, why not try asking other family members and friends to investigate their homes. When we see paranormal researchers like those in Ghost Hunters they make it look seamless the way they conduct their investigations, but this is the result of a lot of practice.
they make it look seamless the way they conduct their investigations, but this is the result of a lot of practice.You may find that investigating familiar locations on your own is a hassle, or maybe even a little spooky. Finding like minded individuals in your area that share your passion for ghost hunting is crucial in your continued success as a paranormal investigator. There’s an excellent online service called MeetUp that allows people to form offline groups, and use the site to manage meetings. This is an EXCELLENT place to find people in your area who are interested in the paranormal just like you. I was able to find a local paranormal group through this site and met other like minded individuals this way. Here’s a link that should get you started find other ghost hunters around you.
Once you have a few mock investigations under your belt you may want to consider doing some local research into known haunted locations in your area. There are several paranormal websites that catalog user submitted locations. One that helped me find a few good locations in my area is the shadowlands. Take note of locations in your area, you may have driven by them everyday and not even known there were reported hauntings.
Please be very aware that many places that have reported haunted activity in your area are private property. Contacting the owner or decision maker for the property to request permission to do an investigation is a must. I can not stress this enough so unless you want to spend the night in jail, and explain to a judge that you meant no harm and you were only looking for ghosts… cover your bases. Besides this is the absolute best way you will have access to people who can tell you about the history of the property, and also known activity for you to investigate.
To summarize
- Start small by investigating your own house and those of willing friends and family. Hone your skills and practice on your professionalism.
- Research haunted locations in your area via your favorite search engines.
- Find others in your area who are interested in ghost hunting, meet up and form a group to investigate local haunted sites.
- Establish a professional relationship with the owners of the property, this will ensure your reputation as a paranormal investigator is in the highest regards. Success in the ghost hunting field is not only measured by the evidence you bring in, but the networks and relationships you build along the way.
Now you have a newly formed paranormal investigation group, some haunted locations in your area with full permission to conduct your investigations. Happy Ghost Hunting!
Let us know what kind of tips you have for finding locations in your area, or share how you first started ghost hunting in the comments.
A Ghost Hunting Equipment Guide – What You Really Need to Know
Mar 18th
Today I was looking on Ebay to see what they had in the way of the paranormal. Besides the many haunted items, I came across an Ebay item that had me wondering. Do you really need all this stuff for ghost hunting? The item I saw was a silver briefcase with foam inside to keep your equipment from moving around.
Inside the briefcase was a Gauss Master EMF Meter, Electro Sensor EMF Meter, OSUN EMF Meter, Infra Red Motion Detector, Beam Break Alarm, Infra Red Thermometer with Laser Guidance, and Two Aluminum flashlights (With Batteries).
Sounds great to me, but what about the camera, the book on ghost hunting, the recorder for E.V.P.’s, pen, paper, compass, watch, laptop computer, flour, thread, and etc. etc. etc.
Again this sounds great to have, but you really don’t need all this stuff to do a ghost investigation. People can spend a lot of money because they think they have to or because someone told them “Hey you need this stuff or you are not a ghost hunter”. Well let me tell you a secret. You already have most of if not all your ghost hunting equipment with you. Your eyes, ears, nose, and touch. Throw in a flashlight, EMF Detector, and a camera which most people have and you are done. You don’t have to spend big bucks or go to a far away place to do a ghost investigation.
If you are new to the paranormal you and need some ideas on where to start check out how to start ghost hunting. Ghost hunting is still new to a lot of people and because of this no one has the right way to do a ghost investigation or what they will need for a ghost investigation. If there was truly a piece of equipment that worked the best for ghost hunting then trust me anyone and everyone who did ghost investigations would have it. But if you did not already know most ghost hunting equipment was not made to study ghost which means they were built for another purpose and or use. Here are a few examples:
Gauss Master EMF Meter measures AC magnetic fields (EMF) from computers and other appliances like your microwave.
Electro Sensor EMF Meter is used for cellular phone RF radiation measurement as well as an accurate single-axis EMF Extremely Low Frequency (ELF) Gauss meter.
Infra Red Thermometer with Laser Guidance is just a thermometer that takes the temperature of an area with a red light that shows you where you are pointing it at.
All this equipment sounds good when you hear it is for ghost hunting, but once you learn and study more about ghost hunting you will learn that the best equipment you have is yourself.
I hope this helps you understand better that ghost hunting should be something fun to do and not something you need to spend a lot of money on. Remember that ghost hunting should be a hobby and not a job.
Picture Yourself Ghost Hunting
Mar 17th
“Picture Yourself Ghost Hunting: Step-by-Step Instruction for Exploring Haunts and Finding Spirits, Spooks, and Specters” introduces novice paranormal explorers to the history, techniques, and equipment used in the search for proof of life after death, or simply, ghosts. Written like a field guide to ghost hunting, the book begins by examining what a ghost is, and isn’t, and presents a brief history of ghosts and the pioneers of the ghost hunting field. You’ll re (more…)
Unconventional Ghost Hunting Equipment – The ElectroStatic Generator
Mar 16th
One of the main theories regarding the manifestation of ghosts is that they draw power from their environment. This can show itself in different ways such as unexplained cold spots or battery drain for example. The common thread is energy, which acts as a catalyst for the spirit to manifest.
An electrostatic generator produces static electricity. Static electricity is a naturally occurring phenomena where electricity is produced at a high voltage and low continuous current. Within the ghost hunting field an electrostatic generator is used as a sort of power source that allow spirits to manifest themselves.
The theory is that when you produce these sparks you are producing energy and charging the nearby air with energy. Sounds simple right ?
I’m Fascinated, what do they look like?
There are several types and methods of electrostatic generators available. for the purposes of ghost hunting they smaller and more portable the better. I have used the hand crank models that besides making really pretty sparks, worked very well.
- The Wimshurst crank style electrostatic generator
When should I use an ElectroStatic generator on an investigation?
The best situation to use this kind of equipment would be when you have identified a location as having a possible Intelligent haunting. Some examples of this would be if there have been reports of full body apparitions, or reports of seeing shadowy figures.It would be a good idea to have video recording any session, as well as audio recording for possible EVP activity.
Still trying to picture what this would look like? Here is a video of a Wimshurst Machine crank style generator
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If you have any experience with using an electrostatic generator for ghost hunting leave a comment and share.
Follow the link for more information on the Wimshurst Machine Electrostatic Generator
Ghost Hunting Tips – Rules All Ghost Hunters Should Live By
Jun 19th
Hey everybody, hope your investigations are going well.
I’ve collected a lot of ghost hunting tips from different paranormal groups across the country, I’ve chosen some of the most important ones I’d like to share with you. Leave some more suggestions for any ghost hunting tips you would like to share in the comments.
All paranormal groups have rules, and even if you choose to just investigate with some friends you should set guidelines. For a list of paranormal groups across the country visit our paranormal group links. I’m building the list up as I discover new groups, so feel free to submit yours to be included.
Ghost Hunting Tips
- Never go ghost hunting solo. Groups of 2 or more are absolutely necessary, and besides you can always use your partner as a shield in case any particularly nasty spirits show up
- Always have a way to contact the other members of your team, and report your locations to each other regularly
- Keep very good track of your equipment, that is some valuable stuff. Bring a checklist and make sure you make notes about where you leave your equipment.
- Always have permission when investigating a location. This is a no brainier guys and gals, Unless you want to be spending the night in jail or worse getting a little up close time with the spirits you’re hunting call ahead and ask.
- You need to be well rested for an investigation. Ghost hunting involves using all your senses and being alert and aware of your surroundings. Most of the time you’ll be in the dark and sometimes in a unfamiliar location. So it goes to reason that you’d want to at the top of your game not only for your own safety, but to maintain the integrity of your evidence.
- Research your location. Investigating a location is only half of the battle, knowing the accurate history of a location is equally as important. A lot of times stories get passed around and embellished by each new person. This can put you off track and cause you to waste your valuable time chasing false leads.
- Conduct yourself in a professional manner at all times. When it comes to paranormal investigating your success weighs greatly on your reputation. Sure you can have a solid technique and be a very thorough investigator, but if you come off the wrong way to a client you can be sure they won’t recommend you to someone else who might need your help.
- Always look for alternate explanations. It’s very easy to get wrapped up in the moment when something paranormal happens. It’s human nature when something happens that surprises us our “fight or flight” response occurs. This is when we can get sloppy, or in a unprofessional way. Stay cool and level headed, remember you are a paranormal investigator you are driven to know the truth.
- Always have your essential items. These are things that you would not want to be tromping around the dark without. Think flashlight, appropriate clothing and footwear for the environment, snacks and water. These are things other than your ghost hunters toolkit.
Battery Drain Is A Drag
Jun 14th
Ghost Hunting Tips
Making sure your have spare batteries during a paranormal investigation is an incredibly important detail you do not want to overlook. One reason in particular for this is the phenomena known as battery drain. One of the predominant theories behind this is that spirits that attempt to manifest themselves draw energy from there surroundings.
This includes batteries for your ghost hunting equipment. It is not uncommon, and I have experienced this personally, that a digital camera reporting a fully charged battery will suddenly die leaving you scratching your head.
Remember, battery drain is a drag! So for the sake of either having to leave your investigation to buy more batteries, or having to stop it all together bring enough batteries to feed both the ghosts and your gear!
