Tag: paranormal investigation equipment

How to Become a Better Paranormal Investigator in 2022

Alex Matsuo2 Comments

2022 marks a new year, which means it’s all about new beginnings! One of the things you might be looking to do is to up your ghost hunting game. Becoming a paranormal investigator is a big decision. It’s a choice that takes up quite a lot of time and money, not to mention management on a multitude of levels, especially if you run a team. For many paranormal investigators, going on more investigations seems to always be on the list of things to do to become better. Field work is critical if you want to improve your investigation skills. Perhaps it includes going to that “bucket list” location, or trying new things at an old location. No matter where you are in your paranormal investigation journey, you’re always trying to better yourself.

I know this is one of my 2022 goals. So, here’s a list to help you (and me) learn how to become a better paranormal investigator this year!

Don’t Take Everything at Face Value

When you see someone post a photo, video, or audio clip of their evidence, don’t hesitate to ask questions. Ask the poster why they think it’s paranormal, and how they came to the conclusions they have. Just accepting someone’s posted data as legit paranormal phenomena isn’t necessarily helpful to the field. This is especially true if we find out that the data is a hoax. In a world where people are using filters, string, and other hoaxing methods, I usually go by the idea that if it’s too good to be true, it usually is. This doesn’t necessarily mean you have to debunk, but the more you ask questions, the more you will find yourself debunking.

Document More

Documenting experiences doesn’t have to be complicated. It can be as easy as writing down an incident with the date and time that it occurred. This is critical to do in the moment, even when you’re freaking out. After you’ve calmed down, you can further explore what happened and find out why it happened. Also, it helps build your credibility. Whether you’re writing down notes, taking photos, making notes of the weather changes, etc., document more of the surrounding events in your investigations and experiences. You might start noticing a pattern, or be better equipped at explaining an incident.

Research Something Different

We have your typical research areas of interest: history, psychic mediumship, and locations. Don’t be afraid to think outside of the box when it comes to research areas within the paranormal. For example, research the psychological effects of EVP, or audio pareidolia. Maybe even research the idea of time loops, adding performance to investigating, etc. Or, subscribe to a parapsychological research journal from the Rhine Research Center or the Association for the Scientific Study of Anomalous Phenomena. Thinking outside the box this year can really help expand your paranormal investigation methods and expertise.

Hold People Accountable

This is especially critical for people to do when they see someone willingly fake evidence. The growing trend on TikTok and YouTube is incredible “paranormal” events being captured thanks to fishing line, clever audio editing, and poorly performed reactions. This behavior continues because we are willing to stay silent. However, our silence is deafening, and we need to start holding creators accountable for their actions. See the fishing line? Call it out. A video of a door opening by itself too good to be true? Ask to see a different angle. Our singular voices aren’t doing much, but vocalizing as a group may make a bigger impact.

Collaborate with Someone Who Thinks Differently

This doesn’t mean you have to collaborate with a skeptic. Collaborating with someone with different approaches and ideas can help you really hone in on what you believe in the paranormal. I often enjoy talking to people who disagree with me because it gives me the opportunity to expand my mind and see what other people are thinking in the field. Being challenged is often a scary thing in this community, but I promise that it is one of the most valuable experiences you’ll have.

Think Like a Skeptic

You don’t have to be a skeptic to think like a skeptic. Even if you think skeptics are full of it, thinking like one can help you keep accountable in your investigation methods. Work backwards in your investigation and method of collecting evidence. What questions would a skeptic ask you about your experience? What gaps would be pointed out in your investigation? Thinking ahead on these points will help you become a better investigator as well as be able to offer better explanations when asked.

Be Aware of Your Biases

This one is a tough one. We all have biases, even skeptics. If a skeptic (or a cynic) goes into a location with a goal of debunking, it’s a bias. I often catch myself having a bias when I go into a haunted location. As someone who likes to do my research pre-investigation, I have to be aware of my own biases. I can’t assume that the spirit causing the activity is the one I read about online. Heck, I can’t assume that any activity is a spirit. I have to keep an open mind and proceed to try other methods of engagement to see. If I feel a cold spot, and I assume it’s a ghost I read about online, that’s a bias. This can be really counter-productive and even harmful.

Read What Others Are Doing

While it’s nice to stay in your own paranormal bubble, sometimes you have to see what others are doing. If we stayed in our own corners, we would never know about different ideas and methodologies of other people. Part of the reason why this field has stayed stagnant for so long is that we’re not willing to try new things and try what other people are doing. On the flip side, also share what you’re doing. Yes, peer review can be scary, but feedback is critical in this field and we need more of it in order to get better. Could you imagine if the Estes Method stayed within the circle of Karl Pfeiffer, Connor Randall, and Michelle Tate?

Take Classes

Finally, while controversial, take classes. There are lots of free resources online, as well as offerings for an annual membership fee. For example, ASSAP (Association for the Scientific Study of Anomalous Phenomena), offers weekly webinars for an annual fee of about $28. The Rhine Research Center also offers plenty of online events to learn more. Even classes you find on Udemy and other learning platforms can be beneficial. If you find out the class is bad, then you know what sort of quality to look for.

I’m forever a student and believe in the idea of never stop learning. As soon as we stop learning, we become stagnant. There are far too many people in the field who don’t find value in education and it honestly makes me sad. While it’s true that we will likely never be able to prove the existence of ghosts, we can learn other areas of the field. There’s photography, videography, audio, genealogy, folklore, just to name a few. If an investigator doesn’t find value in education, it’s a red flag. Don’t be a red flag.

Advocate for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

The paranormal community can be toxic and problematic, especially if you don’t fit into the acceptable dominant group of investigators.

There is a major disparity when it comes to paranormal entertainment. This is especially true for paranormal events where event runners are filling up their rosters with people who aren’t even involved in the field. There is a major absence in women, people of color, and members of the LGBTQIA+ community on television and paranormal events. Yes, it’s perfectly logical for event planners to fill their roster with a few TV folks. But there are prolific members of marginalized groups who are researching, creating content, and investigating that are being overlooked.

Also, the paranormal community needs to start listening to members of marginalized groups when they speak out. If they point out something that is problematic in the community, investigation methods, etc., we need to listen and see what we can do to make it better. Personally, I’ve met many BIPOC who have told me that they don’t feel safe in the paranormal community. That’s a huge issue.

We won’t get better, become more inclusive, and be a safer space unless we start listening. We’re not listening to marginalized groups, and that needs to stop. Not only do we need to listen, but we need to speak up when a marginalized group is getting oppressed all over again because ghost hunters want to ignore ethical boundaries.

What other things can you do to become a better paranormal investigator in 2022?

9 Things You Should Know About New Paranormal Investigators

Alex Matsuo

This blog is for my fellow veterans out there who been out in the paranormal world for years. We’ve learned the ropes and we have the field experience. Over the years, we’ve chiseled our skills and gained incredible knowledge and experience.

But there are always new paranormal investigators out there who don’t know better. When I’m on social media, I’m constantly sad to see that the next generation of the field is often humiliated for not knowing something. Or, they get blasted with someone being condescending towards them because they don’t know better. There’s a lot of gatekeeping in the paranormal community. Frankly, this needs to stop. We will start losing what makes the paranormal field great if we’re not cultivating the next generation.

So, here are nine things you should know about new paranormal investigators.

They Will Ask Obvious Questions

Yes, they may ask those obvious questions like, “How do I get an EMF meter” or “What apps should I use while ghost hunting?” Dare I say that some of us may think these are “stupid” questions? But we can’t be like this towards new people in the field. It will either turn them off to the field completely, or they will be so closed off that they won’t be open to learning anything new. We need to be respectful when addressing questions that may seem obvious to us. Not everyone has walked in our shoes.

They Have Experience

Before we start going off and saying that newbie paranormal investigators are lacking experience, they do have something to offer. They may have experience in something that you know nothing about. When I was first starting out in the field, I didn’t know much. But I was a working photographer and I knew photography. I was able to offer that much to the team I was working with at the time. Don’t assume that just because someone is new that they don’t have anything to offer.

They Have Untapped Skills & Abilities

While their ghost hunting skills may be developing, they may have skills in communicating with people. And…ghosts/spirits are people! They may also have psychic abilities that they are trying to harness. I like to these of these folks like bulls in a zero-gravity china shop trying to find their bearings while trying not to float away. These are the rockstars. All they need is for one of us to reach out our hands and bring them back down to the ground.

They Watched the TV Shows

Most of the new people I’ve worked with have watched paranormal reality shows. This means that their investigation technique will likely emulate what they saw on TV. It also means that their paranormal knowledge may have come from the television shows. And that’s okay! It is up to us to validate their knowledge and praise them for what they’re doing right and then redirect and guide where they still need support.

They Have Connections

I’ve always said that just because someone is new to the field, it doesn’t mean they don’t have connections. They may know someone who owns a haunted hotel, or they went to school with a famous ghost hunter. I’ve basically used several bullet points to bring home the fact that new paranormal investigators have value and they have something to offer the world. This is especially true for the investigators that have been doing this for a while.

They Are Curious

Just as we are still curious about the paranormal, new investigators are just as curious as we are, if not more. They are navigating a new world and a new community. This means they will be asking a lot of questions. Some questions will be easy to answer while other questions may have you scratching your head. And it’s okay if you don’t have all the answers too! It doesn’t make you any less valid in your experience and skills.

They May Not Know Better

New people will make mistakes while investigating. It’s going to happen. Even the most seasoned investigator still makes misakes. But new people don’t know any better. They are still learning, finding their balance in this new world, and figuring out what style fits them best. It doesn’t mean they’re ignorant or less-intelligent. Just like you had on-the-job training when you started with a new job, new paranormal investigators are learning the ropes.

They Have a Fresh Perspective

To go along with a few previous points, new paranormal investigators are a fresh set of eyes on the current way we do things in the field. They are able to look at current methods and practices and offer their feedback. There may be something worth changing! Or there’s a glaring error in a certain investigative practice that we’ve never noticed because we are so set in our ways. New paranormal investigators give us the opportunity to change what we’ve been doing and make it better!

They Are Excited

Finally, new paranormal investigators are so excited to join the community! I will admit that I get desensitized sometimes and feel like that grumpy neighbor because I’ve been doing this for so long. It can be a little disheartening. But let me tell you, I love working with new paranormal investigators because they have this LIGHT about them. I get to see the paranormal world through their eyes, and their excitement is contagious. It is my duty to make sure that light keeps burning and I don’t do anything to snuff it out.

What do you appreciate about new investigators to the paranormal field?

12 Cool Tech Items for Your Ghost Hunting Kit

Alex Matsuo1 Comment

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

One of the most common questions I get is, “What kind of equipment should I buy? What do I need to start ghost hunting?” Truly, you could just use a notebook and pen to take notes. But if you want to take your ghost hunting to the next level, there are tech items you should consider buying. I do want to say that you don’t have to have every item on this list to be a “real” ghost hunter or paranormal investigator.

Also, I want to preface this by saying that none of these items are proven to detect ghosts or capture evidence of paranormal activity. Look at these pieces of equipment for monitoring changes in the environment. If there is weird stuff happening when the equipment is going off, then that’s something to further research and explore. Also, note that a lot of the “official” ghost hunting tech is made for entertainment purposes only. I also list the price so you can get an idea of how much you might be spending.

Also, just beware of any basic items that are rebranded to be a “ghost hunting” device. Sometimes, these products’ prices are inflated because the term “ghost hunt” is associated with it. You can probably find the exact same device for cheaper without the branding. I have had great experiences working with Ghost Stop when looking for my gear.

Laser Grid – $20

A laser grid not only looks cool, but it can also help detect mass. If there’s a hot spot where shadows have been seen, setting up a laser grid can help you determine whether said shadow has mass or not. Visual disturbances can happen in investigations. If the anomaly has mass, the green dots will be disturbed. Usually, these things do come with little tripods and a clamp so you don’t have to keep pressing the button. Also, set up a camera with it so you can capture that data. Laser grids tend to deplete battery life a bit faster, so have extras on hand to replace as needed. Not only does Ghost Stop carry them, but you can also find them on eBay.

Motion Sensor Lights – $22

Anything with a motion sensor is good to buy, especially lights. If there is any kind of movement happening, the lights will go off. These are effective to set up in a hallway or any other area with reported activity. A pack of six on Amazon is about $22, which isn’t bad. I highly recommend having a camera set up to watch the area, or be there physically to watch so you can try to debunk and/or engage should anything happen.

Infrared Thermometer – $35

This nifty tool is a great thing to use to monitor temperature changes, which people often associate with a paranormal presence. You can use this to take baseline readings, find cold spots, hot spots, and see if your team member really is feeling a chill. If you want to amp up your thermometer experience or combine forces with EMF detection, Ghost Stop has something called the EDI (“Eddy”), which runs about $200. This is definitely on my wish list since it also does data logging as well as sense pressure and humidity.

Audio Recorder – $52

Technically, you could use the microphone feature on your phone as an audio recorder. But, I do recommend turning off your phone whenever possible so you don’t accidentally cause a false positive with your K2 meter. You can also buy cheaper audio recorders. Personally, I don’t go too cheap on my audio recorder because quality matters in this case, especially when you’re reviewing audio evidence. I use this Olympus recorder, and it suits my needs. But if you don’t want to spend $50+, a basic audio recorder will do you just fine when you’re first starting out. I know several in the paranormal community who upgrade their recorders to one of the Zoom devices, and they come with amazing microphones that are crystal clear. As you can see, it’s quite a bit more expensive.

K2 Meter – $60

By the way, don’t buy the orange ones like in the photo…they don’t work. Like, they don’t even function correctly in detecting EMF levels. After Ghost Hunters premiered in 2004, the demand for the K2 meter exploded. This item is used to detect electromagnetic fields, better known as EMF. This is a real thing. Your smartphone, your computer, your TV, your kitchen appliances…all emit EMF waves. There is also such a thing as EMF poisoning that can cause one to have hallucinations similar to paranormal experiences. These devices were originally manufactured for detecting harmful EMF radiation from power lines and household appliances. Over the years, the paranormal community has come to believe that there is a link between ghosts and EMF since the activity is usually correlated with high EMF levels.

Camcorder – $69

Video data of your ghost hunting adventures can be very useful for you in many ways. The first is to relive your ghost hunt and review for audio and visual data, and the other is for multimedia purposes. If you want to create a video of your investigations, then you’ll want to have a few camcorders on hand. The first-person perspective will help the camera see what you’re seeing, like when you have a camcorder in your hand. You might also want to have a few stationary cameras in reported hot spots. Since you’ll probably be in the dark sometimes, you may want to consider a camcorder that comes with night vision or infrared. You can certainly use your phone, but it will be limited on storage space. If you want crystal clear clarity in 4K, then you’ll probably have to spend more in the $150 range.

PSB-7 or PSB-11 Spirit Box – $70-$130

Not an actual spirit box…I just liked the photo.

Ah, the controversial spirit box, also known as the ghost box. This is a tool that ghost hunters will use to try to listen for spirit voices while the device sweeps through radio stations. While this isn’t proven to speak to ghosts, it’s used by both believers and skeptics alike (for experimental purposes). I have a few team members with both of these devices, while I’m old school and use a “Shack Hack” radio. You could say it was one of the first spirit boxes made from an old radio from Radio Shack. Ghost Stop has a bunch of different rigs for spirit boxes that include teddy bears and hybrids of spirit boxes, EMF readers, and recorders.

Mel Meter – $100

Image from Gary Galka’s Twitter

The Mel Meter was invented by Gary Galka after the tragic passing of his daughter, Melissa. He named the Mel Meter after Melissa, and it’s one of the most popular pieces of ghost hunting equipment out there. A Mel Meter measures temperature and EMF “bursts” that is said to happen when there is paranormal activity. This piece of equipment has evolved over the years and now there are Mel Meters out there that come with REM-Pod-like features and more advanced temperature detection.

Surveillance Camera System – $170

This is a great tool to use if you’re able to set up shop for several hours. We use these for our residential cases as well as spaces we’ve reserved for all night. It does take some time to set up (you’ll need the help of multiple people, FYI), but it will give you the ability to have eyes on multiple places on the property without using your camcorders. I do suggest having someone watching the monitor, which you can arrange in shifts.

REM Pod – $190

Image: Ghost Stop

Basically, a REM-Pod goes off when someone is close to the antennae. I’ll be the first to admit that I haven’t seen a REM-Pod go off very often, but when it does, there are various things happening as well like EMF spikes and my mediums will sense something is near. According to the description, the antennae radiates its own magnetic field and can be easily influenced by people or objects that conduct electricity. If you want to see the REM-Pod in action, check out this video from my team’s YouTube channel.

DSLR Camera – $300+

This is one piece of equipment that you’ll have to spend more money on if you want quality. DSLR is short for, “digital single-lens reflex camera.” I highly HIGHLY recommend using a DSLR if you’re going to be taking pictures during your ghost hunt. Do you know those grainy photos showing “orbs” when they’re all close-up? There’s tons of pixelation in these photos, which results in a phenomenon called pareidolia, which means that our brains are trying to make patterns from these pixels and that’s why you think you see a face. A DSLR won’t completely solve this issue, but the pixels and quality of your photos will be so much better and you’ll be able to zoom into weird anomalies without the pixelation.

Thermal Imaging Camera – $200-$1200

While this may be the most expensive, I personally think this is the neatest tool for ghost hunting. While this is used by builders, contractors, hunters, etc. in the average world, this has become a favorite in the ghost hunting community because people are catching fascinating anomalies with these thermal imaging cameras. FLIR is the most popular brand, and we have personal experience using their cameras and they are truly fantastic. An average FLIR camera will cost you around the $300 range and higher. FLIR does make attachable cameras for Android and IOS too. As you can see, you can get FLIR cameras on Amazon. Ghost Stop also has a selection as they are an authorized FLIR distributor.

Honorable Mentions

Ovilus – $399+

I will forever be skeptical of the Ovilus. I also am not a fan of the price tag given the usability of the device. It’s a popular device with ghost hunters. The word bank is a bit problematic for me since it is pre-programmed. I will admit that I’ve had interesting results using the Ovilus III in reverse phonetic mode, which I think is important to note. We didn’t have a word bank coming at us, and instead, had sounds come out. Does this leave room for pareidolia and the power of suggestion? You bet. Just proceed with caution.

Motion Sensor Alarm – $30+

I put this in the honorable mentions because this can end up being a problematic device because it’s noisy. I do like the indoor versions since they have a chime instead of a loud alarm. The one that Ghost Stop offers also has different sound choices too. They are worth purchasing, especially if there is reported movement in certain areas and it can let you know of different disturbances in the area.

Final Thoughts

All of these items will be useless to you if you don’t know how they work. When you receive your equipment, read the instruction manual, go to online communities and ask questions, learn as much as you can. Learn how the device works, and learn what makes it go off. This will better equip you in your evidence review and you’ll be able to separate what isn’t paranormal, and what is a true anomaly. When it comes to cameras and camcorders, this is especially true.

What do you have in your ghost hunting bag?