Guest writer MICKEY GOCOOL, the founder of North London Paranormal Investigations, talks about his five favourite ghost-hunting gadgets he loves and can’t do without…
Here is a list of my favourite five top pieces of ghost hunting equipment:
1. Infra Red Camera
My favourite bit of kit is my Sony High Definition infrared camera. The Sony cameras have amazing stereo microphones built in as well as an infrared illuminator, enabling the camera to record in total darkness. Couple this with an external Infrared illuminator and a rechargeable 12V Portable 6800mAh Li-ion Rechargeable Battery Pack and you will flood the whole area in front of the camera with infrared light, giving you amazing picture quality in zero or low light conditions. Add a wide angle lens, good for eliminating “orbs” and you are good to go. The build in 40GB Hard Disk Drive is enough for any investigation and makes downloading your footage easy with a USB cable direct to your PC.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qIsg0luqXig
2. Audio Recorders
Nowadays I tend to focus on communicating with “Spirits” using Digital Audio Recorders otherwise know as EVP Recorders or Voice Recorders. These are widely available and can be quite cheap. You could also pay several hundreds of pounds for a high-end model and naturally you get what you pay for so it’s worth considering spending a bit more so you have the latest drivers for your operating system when downloading audio to your PC. Some models have been discontinued and will not appear as a device on Windows 10. If you have an older operating system, then you are likely to bag a bargain online. I use some of my Digital Audio Recorders in static positions in the building I am investigating. I also have one with me to record EVP’s. I use an external mic and headphones so I can monitor what’s being recorded in real-time. I ask questions and listen back for any responses during the investigation. The really interesting “EVP’s” are usually found once the audio has been uploaded to my PC. I am fortunate to have a studio at home so I can apply different effects and filters to make the recording clearer as well as increase the volume.
3. EMF (Electro Magnetic Fields Detector)
EMF Detectors are believed to detect the energy of “ghosts”. The most popular being the K2 Meter as seen on many a Paranormal TV Show. They are handheld devices with five LEDs which light up according to the strength of the EMF detected. I don’t like the K2 because they are very sensitive and will react to any EMF source, e.g. Thermostats, mobile phones and radio waves. For this very reason, Ghost Hunting Events Companies love them and so do their paying guests.
At North London Paranormal Investigations we use EMF to detect Electro Magnetic Fields. These fields can be seemingly random but with some detective work, you can find the source or the field usually some electrical appliance, mains cables or even electrical junction boxes. Being subjected to high levels of EMF can produce hallucinations and “corner of the eye” phenomena. Each EMF detector operates at differing sensitivities, so we use four different makes and models so we can accurately pinpoint the source. Interestingly enough, we have established communications using the “one for yes, two for no” method with some notable results and under controlled conditions.
4. Mel Meter
A Mel Meter is a custom made Ghost hunting device made famous by an American TV Show “Ghost Adventures”. They come with EMF and temperature sensors displayed on a LCD backlit screen. Also, comes with an Infrared touch built in which is Infra Red Camera Friendly. We have several models on the team, my favourite being the one with the sudden temperature change detector.
5. Balloons
Balloons? Yes! Balloons are a great addition to your paranormal kit. If inflated and placed in a room, they can easily detect movement of air or drafts. They also make good “Static Electricity Detectors”. It is said that ghosts emit static. Tape down a series of balloons in the middle of a haunted hallway. If a ghost walks down the hallway, the balloons will react in sequence hopefully not toward you.
MICKEY GOCOOL is the founder of North London Paranormal Investigations, which is very active in and around the London area, researching reports of ghosts, hauntings and other phenomena. You can follow North London Paranormal Investigations on Facebook.
