EMF Equipment

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Tools of the Trade

The most important tool in any investigation is the investigator him/herself.  Ghost detection tools should not be used alone to determined if an haunting is genuine.  They are best used when combined with eyewitness accounts, monitoring the location and with other techniques.  There are many devices used by ghost hunters, some range from the most basic tool to the most complex and expensive.

Electromagnetic Field Detectors - Photography - Electronic Voice Phenomena (EVP) - Dowsing Rods - Laptop

The most important tool that an a Investigators needs is their brain.  When conducting and a investigation or reviewing the evidence.  You need to look at all possibilities.  Don't rule out events because it does not fit into our reality and at the same time do not jump ahead of yourself before having, and reviewing all of the facts.  Just because someone says that its haunted, does not mean it is haunted.

Electromagnet Field (EMF) Meters

There are so many different types of EMF meters on the market.  They are the most used items in a ghost hunters inventory.  These items are used to record and document disruptions in the electromagnetic field of a location. Just remember that these items are not designed to detect ghosts.  They were made to be used in the field of electronics and scientific research.  Most of the EMF meters on the market are designed to read in the 30 to 500 HZ range, the most common house hold fields are in the 60hz range.  So keep this in mind, just because you get a very high reading in a location and you do not see any power lines does not mean that you have a possible ghost.  We do not know if any paranormal event or ghosts are within this range.

The following are EMF meters that we have used in our investigations.  These are some of the most basic EMF meters on the market today.  I have also provided some information on settings that will help you in use these tools.

TRI-Field Meters

Tri-FIELD meters made by Alpha Lab are the best EMF meters on the market today.  Model 100xe is standard and is very sensitive.  More success has been made in our investigation when using this items than with any other.

This meter has several settings on it.  The main settings we use are the Magnetic (1-100 range) setting for indoors and either the Magnetic or Electric for outdoors.  While you are using this, you will be detecting background energy field in the 2-3 mG (milligauss) range on the scale.  This is normal.  What you want to watch for is sudden changes and fluctuations that are about this range.  When you see a fluctuation try to rule out any artificial interference, before looking at something paranormal.

Tri-FIELD Natural EM Meter

Another great item made by Alpha Lab.  This is one of the best meters we have used in our investigations.  Not only is it better than the 100xe model but when it comes to sensitivity and performance in a paranormal investigations this is the best.  This was made to do experiments on the energy levels of geomagnetic storms, including solar activity in the earth's ionosphere and the electrical activity or thunderstorms.

Warning I don't not recommend using this during very high solar flares or during thunderstorms.

The TriField Natural EM Meter detects changes in extremely weak static or natural electric and magnetic fields.  Since man-made AC electric and magnetic fields are very common and could interfere with readings of static fields, the meter has been designed to ignore the AC fields of power lines, appliances, etc.  The meter is sensitive to changes of as little as 0.5% of the strength of the Earth's magnetic field, and the tone will sound whether the field increases or decreases.  If the magnetic field then becomes stable for more than about five seconds, the tone will stop and the needle will return to zero.  The meter will remain at rest until the field changes again.  The threshold level or squelch, of the tone is adjustable.

When the dial is set to Electric, the meter is sensitive to electric fields as weak as 3 V/m (volts per meter).  To illustrate just how feeble a field this is a l0'xl0'xl0' room filled with a field of this strength has a total amount of energy equivalent to that required to lift a single grain of table salt 1/50th of an inch.  Indoors, electric fields typically fluctuate 1 or 2 V/m.  By setting the minimum sensitivity to change at 3 V/m, we have designed the meter to disregard this background noise.

This model has an Sum setting which combines the electric and magnetic fields of the location that is being investigated.  The meter will not differentiate between the two settings and the signal will change when either field changes.  We have found that the background readings are 2-3, so anything about that should be investigated.  Also look for spikes and large fluctuations, there are times when it will jump from 1.2-3.0 and drop down to 0.

There is also a radio/microwave setting which we use when doing EVPs.  We do not have much information on this setting.

Human beings and animals usually emit an electric field which is easily detectable using the Natural EM Meter.  In fact, the meter can be used as a motion-activated intruder alarm.  It is so sensitive that it can detect the presence of a person through a wall.  Though it is not foolproof in this capacity, sometimes a person will carry NO electric charge and thus be invisible to the meter.  It is this sensitivity that is of interest to researchers in the field of parapsychology, especially ghost hunters.  Every type of detectable physical manifestation requires a certain amount of energy.  For example, moving air requires the expenditure of a small amount of energy to get the air to move initially.

Below is a table showing several types of effects or fields emitted by people and objects.  It also shows the minimum amount of energy required (per cubic foot of air) to set up that effect or field so that it is stronger than typical indoor background noise for that effect or field.  Clearly the static electric field is the type that requires the least energy to be detectable.

Type of Energy Effect or Field

Using for Indoors Investigations

Care must be taken when you are using this as a hand held device.  When walking around, the needle will go wild until you stop moving.  We use all 3 setting during our investigation.  I would start off using the Magnetic setting.  In this setting, the meter will detect any changes in the natural magnetic field of the location.  The use of the Sum or the Electric setting is used when are measuring activity in an entire room.  To do this the meter must be stationary and the room sealed off, if possible, and viewed via video camera in a remote location.  If you have to view this while in the room, you must remain very, very still.  It will pick up any movement you make.  It is recommended that you use the tri-field 100xe meter with the natural meter.

Multidetector II Professional

This is a German made item.  It has a number of switches and a scale made of a series of colored green, yellow and red lights on the side.  To use this item put the first switch to the H (Magnetic) setting.  This is to measure the magnetic fields.  There is a E (Electrical) setting but we have had very little result on this setting.  This model (professional) has a frequency filter built in.  It has a High pass and a low pass function.  They detect above and below the 500Hz level.  We have tried several different levels and after talking to other ghost hunters who have use this, it is recommend using the x100 setting.  It is also great for using in dark locations as the LED lights and the audio signal make it very useful.

EMF Field Tester 200A

This meter in one of the best and most reliable of all the basic EMF meters on the market today.  It is well liked and well used by other paranormal investigators because of its easy to use and to read digital screen.  It has a on/off switch and gives you a constant reading of what activity you might be encountering.  This has a band with down to 30hz which is able to pick up lower range fields.  This model measures form 0.1 mG (milligauss) up to 199.9 mG.

Photography

35mm Camera

We still rely on the 35mm camera's.  The camera that we use are the Cannon AE1 model and several point and shoot cameras.  Even though there is a cost in using these camera and developing the film, it is still well worth it.  When it comes to film, I usually suggest the Kodak 400 ASA film.  Once in a while I will use a 800 speed film for very low light.

Types of film

• Color Film
  The most basic of photography for either daytime or nighttime investigations.  It's OK to use a 200 speed film during the day, but I have had very little results with this speed.  I would use the 400 speed all the time, especially at night.  The 400 speed is a small grain film, so making enlargements is not a problem and it is fast enough to use under low light conditions.  When using this film at night use a flash with you camera.  Also when you are taking photo's at night, remember that you will have a very limited range with you camera flash.
• Black and White Film
  We have used the black and white 400 speed film in our investigations with some good results.  We normally will shot the B&W indoors with a back light.  This type of film is good because it is more sensitive to ultraviolet light.
• Infrared Films
  This is one of the most difficult type of film to use during an investigation.  This film allows you to see in the infrared wave length.  It does not detect heat, but will allow you to see and photograph radiation. It will allow you to photograph one spectrum below thermal radiation.  To use this film you will need a special filters and the film must be kept refrigerated and must be loaded and unloaded in absolute darkness.  Most Automatic cameras cannot use this type of film because of an infrared sensor inside the camera to make sure that the film advances properly.

Digital Cameras

There are pro and cons in using this type of camera:

We do use both types of cameras during our investigation.  We will compare images from the 35mm and the digital camera, to see if we are getting the same results.

Video Cameras

This is a very valuable tool.  It can be used from recording the interviews, to recording areas that are to be haunted that can be reviewed later, or hooked up to a VCR for real time images.  The best type of camera to use is one with a night shot capability.

• Digital Infrared Camera
  Used to capture images invisible to the human eye.  Feeds to a computer where the infrared images are stored on a hard drive.
• Thermal-Imaging Digital Camera
  Records images of long-wavelength infrared radiation (i.e. heat), which is invisible to the human eye.  This allows the capture of images in even total darkness or through smoke or fog.

EVP Electronic Voice Phenomena

EVP is a way to communicate with spirits.  Researchers believe that the voices of the dead can be recorded and played back on magnetic audio tape.  It is the most modern way to communicate with the spirit world.  We use several types of equipment; analog (or tape) and digital recorders, both with external microphones.

Dowsing Rods

The art of dowsing has been around for centuries, perhaps even thousands of years.  It is the oldest form of divination known to man and has been used for a variety of different reasons, including searches for underground water, discovering the location of unmarked graves, determining the sex of unborn children and even locating ghosts.

How dowsing actually works remains a mystery, but it has proven to be uncannily accurate over the years.  Even the American Society of Dowsers admits that "the reasons the procedures work are entirely unknown."

The standard practice of dowsing is to search for underground water sources.  Many cities, counties and corporations keep a dowser on the payroll.  In most cases, a dowser searches an area with either a Y-shaped rod or two L-shaped rods in his hands.  He/she concentrates on what they are looking for and when they find the right spot, the rods will either bend downwards or cross over one another.  No one knows how this works, it simply does.

To use dowsing rods to find ghosts, most dowsers recommend using two L-shaped rods that have been made from brass or some lightweight metal.  Some dowsers even used metal coat hangers, so there is really no standard material.  The rods should be about two-foot long and bent into an L-shape, which fits into your hand.  Then, hold the short end of the rod so that the longer piece points outward, away from your body.  The rods should be held loosely so that they have room to swing easily back and forth.

After that, begin searching the building or location.  It has been suggested that it's possible by concentrating on what you are looking for you can find ghosts, anomalous energy and some say even dimensional portals using dowsing rods.  Walk about the location and follow where the rods lead you.  They are supposed to point in the direction of any energy they detect.  Once you have discovered the energy source, the rods will cross, signaling that the area in question has been found.

Laptop Computer

If you have one it can be a life saver.  When we are conducting our investigation, we will use this to record and review real time audio and video feed from our equipments.  We also have all of our forms on the laptop, so when we are doing our investigation and are in need of forms they are at our finger tips.

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