Q:What sort of equipment is used in ghost hunting?

A: It depends on your budget and the way one would like to observe paranormal activity.
The most important thing is your senses. Smell, sight, touch, hearing and your instincts. There is no real experience without your own personal observations. Some of us are more sensitive than others.
Below is a list of equipment we use and also some optional gadgets.

• Notebook
  

This is obvious, to record anything that you think is important, date, time, temperature, location,the way you feel, research and anything else found. Details that seem unimportant at the time can also explain a lot about the nature of the haunting later when you might have more information. Like little pieces of a jigsaw puzzle it will serve you well to "complete the picture".

• Flashlight

Most of the observation takes place at night. Yes, hauntings happen during the day too but most spiritual activity happen at night. It is also the time when we are more sensitive, our senses adjust to the dark and our hearing, sight and sense of smell peaks. At night some of the sounds are more audible without noise pollution and can observe a haunting without the energies of others being around. Flashlights are handy so you don't trip over anything.

• Watch

To make note of the time and duration of the haunting. We use a swiss "Windmaster" that is an altitude meter, thermometer. barometer, wind speed and direction meter, hydrometer, watch and timer in one. We will explain later what these other observations are for.

• Blacklight

This is an optional forensic tool, we use the UV scanner to detect anything on a surface that has been altered or stained. For example in one of our investigations we observed a room that was reputedly haunted by a man who accidentally shot himself. The original surface of the wall, the antique wardrobe and the wooden floorboard were cleaned and repainted. To validate this story we used the blacklight in the dark and what was invisible to the naked eye became clear under the UV light. In this case splatter marks on the floor, wall and the door and side of the wardrobe where the accident happened.

• Infrared flashlight

Invisible to us, IR light is less intrusive but illuminates the area it is pointed at.

• Night vision binoculars

To observe from a still position or afar without using a torch or other intrusive light source.

• Spirit wind chime "ghost catcher"
  

These chimes are precision tuned and made sensitive to the slightest wind movement that is caused by hauntings. It has to be kept away from other wind sources such as front of open windows, doors etc. This equipment is not necessarily used as an alarm but to find out more about the nature of the haunting for creating a profile. As we said...little things can matter.

• Small wind chimes

To indicate movement of a ghost or spirit, a number of these can be hanged around an area to be investigated and kept away from direct wind source.

• Talcum powder

To detect footprints or hand prints. Yep, they can happen.

• Thermal imaging scope

Ummm... these starting around A$12000 so we cannot say we have the luxury of having one but if you are deadly serious about ghost hunting (no punt intended) this is a gadget to behold. Practically this little toy can enable you to see the cold and hot spots that your thermometer indicates. This can also be used in search and rescue.

• Thermometer

The best available on the market is a non contact IR thermometer with memory, alarm and a laser pointer. Originally an engineering tool these clever gadgets can measure temperatures between -20 and 500 degrees from a safe distance. You point the laser where you want the reading from and it enables you to save the data. It alerts you when the temperature changes.

• Hydrometer

It enables you to see changes in humidity. Some hauntings but especially elemental activity can change the atmosphere or it only happens under certain conditions. Any instrument that records atmospheric changes such as temperature, wind speed and direction, humidity,air ion count or barometric pressure can make profiling easier by identifying the entity or the environment it thrives in.

• EMF meter (Gauss meter)
  

An instrument to measure electro magnetic field, the type of energy accompanies paranormal activity. EMF is usually present when temperature drop is detected in the location observed and most commonly before or during manifestation. The reason for the temperature drop is the ghost's or spirit's need for energy that is now taken from the atmosphere.So instead of energy producing or keeping up heat around us it is "feeding" a haunting.
The best product to use is a "tri-field meter" that can also indicate other sources of EMF such us a leaking microwave oven or a computer monitor and narrowing the causes.
Of course a simple Gauss meter can be used accurately if you learn to identify or avoid other sources of EMF for example power lines, working mobile phones nearby, close proximity of other electrical equipment etc. We recommend to practice by taking readings near these other sources at the scene of investigation and see under neutral conditions what distance you have to keep without your reading being affected.
Below is a table of different Gauss readings as recorded in the US in 1997. This serves as an indication only about how other equipment can affect a reading.

MILLIGAUSS (mG) at 1 foot at 3 feet

Aquarium pump 0.35-18.21 0.01-1.17

Band saw 0.51-14.24 0.05-0.75

Can opener 7.19-163.02 1.30-6.44

Clock 0.34-13.18 0.03-0.68

Clothes iron 1.66-2.93 0.25-0.37

Coffee machine 0.09-7.30 0-0.61

Computer monitor 0.20-134.7 0.01-9.37

Copier 0.05-18.38 0-2.39

Desktop light 32.81 1.21

Dishwasher 4.98-8.91 0.84-1.63

Drill press 0.21-33.33 0.03-8.35

Fax machine 0.16 0.03

Food processor 6.19 0.35

Garbage disposal 2.72-7.79 0.19-1.51

Microwave oven 0.59-54.33 0.11-4.66

Mixer 0.49-41.21 0.09-3.93

Portable heater 0.11-19.60 0-1.38

Printer 0.74-43.11 0.18-2.45

Portable fan 0.04-85.64 0.03-3.12

Radio 0.43-4.07 0.03-0.98

range 0.60-35.93 0.05-2.83

Refrigerator 0.12-2.99 0.01-0.60

Scanner 2.18-26.91 0.09-3.48

Sewing machine 3.79-7.70 0.35-0.45

Tape player 0.13-6.01 0.01-1.66

Television 1.80-12.99 0.07-1.11

Toaster 0.29-4.63 0.01-0.47

Vacuum cleaner 7.06-22.62 0.51-1.28

VCR 0.19-4.63 0.01-0.41

Vending machine 0.46-5.05 0.02-0.59

• Voice activated digital voice recorder

This we usually set up in the area to be observed overnight and left undisturbed until the morning. It saves us from scanning through hours of useless silence or missing something in the background. We have to make sure there are no other sources of noise that can trigger the recording. You can also have some interesting "snore segments" recorded if staying in the same room where you set up the equipment and of course it can be even more fun if you talk in your sleep. On a more serious note, this equipment is used to collect EVP (electric voice phenomena) or any evidence such as footsteps, knocks or noise that cannot be caused by anyone or anything else. It is a good idea to invest in an EVP microphone that is super sensitive.
We also use the voice recorder sometimes when collecting folklore and interviewing locals. There are so many things you might find interesting later when listening to these but did not catch your attention at the time. We use a digital recorder that is USB compatible so we can transfer files from it onto the computer for analysis or storage.

• EVP software

Highly recommend "Audacity" for analysing any EVP. It also has recording feature if you use a laptop and enables you to slow down speed up or edit any recordings or if you really game... play it backwards.

• Digital camera

Minimum 4 MP resolution camera that can be used to take photos before during and after EMF reading while investigating an area. The higher the resolution the better the results are especially when you have to zoom into orbs and see wheter they are pollen, dust, moisture or light orbs or a "bona fide" genuine energy orb with nucleus or yep...sometimes a figure. A digital camera can also give you the great advantage of being able to store photos on the computer or making them available for research while in transit if you have a laptop.

• Laptop computer

To have a "mobile lab" to analyze EVP, images etc. Also it can be used to hook up to overnight monitoring equipment such us IR cams or video cams, security monitoring etc. It can also enable you to do research on a new location, send or ask for information while gallivanting around the land of paranormal. Excellent if you are doing night "steak out" or away for a longer period.

• Night vision digital camera

Sounds morbid but we opted for an IR (Infrared) 6MP camera that is originally designed for deer hunting at night. The principles are the same. Seek them out in the dark and record it.

• Motion detect wireless IR night vision camera with recorder and receiver

This set up is your friend if you have a laptop computer and would love to have a good night sleep in a secure and safe area while monitoring a location for activity. Set up the camera or cameras and they will be activated upon movement while recording files (up to 10 seconds each) onto your SD card or internal memory. Our set up has two weatherproof IR cameras with 15 meters viewing range in the dark.

• Compass

Not only showing directions for profiling but can also be used as a dowsing tool to detect activity.

• Protection

Not only common sense and a great deal of respect but here we also have to mention some things that can be disputed by many as being effective or not. If you browse through this FAQ section you will find reference to the cross or other things that can keep you safe. One can argue as to what kind of protection works for each entity or event but the most important thing is what YOU believe in.
First of all we stay away if we feel vulnerable, sick, uneasy or scared (yep.. don't be surprised, sometimes fear is a healthy thing)
No matter how invincible you may feel you have to have something other than a car fueled and in a getaway position to back you up mentally and spiritually. I suggest you do a little research on this subject but personally in our travel we keep an amethyst, the cross, Christian literature(eg Bible or Roman Rituals) and old folk wisdom reference, smudge sticks and a good spirit with us.
We never take with us pictures of loved ones, untrained "bystanders", drugs or pregnant ladies, the sick or the very skeptic.We do not wear strong perfume if any at all, do not wear jewelery unless they are stones or significant to us. We do not eat or drink alcohol on location while investigating but trying to blend in as much as possible.

Q: What if a haunting is not around while someone investigating? Does it mean its not haunted?

A: Depends.... There are reasons at times that people can claim a house to be haunted
While most of the claims are genuine there are some who would exaggerate to boost tourism to a facility or to get a higher price for a house (yep...haunted houses are back in fashion)
Also we may come across a practical joker or two or they simply just mistaken.
However keep in mind that some hauntings are particular to certain phases of the moon, only happen at night, at certain dates or anniversaries of events or in the case of some ghostly "recordings" the energy simply fades away. Some people believe that dates such us Friday the 13th or blue moons would make a good date with a ghost or two, waiting for them to surely appear.
We have to separate some myths from folk knowledge and parapsychology, in this case Friday the 13th is more important to us than to spirits or ghostly events due to movies or superstition but it has no significant influence on energies. It is interesting however that Halloween (Samhain in pagan practice, All Hallows' Eve in Catholic festivals or the Day of the Dead in certain traditions) was chosen to be 31st October/1st November as they have observed unusually strong spirit and ghost activity on these days.
It is better to follow a Moon calendar to chose the right date. Spring and Autumn Equinox, Winter and Summer Solstice are special dates because of their influence on our surroundings , animals and of course energies.
There are also ways of "recharging" a haunting, be it by accident or purposely, although we strongly advice against the later. The laws of magic states that similar energies attract each other and since ghosts and spirits are energies it is possible that a certain smell, similar event, music, a particular person's presence that has similar energies to those departed, an item belonging to them being displayed or present, them being remembered or mentioned regularly or simply going through the same emotions as they did can feed a haunting with new energies. There is also something interesting about a place being renovated where the haunting used to be that can cause an increased activity. In the case of elementals and certain spirits disturbing of the landscape can have consequences. Such beliefs are found in the traditions of the Incas, Mayas, Aztecs, Australian Aboriginal culture etc.
Of course this works the other way around and sometimes there is something about the people visiting the place than can cause ghosts and spirits to be avoiding the place for the occasion.
It is useful to keep a diary of events recording everything you feel, see or hear and eyewitnesses are always handy although we understand that in cases they are hard to find.