INVESTIGATION EQUIPMENT & PROCEDURES:-

Electronic Thermometer:

Enables us to monitor temperature fluctuations far easier & take accurate readings which can easily be noted and analysed for any paranormal activity.

THEORY: The digital thermometer detects temperatures in Fahrenheit or Celsius.  In theory when a spirit/ghost starts to manifest, it will draw any energy around the area. In this case it takes in heat energy in the air causing a cold spot. In rare cases a hot spot may form.

HOW TO USE: The first thing you want to do is make sure the thermometer is set to Fahrenheit. Unravel the cord and probe to give you a more accurate reading.  Take a base reading to compare to your other readings later on. During the investigation, walk around & look for any differences in temperature. When the investigation is complete write down your temperature readings in the field report.

READINGS: A normal reading is usually a 5-degree difference from your base reading. A paranormal reading is usually a minimum of 10 degrees drop from your base reading. If you get a drop in temperature, the drop is called a cold spot. You may also get an increase in temperature, which would then be called a hot spot. Hot spots are rare but they do occur.

Digital Camera:

THEORY: In theory if you take a picture of a random area that has nothing there, when you look at the picture something shows up on your photo.

HOW TO USE: The digital camera has a much higher quality than the 35mm camera. While in the field take random pictures of an area, making sure you point the camera away from you, so you don’t capture your breath in the picture, because it may look like a mist. Besides taking pictures of just random areas you also want to take pictures when asking EVP questions, or if there is any activity on any of the equipment.

RANGE: The range of the Digital camera varies depending on what type of camera you are using and conditions.

READINGS: When analyzing the photographs you are looking for any type of anomalies in the photos that cannot be explained. When using a digital camera there will be many times that you get orbs in your photos. Because the digital camera is a higher quality than the 35mm camera it will pick up more objects in the air such as water vapor and dust particles. Some of the things you are looking for when analyzing photographs are: orbs, mists, streaks, apparitions, etc.

EMF Meter: 

THEORY: In theory, spirits/ghosts give off an electromagnetic field which can be picked up by an EMF meter.

HOW TO USE: The first thing you do is walk through the investigation site & find out if there is anything surrounding the area that could cause an electrical disturbance or throw off the meter. Upon arriving to the investigation site you must get a general base reading of your location. While walking around the site you must hold the meter steadily because too much movement could throw off the reading. If you get an unusual reading, study the area to try & figure out what could be causing it. When the investigation is over be sure to document your average reading & any unusual readings in the report.

RANGE: The range on this meter is 0mg to 5mg. The range from the meter to the active field is 0 – 6 feet.

READINGS: Readings on all EMF meters are in milligaus(mg). A normal reading occurs between 0mg to 1.5mg. Paranormal activity occurs at 1.5mg to 3.5mg. This meter will start to light up and beep when it reaches 1.5mg to warn you that you are in a high electro magnetic field. Paranormal activity may also cause the needle on the meter to have erratic movement.

Music Enticement:

 A simple procedure where a sound/tune is made to entice any spirits present to repeat the tune to reconise their presence. For example, someone could whistle a tune & then listen to see if the tune is whistled back by the spirit.

Base Line Tests:

 A preperation technique which may involve drawing a plan of the location, to mark on the plan sources of drafts, natural sources of electromagnetic fields (EMFs), temperature readings in each room & area in case of natural cold spots & even mark up creaking doors & floorboards, this enables you to dismiss natural occurances from possible paranormal ones.

Calling:

How responses are interpreted are solely down to the people witnessing it. Sceptics may be quick to dismiss taps as coincidence, so repeat requests for confirmation by asking for specific responses such as tap on a bell or a glass rather than at random, anywhere in the room. A response from a specific request as suggested is harder to dismiss.

Pendulum:

A pendulum can be used to answer simple questions. A pendulum is often a light chain with a stone or crystal attached to the bottom. The user pinches the end of the chain & lets the pendulum hang freely.

The user programs the pendulum by asking it to show which way it swings to mean yes, no and maybe.  Once this is established the user can then ask questions & the pendulum should respond, directed by the spirit, with yes, no & maybe answers.

Dowsing Rods:

THEORY: In theory, spirits/ghosts give off spiritual energy. Any energy that surrounds the dowsing rods will cause them to either cross or uncross

HOW TO USE: At the investigation site you should hold out the dowsing rods, one in each hand, very steadily. If they cross get someone with an EMF meter to confirm the reading. You may also start with them crossed & if they uncross check with and EMF meter as well.

RANGE: The range of dowsing rods to the active field is 0 – 2 feet. If a body of water is in the surrounding area than it can be up to a ¼ mile.

READINGS: It is considered paranormal activity when the rods cross. The more they cross the stronger the energy field is. The dowsing rods can be made up of wood, brass, or various types of metals. Dowsing rods made up of any kind of metal can pick up electro magnetic energy. Bodies of water such as rivers, lakes, streams and oceans can affect the wooden rods.

 There have been occasions where violent or sudden movements have occurred that have left the cause unexplainable such as rods spinning round or the pendulum being tugged out of the person’s hand. This is not definitive evidence of paranormal activity but it does warrant further investigation to see if it can be repeated and recorded

Ouija Board:

A ouija board is a flat surface printed with letters, numbers, & other symbols, The fingers of the participants are placed on the planchette. The spirit will push the planchette over a letter in order to spell out a message. In popular culture these boards are considered to be a spiritual gateway used to contact the dead, feared by a lot of people,  Some say the board attracts evil spirits & bad luck; others say if used properly they are fine.

Glass Divination:

This is similar to a Ouija Board except a glass is used as a planchette and there is no lettered board, just a smooth surface. A member of the group asks questions and the glass moves accordingly.

You can record your investigation as it is taking place and you may even be lucky enough to capture something unexplainable on your footage.

 Automatic Writing:

This is when a person takes a writing instrument and paper and allows a ‘spirit’ to control their hand in order to write or draw on the paper. The person should sit quietly and allow their mind to wander & not pay attention to the writing until it has ceased.

Examples of writing that I've seen range from scribble to articulate and neat writing that is claimed to be a completely different writing style to the person undertaking the experiment. Sometimes images are drawn instead of words, again with completely different levels of style, interpretability and method of drawing.

EVP Electronic Voice Phenomenon:

It is believed by some that the voice of a spirit can be captured on a recording device. In order for this to work, a person would ask a question out loud and leave their recording device on to capture what some people may perceive to be a response. Sometimes this response appears appropriate for the question; sometimes it seems completely random or indistinguishable.

Crystallomancy/Hydromancy/Catroptomancy Divination:

Divination are ancient scrying techniques dating as far back as Ancient Greece & it is used by those with psychic abilities to look into the future or the past.

Divination is when a person stares into a glass, window, water, a mirror, or any shiny, transparent or reflective object to induce self-hypnosis (crystal balls come under this method).

It is believed that by inducing self-hypnosis the person wishing to communicate is putting themselves on the same level as the spirits and are able to communicate or receive information directly to or from them. Some people believe they are opening a doorway that allows spirits to find it easier to reach the living by thinning the barriers between each plain.

Table tipping:

A group sits or stands around a table with their fingers lightly placed on the top. Someone requests that if a spirit is present to move the table in response to questions or tip it, raise it or shake it. Usually with this method of communication, that goes back to the 1800's, knocks and raps can be heard too, usualy from the table itself.

In order to prevent participant fraud as much as possible, place a light tablecloth on the table. This will indicate if anyone is forcing the table as opposed to letting it move freely. If there is a spare person or camcorder, have them monitor the event with the freedom to see under and around the table.

THEORY: The compass point is affected by magnetic fields. In theory, spirits/ghosts will give off electro magnetic fields. This can cause the needle to spin or point in the wrong direction. 

RANGE: The range of the compass is from your location to the magnetic north pole. Any magnetic fields surrounding the location may alter the direction the needle points in.

HOW TO USE: First know what direction normal North is. During the investigation pay close attention to which way the needle is pointing towards. When the investigation is complete write down the summary in the field report.

READINGS: A normal reading is always North. Possible paranormal activity is when the compass is reading the wrong direction or if it begins to spin or erratic movement.

 Seance: 

 A group sits in a circle or around a table, usually holding hands to form an unbroken chain or with hands flat on the table with hands touching their neighbour. Someone will call out for a spirit to make itself known. These are often conducted in low light conditions that is believed to help focus energy as well as add to the atmosphere of the room.

This is similar to Calling but the combined energies of the group are believed to make it easier for the spirit to communicate. The medium and group usually ask for protection before commencing to help fend off ‘evil or malevolent spirits’. The spirits are said to communicate via the caller and are sometimes sensed/seen to walk around the group and stop at particular people that interest it.

Ghost Hunters

• An actual, verifiable ghost
• A tested, proven method of getting rid of that ghost

What does exist are unexplained events that seem to have a paranormal origin. These events can be investigated, & many times the causes can be determined. Often, the ghosts are "busted" when the investigator discovers that it was really a poorly sealed window causing the cold draft or reflected car headlights causing the strange lights moving around a darkened room. So instead of ghost busters, they tend to prefer "paranormal investigators" or even "ghost hunters."

So what happens after Ghost Hunters arrive on location to investigate?? 

A paranormal investigator begins by sometimes researching the site ahead of time. This often takes the form of a list of the phenomena reported to occur at the haunting.

The first step upon reaching the investigation site is to speak with all the witnesses to the phenomena & find out exactly what they've experienced, if anything.. Often, the exact details reported by eyewitnesses are quite different from the legendary tales that surround a haunting.

They will then carry out their Baseline tests,after this they will discuss what procedures will be put into action throughout the night & start the first vigil. Throughout the investigation, notes should be made without fail...this is because most ghost hunters are mostly trying to document paranormal phenomena and possibly find explanations for them.

One thing they have to remember is NOT to go into an investigation with an unchanging, decisive idea -- that ghosts exist. This is because during the course of an investigation, they might interpret anything they find as evidence of an actual ghost. EVP recordings, cold spots or photographic anomalies all become additional ghostly phenomena, but the ghost hunters must first seriously consider other, more earthly solutions. otherwise they'll start with the answer they want to reach before they begin investigating.

 How To Photograph Ghosts

What hard evidence do people really want in believing in ghosts??

Photos and videos seem very popular as a source for believing to be paranormal, how can we determine what is believed to be the most dramatic evidence for the existence of the spirit world?

So many ghost hunting groups are so eager to point out their photos – they desperately want that hard evidence.So what is the successful way of photographing on paranormal investigations? Here are some HPGS ideas.

GO WHERE YOU SUSPECT IS HAUNTED - This seems like an obvious point, but how do we know where the spirits are? Well, at any given moment, we don't, really. They could be all around us!!  Many ghost hunters like to hang out in cemeteries with their cameras & recorders but we believe anywhere with history or which dates back to an earlier period has a good chance of being haunted.

EQUIPMENT - The type and quality of the photo equipment you use can be important. Most people are using digital cameras these days, and although you don’t need an expensive model, the higher the resolution the better. Cameras of low resolution can produce images with a lot of digital artifacts, especially in low light situations. This artifacting can produce elements in photos that might look

paranormal, but aren’t. (Even if they are paranormal, the blocky resolution makes them more difficult to confirm.)HPGS recommend using cameras of at least 5 megapixels of resolution.

WHAT TO SHOOT - Just take lots and lots of photos of the full surroundings. You never know after reviewing them what you might see.

HOW TO SHOOT - Set up your camcorder on a tripod and let them run unattended. You can also try this method with still cameras equipped with a function of snapping a picture on its own every few seconds. Make sure your fellow ghost hunters aren't creeping around this area very much.

WATCH WHAT YOU SHOOT - Avoid shooting into mirrors or other reflective surfaces, especially with a

flash. Flash reflections can result in too many questionable images that can be caused by smudges and dust on the reflective surface.Some researchers believe that ghost images are more readily caught in a reflective medium like a mirror. But if you do want to shoot into a mirror, do not use a flash. If there's not enough light available, put the camera on a tripod or other stable surface to avoid blurring.

DAY OR NIGHT? - The question which HPGS recently got asked: Should we use the flash at all? On investigations we tend to take photographs using both flash & non flash. The question below is a very good aspect to consider....Should we even be doing this research at night in the dark? This is when most ghost hunting groups conduct their research, but why? Watch any ghost hunting video & most not only conduct their research at night, but also switch off all the lights. Again, why? Because it's spookier? Is there any evidence or research to show that we are more likely to capture ghost photos, video or EVP in

the dark than in the middle of the day?In fact, the opposite might be true. So, ghost hunters, why don't we try that as well?

BE LUCKY - Many ghostly photos around the world appear to suggest photographers were not out trying to photograph ghosts. They were just taking pictures for some other purpose, and the ghosts happened to show up in the photos. In fact, that's how most great ghost experiences occur – when we least expect them and on their terms.

Ghost phenomena are fleeting and mercurial. We cannot control when they will happen or how. By definition, we cannot control our luck in capturing a ghost on camera or video. The best we can do is go where the ghosts are, be patient & be persistent. We may never get a photo of an apparition, but if we do, the effort will have been worthwhile.