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:
1. 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.
2. Apparitions: Some spirits appear as barely visible forms,
while some become as solid and normal looking as a living
person.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. Physical Sensations - Some ghost hunters have been
touched, pinched, slapped, had their hair pulled, been
scratched or even bitten by invisible entities.
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. 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.
1. 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
noises of the recorders 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. 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 publishers website: http://www.rb59.com/ghosth
By Robert W. Benjamin
Copyright © 2005
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