Ghost Gear Book 3.1

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Equipping Your Ghost Hunting Group – Without Going Broke! ________________________________________________________________________

Everything you’ll ever need to know about how to get twice as much gear for half as much money!!

By Chris Tanner of the Central Ohio Paranormal Society

Copyright 2007 and beyond, Chris Tanner – All Rights Reserved

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Table of Contents Table of Contents ………………………………………………………….. 2 Introduction ………………………………………………………………... 5

PART I: Before You Start ………………………………………………. 7 Something to ask yourself first………………………… first………………………………………….. ……………….. 8 Some common mistakes that new people make…………………………. 9 Types of ghost hunting gear ………………………………… ……………………………………………..11 …………..11 Gear that produces evidence …………………………………… ……………………………………………. ………. 11 Gear that monitors the environment ……………………………………..12 ……………………………………..12 Necessary Accessories ……………………………………… …………………………………………………..13 …………..13 Do’s and Don’ts ………………………………………………………... 15

PART II: Finding What You Need ……………………………………. 17 Two all-important questions …………………………………………... …………………………………………... 18 Gather what you already have ………………………………………… ………………………………………….. 19 Go get the free stuff …………………………………………… ……………………………………………………. ………. 21 Create your wish list …………………………………………………… 23 One small example, two lessons learned ………………………………. ………………………………. 24 How to find the cool stuff without knowing what it is yet …………….. 25 Setting up your online search tools ……………………………………. ……………………………………. 26 The places I look first, firs t, when I’m not sure where to look ………………28 Some recommended sites for browsing ……………………………….. ……………………………….. 29 A few other rocks to look under while online ………………………….31 ………………………….31 10 keys to finding what you want, for a price you want to pay ………..33 1) Know all the model numbers ………………………………………..33 ………………………………………..33 2) Get it without all the parts ………………………………………… ………………………………………….. .. 33 3) Never, ever get the current model………………………………… model……………………………………34 …34 4) Refurbished / scratch and dent items……........................................... items……........................................... 35 5) Open box returns / outlet store …………………………………… ……………………………………... ... 36 6) Made in China ……………………………………………………… 36


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7) Used on ebay, misspellings, and odd end-times …………………… 38 8) WTB (want to buy) flyers and emails ……………………………… ……………………………… 39 9) “Friends with benefits” …………………………………………….. …………………………………………….. 40 10) Seasonal Deals ………………………………………………………41 PART III: Equipment Recommendations………………………...….. 43 Making your own gear innovations …………………………………… …………………………………… 47 My latest Innovation ……………………………………………………47

1. Detection Devices ……………………………………………………. 48 A/C EMF Meter / Detector …………………………………………… ……………………………………………..48 ..48 DC “Natural” EMF Meters ………………………………… ……………………………………………..50 …………..50 IR Thermometers ……………………………………………………….51 Thermocouple Thermometers ………………………………………… …………………………………………..52 ..52 The solution to saving money on both types of thermometers …………52 USB Temperature Logging Devices ………………………………… ……………………………………53 …53 IR motion detector alarms ………………………………………………54 ………………………………………………54 Portable Door Alarms ………………………………………………….. ………………………………………………….. 54 Laser Levels / Laser Line Generators ………………………………….. ………………………………….. 55 Thermal Imager ………………………………………………………… 55 Other “Old School” items used for detection ……………………………56 ……………………………56 Relative Humidity (RH) Meter ………………………………………….58 ………………………………………….58 Barometric Pressure Gauge …………………………………………….. …………………………………………….. 58 Carbon Dioxide / Carbon Monoxide Meters …………………………… …………………………… 59 Ion Counter ………………………………………………………………59

2. Audio Devices …………………………………………………………. 61 Analog Cassette…………………………………………………………. 61 Micro Cassette ………………………………………………………….. 63 Digital Voice Recorders …………………………………………………63 Laptop Computers ……………………………………………………….65 Solid State Recorders …………………………………… ……………………………………………………66 ………………66


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Others ……………………………………………………………………67 Microphones for Ghost Hunting ……………………………………… ………………………………………...67 ...67

3. Video Devices ………………………………………………………… 70 The good and the bad of the formats ……………………………………71 ……………………………………71 Hi8 ………………………………………………………………………71 Digital8 ………………………………………………………………….72 MiniDV………………………………………………………………….72 MiniDVD………………………………………………………………. 73 Hi-Definition, Hard Drive, and other new formats …………………..... 73 Security Cameras ………………………………………………………..74 Other Video Devices ………………………………………………….... 74 Live Viewing Gear: 13” TV’s………………………………… TV’s………………………………………...….74 ……...….74 Quad Processors ……………………………………………………...….75 Security Camera A/V cable on a cord reel …………………………...….76 …………………………...….76 Portable DVRs ………………………………………………………..…76 DVD Recorders …………………………………………………………77

4. A quick word about cameras and photographic gear ……………. 79 ..And if you STILL want a camera……………………………… camera……………………………………. ……. 80

Final Thoughts ………………………………………………………….. 81


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Introduction

Those who know me know me as a sort of “equipment guru” in some ghost hunting circles. I am, and always have been, a gadget freak. I love my toys (that’s no secret), so ghost hunting ended up being a good fit for me.

A few years ago, when T.A.P.S. aka, The Atlantic Paranormal Society (www.the-atlantic-paranormal-society.com) first became famous with their Ghost Hunters show on the Sci Fi channel, I began to frequent their internet forum, as that seemed to be the hot spot of the time.

Ghost Hunters (www.scifi.com/ghosthunters/ ) really thrust ghost hunting

into the “fad” hobby category. Where once there were not many ghost hunting teams out there, now there are hundreds throughout the United States. I found myself to be one of the more experienced people on the forums as I had been doing this for several years.

I soon found my niche as questions about equipment were posted at a machine-gun pace. “What is the best _____ to do this?” “Where can I get one of those ______?” etc. People were looking to the T.A.P.S. people for answers, but for good reason they weren’t available to answer these questions.

I had recently re-supplied myself, as I had taken some time off from ghost hunting. Working with a budget, I had to formulate some new strategies to finding what I needed for the least possible amount of money. I quickly began to accumulate a mass of tools, finding them in places people didn’t think to look, and I began to get really good at it.


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This led to my writing an article that became a fixture on the forum: “Chris’s tips for getting equipped…without going broke!” It quickly became very popular as a tool to help people just getting started. Many times I have been asked permission to re-post it on other forums and on other people’s websites.

While the article was good in my opinion, I knew I could vastly expand on it. I wanted to wait until I could bring enough information to the table to make it valuable to anyone reading it. That brings us here, to this eBook.

I have never been one to imitate what others do. I always try to discover my own methods to solving any problem, especially in the ghost hunting field. I have always felt that too many people teach themselves by imitating others, which leads to a cycle of copycat information. When it comes to equipment, too many people look what the other groups are using without putting any of their own thought into it. Often what they have doesn’t make sense, yet every new ghost hunter wants to run and buy an EMF detector first, not even thinking about whether it will serve them best.

My goal here is simple. I want to provide the tools and methods I use in equipping a ghost hunter. I’ll show you how to do it, and more importantly, WHY to do it that way. You’ll be better prepared to figure out what you need and how to get it without having to refer to other groups again. You’ll also be able to decide what you need and start ghost hunting as quickly as possible.

I hope this information helps you as much as it helped me, and gets what you need more easily than you thought.


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Part 1

Before you start…


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Something to Ask Yourself First

You may be a novice, or you may be a veteran but want to increase what you have. If you are just beginning ask yourself how serious are you about doing this before you go and spend a lot of money?

The truth of the matter is, a LOT of ghost hunting groups start out and then wither away within 6 months to a year. There are two reasons that I feel new groups often die off. The first is they have a hard time finding places to investigate. The second is they go on a few investigations, and nothing happens so they lose interest. Let’s face it, ghost story books and TV shows make ghost hunting seem exciting. Usually, that’s not the case so people go one a few investigations, and when nothing happens they get bored with it.

This is the main reason I suggest to new people that they start simple and then move up to the more expensive equipment as they become confident that this is something that they want to pursue further. The most important thing for new people to do is get out and start hunting. Don't worry about having an arsenal of gear. In the end, you would rather have an interesting paranormal experience with a simple tape recorder than no experience and a lot of money invested in equipment.

In summary, make absolutely sure that this hobby is something that you are serious about before you spend hundreds of dollars on it.


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Some common mistakes that new people make

Way back when I was a budding ghost hunter, I had just witnessed my first ghost investigation firsthand… because it took place in my own house (that's another story!). The group that arrived had a few instruments that seemed pretty cool. They had an infrared thermometer, a generation 1 night vision scope, and an EMF (Electro Magnetic Field) detector.

At that time of course, I had no way of knowing that a infrared thermometer with a distance to spot ratio of 1:1 was not a very effective tool for measuring ambient air temperature. I also did not realize that Generation 1 night vision was ill suited for paranormal investigation. I had no way of knowing that the AC EMF detector the investigators were using was not a good choice due to the wiring in the old house I lived in. but hey, it looked cool when they were using it!

In fact, the investigators that came to my house seemed to have had more money wrapped up in devices that were not going to produce any evidence for them rather than devices that would.

More often than not, when I see somebody on an internet forum that is just getting started in ghost hunting, one of the first things that they want to spend their money on is either an EMF meter, or an infrared thermometer. Both of these devices are what I would consider “luxury” tools that you do not actually need to perform a paranormal investigation.

I am sure there are many people who would disagree with me on that last point, but I would bet that if we were to look at other persons' websites they would have the same repetitive information that you find on hundreds of other websites.


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When I respond to people who are getting started and want EMF meters, and IR (Infra Red) Thermometers, I instead suggest that they go purchase a standard cassette tape recorder and a decent microphone. Why?

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These two items can be purchased for $25 or less (a much smaller investment).

If they decide not to pursue this hobby, these devices still have some practical use.

They actually produce evidence.

All too often people starting out want the flashier, more exotic devices, even though they do not suit them and their needs. Try not to make that mistake or to worry about what anybody else has. Just remember to make sure that the first things you purchase, are items that can produce evidence.

Another big mistake I have seen is purchasing ghost hunting tools from ghost hunting websites, which is essentially throwing away money. You can just as easily purchase your items from the same place that they got them from without the markup. More often than not I see items for sale on these ghost hunting websites that are not even ideally suited for ghost hunting!

“But how and I supposed to know what to purchase then?” you ask. Don’t worry about that just yet. Just read on.


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Types of Ghost Hunting Gear

If you've already researched this subject, I'm sure you have seen dozens of websites that list all of the supposed the tools you need. These lists are unoriginal at best. It's the same stuff you read on every website. I'm going to break this down a little differently. All of the equipment you'll need for ghost hunting will fall into one of three categories:

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Gear that produces evidence

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Gear that monitors the environment

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Necessary accessories

Gear that produces evidence

There are basically three types of evidence out there: audio, video, and photographic. Therefore, anything that produces this kind of evidence would fall into these categories.

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Video cameras

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Digital or film cameras

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Digital or analog sound recorders


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Obviously, there are many different types and styles of gear in each of these three categories. We will touch on that later. These are your most important categories, and the ones in which you should invest the most money. Remember the saying “you get what you pay for.” this is especially true when dealing with investigative equipment.

Gear that monitors the environment

This category contains many more devices. Depending on your personal style and how you want to conduct your investigations, you may want a few or many devices from this category.

The earlier mentioned EMF meters and IR Thermometers fall into this category. Here is a quick list of examples of this type of gear:

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EMF meter

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IR thermometer

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Thermocouple thermometer

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Anemometer

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Static electric detector

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DC field meter

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Passive infrared motion detectors


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RF meters

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Relative humidity meters

Again, I would categorize these items as “luxuries” and not “necessities.” Some people feel that the items on this list are must haves. I say if you can afford to invest in these items, great! But don't think you have to have them.

Necessary Accessories

You will find that more individual items fall in this category than any other. That might seem weird until you actually begin hunting. I call them necessary accessories, because, well, it's necessary that you have them!

Items in this category include:

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Tripods

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Extension cords

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Cases of spare batteries

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Protective cases for your equipment


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Spare, blank video and audio tapes

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3 prong adaptors

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Masking tape

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Notebooks and pens

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And much, much more!

As you can see, these are all things that you're going to need, and if you don't already have them, you're obviously going to have to go by them. Things in this category tend to be unexpected costs that surface once you begin hinting. Suddenly, you're forking out $80.00 for stuff to support OTHER equipment!

See it getting expensive? It might seem like a lot, but don't worry. Rounding up the tools you need doesn't have to be a bank breaking experience.

I will offer you some “Dos and Don’ts” when it comes to finding money to spend on your ghost hunting hobby.


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Dos •

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Put a little money aside each payday

Cut out money wasting habits (such as smoking) then take the money you would have spent on that bad habit and spend it on ghost hunting equipment instead

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Sell some stuff on eBay

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Use your good credit

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Act when you see a good deal

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Ask friends and family what items they may have lying around that they're not using

Work some overtime or get a second job. When I started ghost hunting I worked evenings at a restaurant as a server after my day job. Everything I made there was “play” money. In two months' time, I was able to purchase a whole bunch of new equipment

Put a donation link on your website

Think positive! Read a book on the "Law of attraction" (just make sure you understand that it requires action and the magic wish fairy won’t put things under your pillow). It will make a difference


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Don’ts

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Spend your rent money!

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Borrow from people

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Use payday loan places (the worst thing you could ever do!)

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Buy impulsively and pay too much

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Buy from a ghost hunter store

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Buy irrelevant items first

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Sell things you will regret losing later

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Get frustrated - it will take time!


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Part 2

Finding what you need Help for Beginners


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Before I show you how to get your gear at the best possible prices, you need to come up with an idea of what exactly it is you’re going to be looking for. The good news is nobody is starting with absolutely nothing. You already have something that you can use in your investigative kit. You just need to figure out what it is.

Two all-important questions

All too often, when people get started in a new hobby, they tend to want to let other people do their thinking for them. In other words, people ask, “what do I need to do” to those more experienced than them. The problem with this is there are way too many people in the ghost hunting field who do a lot of things that don't make sense, without even understanding why they're doing it.

This is the point where I believe the ghost hunting community can make a turn for the better. Instead of learning from other ghost hunters, I would prefer if you found your own way. All you need is the answers to these all important questions:

“What am I trying to accomplish?”

“What do I need to make that happen?”

These two questions have been the basis for how I personally do things when it comes to Ghost Investigation. I don't concern myself with what anybody else thinks about how it should be done. Sometimes, the answer is obvious, so it will be the same as what everybody else says. Other times, there are a lot more options that have yet to be discovered. I prefer to exercise my brain on the issue, and encourage you to do the same.


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I believe that new technology is slow to show up in the ghost hunting field because very few people are answering their own questions, and finding new solutions. If more people did this instead of looking at other people's websites, we would be much further along.

If I could emphasize one thing to you, it would be to THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX! If you think outside the box while answering your questions more solutions will come your way.

Gather what you already have

As you get started here, get yourself a pad of paper and a pen. Start by writing down all the useful things that you have in your possession. You might not think it, but there's a lot of stuff lying around your house that you can use. For instance:

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Get out that travel bag or suitcase you have in your closet that you don't use. This will be your starter case for collecting all your goods.

Everybody has a junk drawer, right? Go through it and pull out the bag of rubber bands, the masking tape, the electrical tape, the extra pens, the small flashlight, and the tape measure. Grab that butane lighter in there too. These are all odds and ends that can come in handy.

Got a big box of zip lock freezer bags? Grab them!

Go out to your garage. Find a set of small screwdrivers. Look for a few extension cords. That ball of string? Grab it. Utility knife? Grab it too.


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You’re writing all this down on your pad of paper, right?

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Now go look in your hallway closet. Grab that little first aid kit in there. That travel-sized baby powder bottle too. Hey! Here’s a pack of AA batteries! A few Night-lights as well. And a better flashlight.

There’s a biggie you’re missing that I know for a fact you have: your PC! (Otherwise you wouldn't be reading this!) Make sure write that down on your paper as well. Your PC is one of the biggest tools you’ll need, so you might as well include it. Got a laptop? Even Better!

Since you are looking at your computer, you might as well go ahead and set aside a package of blank disks for ghost hunting use.

Do you have a set of FRS/GMRS (The kind you find at Dept stores) walkie-talkies? If so, grab them.

Do you have a quality set of headphones? Those too, will come in useful.

So, do you see now what I mean about having more than you think? These are all things that fall into that “necessary accessories” category. You will find a lot of stuff like this at discount stores such as Big Lots (www.biglots.com).

Now let's not forget the big stuff that you may very well have as well.


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Do you have a digital camera? I would be surprised if you didn't. If so, mark it down.

Do you have a video camera? Sony is preferred, but another brand will suffice. If you have it, write it down

This might be a little less common, but if you have a tape recorder, micro-cassette recorder, or digital voice recorder, add that to the list. Most people end up having to get this one though

Do you have cases for your cameras or camcorders?

That wasn’t so bad, was it? You didn’t even know you had so many potential ghost hunting tools, did you? It feels good knowing that you are no longer starting at zero. You already have SOME stuff for your kit. So now you have a detailed list of all the items you currently have in your possession that can be used for ghost hunting. Hopefully, you already had some of the key items, like a Sony Camcorder. If not, go ahead and create your wish list.

Go get the free stuff!

Since we are collecting all the easy stuff right now, we might as well go online and get all the free stuff that is available to us there. There are many software applications that have potential use in ghost hunting. There’s some good free stuff too!

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Free Audio Analysis Software: Go to http://audacity.sourceforge.net/ and you can download a full-featured audio program. This is very useful for EVPs (Electronic Voice Phenomenon), especially if you


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don’t own any other software. Many ghost hunters start with this and graduate to something else later.

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Free Digital Image Analysis Software: Go to http://www.takenet.or.jp/~ryuuji/minisoft/exifread/english/ and you can download the latest version of EXIF Reader. This program allows you to read the embedded information in a digital picture, which is useful in determining if a photo has been tampered with, or for looking at what the camera settings were on that weird photo you got.

Ghost Weather Station: This software gives you real-time environmental data, such as weather, lunar phase, and geo-magnetic conditions….all considered to be pertinent to ghostly activity. Download Ghost Weather Station here: http://www.softpedia.com/get/Internet/Weather-Home/GhostWeather-Station.shtml.

Investigation Data Logging Software: First, note that this software is cheap, but not free. I personally have never used this software, but to those just starting out, some may find this useful. Go to http://www.rb59.com/ghosth/ to download the latest copy of this software. You can also make your own version of this if you happen to have MicroSoft Office and the Microsoft Access program, which is for creating databases. You can try it free here: http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/access/FX100487571033.aspx

Also, while not something I would consider completely free, many programs popular with ghost hunters will have a free trial version on their website. Adobe (one of my highest recommended software publishers) has an extreme abundance of useful programs for ghost hunters. Programs such as PhotoShop, Audition, Sound Booth, and Premiere (http://www.adobe.com/products/ ) are all good options from Adobe for someone serious about analyzing their evidence. This way, you can try it before you buy it.


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Create your Wishlist

Keep it simple. Open up an MS Word document and start listing the main tools you feel you need. This is help you keep track of all the stuff you’ll be searching for very soon. It may seem simple, but it will get detailed real quickly.

As you research different items you need, you will find some that catch your eye, or are recommended to you. Keep adding them to your Wish List. It is important to be as specific as possible and include the manufacturer's part number whenever possible. This will help tremendously with search results later on. For Example:

MY WISH LIST

Camcorder Sony TRV-260 (Digital 8) Sony DCR-HC30 (MiniDV)

Digital Voice Recorder Olympus VN-960PC Olympus VN-4100PC

MicroPhones Audio-Technical ATR-55 (shotgun Mic) Sony ECM-F8 (Omni-Dir Condenser Mic)


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Pretty simple, isn’t it? Just remember that having this specific info will give you many more returns on your internet searches s earches when looking for a deal. I cannot stress how important this is.

One small example, two lessons learned

I once bought a MiniDV camcorder on eBay. It was a great deal, because it did not come with the battery and the charger. How is THAT a good deal, you ask? Simple! First of all, because it did not come with the battery or the charger, NOBODY bid on it. Most people immediately think of the Sony Battery costing $65.00, and the charger is about $30.00, so they don’t think it’s a good deal, however I knew k new I could find a non-OEM replacement battery (with more power than the Sony one) for less than $15.00! AND I found the charger for less than $10.00. I paid $125.00 for a MiniDV camcorder that cost almost $400.00 in the store.

The tricky part was finding the specific A/V cable that went to it. For a long time, I couldn’t figure out what the manufacturer’s part number was. My searches were coming up blank. Then one day, I happened to stumble upon a page that had it. With that new information in hand, one quick q uick Froogle search immediately turned up DOZENS of those cables…for under $10.00.

You see, sometimes typing “Sony HC21 A/V Cable” just isn’t specific enough. Everyone that was selling it was listing it under its i ts manufacturer manufacturer part number, so without that crucial information…I information…I may have never found it!


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How to find the cool stuff…without stuff…without knowing what it is yet!

One thing that I continually stress to new Ghost Hunters is to go out and find new equipment, instead instead of just buying what what everybody else has. So how do I find it if I don't know exactly what it is I am looking for?

Let's say for instance, that I would like to find some sort of a new video tool. One of the most helpful things that I have done is to use Google to search s earch for the term “prosumer “prosumer video free catalog.” catalog.” "Prosumer" is some some made up word word I found that some places used to refer to mid to upper u pper range video equipment. Once I search for that term, the results r esults come back showing several companies that deal in that type of product, and offer a free catalog. I then go to that page, give them my address information, and sit back and wait.

Depending on who you requested a catalog from; you might get it in a week or so. The specific company that I found with that search term is B&H Photo (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/ ). ). This company just happens to be one of the largest suppliers of audio video and photo equipment out there! The catalog is a treasure trove of o f ghost hunting equipment. You can sit for a couple hours just browsing the catalog. I found an awful lot of things that would be good for ghost hunting that I never knew existed.

Another time I tried this, I came across the website for Professional Equipment (www.professionalequipment.com (www.professionalequipment.com). ). This turned out to be yet another treasure trove of ghost hunting equipment. This time, the catalog had all sorts of detection equipment up to and including those fancy thermal imaging cameras. It was in this catalog, that I found a little device called a “Temperature Data logger.” (http://www.professionalequipment.com/usb-temperature-data-logger-elusb-1/thermometer/ ) I had never seen one of these before, nor have I ever heard of any ghost hunting group using these. This little device, once programmed, can be placed in a room and will continuously sample air temps in predetermined


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segments of time. You could basically put in a room where people report feeling heavy cold spots, and leave it there all night. The next morning you simply take of the unit and plug it into your computer. co mputer. It then displays a graph showing the temperature fluctuations at what time they happened.

This device has obvious potential for use in ghost investigation. The only reason I ever found out that it existed was because I ordered a catalog just to look through it and see if there was any thing useful to me.

So if I happen to be surfing the Internet out of boredom, I try to remind myself every once in awhile to search for some new catalogs. You never know what new devices you might find.

Setting up your Online Search Tools

There are several things you can do a help make it easier to search for items online. First is to organize your favorites in Internet Explorer.

Whenever you find a good deal, save it in your favorites so you can find it later. If you click on the favorites function at the top of your screen and drop it down, it will give you the option to “organize favorites.”

When you click on organize favorites, you'll have the option to create new folders. I have a folder in my favorites simply titled “ghost stuff”. When I open that folder, I have created whole list of folders to help organize my finds. My list goes something like this:

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Audio/EVP gear


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Video gear

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Photographic gear

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Detection gear

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Accessories

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Useful software

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Information sites

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Search options

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Favorite stores

So obviously, anytime I find a good deal on a microphone I save it in the “Audio/EVP Gear.” 120’ A/V cables would go under “video gear”, and so on. This makes it incredibly easy to find what you are looking for later, rather than just put everything in a “ghost hunting” file.

The first thing I do when I see something I want is to input it into Google, and search it with Google Product Search, formerly known as Froogle (http://www.google.com/prdhp?tab=wf&ie=UTF-8 http://www.google.com/prdhp?tab=wf&ie=UTF-8). ). This is made much easier by installing the Google toolbar at top of my browser.

The Google Toolbar can be downloaded here: http://toolbar.google.com/T4/index_pack.html.. If you haven't already done http://toolbar.google.com/T4/index_pack.html this, I think you'll find it to be one of the more of useful things you've ever


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downloaded. With the Google toolbar in place, you won't have to navigate away from the page with the item you want to check on it. You can just copy the text and paste it in the toolbar at the top your page. On the left-hand side of the text box is a drop down button which allows you choose which function of Google you want to use, which allows you to search immediately into Google Product Search.

The places I check first, when I’m not sure where to look.

In my search options folder, I put all my favorite places for finding the things I need. Other than the obvious Google site that we've already covered, the few places I have the best luck with are:

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EBAY (www.ebay.com): You can’t get much more obvious than this. You can find some great deals on eBay, but you need to be careful. If you are one of the few people who are not yet eBay savvy, pick yourself up one of those “Ebay for Dummies” books. I've had several of them myself, and you can learn a lot from them. More on Ebay later.

Amazon.com (www.amazon.com): Amazon is the “Ying” to Ebay's “Yang.” This website has grown and grown over the last several years. When it started out it used to primarily be for books. Now you can find just about anything here, and I found some of my best, hard to find ghost gear deals on Amazon. Amazon offers a special membership called “Amazon Prime” which costs about $75.00 a year. This gives you FREE 2-day shipping on most of the items they offer, and 1-day shipping for a few dollars more. If you have the extra money to get this membership, it is highly worth it. Amazon has some very competitive prices, and you can find just about anything there.


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Google, Ebay, and Amazon are about all I ever need for most things. If I don’t find what I need at eBay or Amazon, then I’ll usually find someplace in Google Product Search. Always make sure you get several prices from various sites and compare them including the shipping costs. You can never go wrong this way.

Some recommended websites for browsing

Outside of Google, Amazon, and Ebay, there are many sites that I have found over time to have a lot to offer the internet shopping ghost hunter. Sometimes I will buy straight from the site, and sometimes I just search the sites to find what I want, then take that manufacturers information and input it into Google and the others for further price searching. Some of my most recommended websites for ghost hunters are:

Security Cameras Direct

If you are interested in video, digital video recorder systems, surveillance cameras, or anything having to do with video...then is website will knock your socks off. Simply put, this website has the best selection of this type of gear and I've ever found. They have everything you can think of, and a whole bunch of stuff that you haven’t thought of yet. (www.scdlink.com)

The best thing is they offer a free printed catalog that you can order by clicking here: http://www.scdlink.com/Catalog.cfm. Or, you can download a pdf version of the catalog right away. Request the catalog by mail anyway, because it’s one you will love flipping through. This will introduce you to whole new list of manufacturers and items that you can search elsewhere on the internet for. But if I had to pick one website for video, this would be it!


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B&H Photo-Video

B&H is another one of those super, do-it-all websites. They have just about everything you can possibly think of. They offer a full selection of video equipment and accessories, photographic equipment and accessories, pro audio, computers and accessories, and even night vision. Everything from entry level to the advanced professional can be found here.

B&H also offers a print catalog by mail. You can request it by clicking here: www.bhphotovideo.com. If you sit down to browse this catalog, you better set some serious time aside for it!

LessEMF

LessEMF (www.lessemf.com) is probably the number-one supplier of ghost hunting equipment that would fall under the “detection” category. Nowhere else on the Web will you find a bigger selection of meters and gadgets that would be useful to somebody in the paranormal investigation field. This is the main place that all those “ghost hunting outfitter" stores get their wares from. Actually, they don’t get them, they drop-ship them to you. LessEMF has an affiliate program where you can sell their stuff on your site. The difference in price you are paying is probably the commission they are earning. Do you want to pay $29.99 for an item or $35.00 for it? Not a hard decision at all. In fact, browsing through their catalog, I see a lot of things that might be useful that nobody seems to be using yet. You can order their printed catalog by calling them at: 1-888-537-7363


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Professional Equipment

Professional Equipment is another supplier of what I refer to as “detector” tools. A bit more expensive on the EMF meters than LessEMF, but Professional Equipment has about every other detector known to man. This company caters to the Home Inspector trade, which isn’t a bad trade to be in for a ghost hunter. They are one of the few places where you can find the less expensive Flir Thermal Imager cameras….and get it on credit, if you are brave enough! You’ll find a lot of different thermometer types here, as well as humidity meters, electrical testing, gas-testing, you name it. Not the cheapest supplier, but they do have a lot of stuff you might not see elsewhere, that you can test your internet deal-finding skills on. You can order their print catalog by clicking here: http://www.professionalequipment.com/register.asp

BSW Professional Audio Gear

Now, looking forward to some more professional level of EVP gear, we come to BSW (www.bswusa.com). This is one of my favorite catalogs when it comes to professional audio recording equipment. If you want to get some really good EVPs, then the equipment you would need to get them can be found here. This is another example of one of those catalogs that you don't realize how much cool stuff is in until you go through it once or twice. The first time I looked at this catalog I only saw a few items that I was interested in. A few more trips to the bathroom and I began to see that this catalog had a lot to offer. I have used some of the higher end recording devices that they offer, and the difference in the finished product is astounding. You can order their print catalog by clicking here: http://www.bswusa.com/mailinglist.asp


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Just remember….before you purchase anything from the above sites, or any site, always thoroughly search for that item using Froogle, Amazon, and Ebay and make sure you are getting the best deal! Never forget to take into consideration the shipping charges as well…you may as well consider that part of the price!

A few other rocks to look under while you are online

You never know where a good deal might pop up. Here are a couple more things you can try to find some stuff cheap.

Craigslist: The national online classifieds. Craigslist (www.craigslist.org) is an interesting site. Basically, it is an online newspaper classifieds section, which you can search by your particular city. I browse it from time to time, and I have seen people trying to get rid of things like 13” color TVs, (which make good video monitors) for garage-sale prices. Sometimes, people just want to get rid of stuff that is cluttering up their house. As the saying goes, one mans trash is another mans treasure. I’ve seen various computers and peripherals, as well as cameras and camcorder on Craigslist. It is certainly a “right-place-at-the-right-time” site.

WTB Threads: WTB stands for “Want to buy,” and it is a three letter combo that you can get really lucky with. Whatever your interest is, there is an internet forum for it. Some are OK with people buying/selling/trading with each other, and some don’t want the headache. Those that might not want you to post a thread that says, “I’ve got a camcorder for sale” probably won’t have a problem with someone who posts a WTB thread.

Just start a thread and tell people what you want. “I would like to buy an EMF meter that is in good shape that is used. I am willing to pay $25.00 for it” would be a good example. You may just catch the eye of someone who has one that they don’t ever use who says “Why not?”


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If you do this and the forum doesn’t have an established area like this, understand that you are doing it at your own risk. Hopefully, it is someone who is well known and has a good reputation that you are dealing with. I have seen this method work well hundreds of times. But there is always that one guy who’s out to rip you off. This IS the internet, after all. Just be careful and understand that it is at your own risk that you do it. 10 keys to finding what you want…for a price you want to pay

We come now to the condensed “toolbox” of everything I have used and seen work for getting a good deal and paying less than most people do. In some cases, many of these points will work together. The good thing is, for any one item you want to buy…ONE of these tools is bound to work for you! Some of these I might have already touched on, but repetition helps learning, and I want you to see these all together. I have a small piece of paper with each point printed on it so I have a reference when I am searching for something. It never fails!

1) KNOW ALL THE MODEL NUMBERS

I cannot stress enough how important it is when searching for deals online to have all the appropriate manufacturers model numbers. This bit of information alone can be the key that unlocks a flood of search results that you could not get before. And if the item has extra parts (ex: A camcorder has an AC charger and A/V cables) you may need the numbers for those as well. More about this in step #2

2) GET IT WITHOUT ALL THE PARTS

This tip is especially effective when searching for camcorders or digital cameras online. I have had especially good luck myself buying camcorders this way.


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On eBay, there are a lot of liquidators who sell items on eBay that did not have all the parts that they came with. I often saw Sony camcorders that did not have charging cables or batteries. These particular models did not have as many bids as those with all the parts, and the price wasn't as high. The reason for this is simple… Most people who saw this calculated in their head what it would cost to replace the missing parts based on the going rate in a store. An AC charger can easily go above $30, and the battery can easily go up to $100.00. This added cost is why people wouldn't bid as high. Luckily for me, I knew better. I know that there are many places online including the very site that the camera was being sold on which offer aftermarket replacement parts at a very small fraction of the cost of the namebrand parts. Where one non-bidder saw a $100 battery, I saw a battery that I could get for $12.00. That expensive charger? I got that for $7.00. This is another example of “knowledge is power,” and I benefited from it. I got the $350.00 MiniDV camcorder for $150.00…. and that's after replace the missing parts!

Oh, how did I find those parts so cheap, you ask? I found them ONLY when I used Point #1. Most aftermarket parts are listed by the manufacturers’ part number. “Replacement for QMD-915” is a common way to list an aftermarket part. Knowing that small tip will save you a LOT of money.

By the way, here is the place I got my batteries from: Power Street Inc.

3) NEVER, EVER, GET THE CURRENT MODEL This is a huge reason why I do not shop for ghost hunting gear in stores. Stores sell current models. Current models cost more money. Let me give you an example:

Two Christmases ago I was out shopping when I found a digital voice recorder with a very convenient USB cable. This of course makes it very easy to transfer your audio files on the computer. The model was an Olympus VN-240PC, and it cost $79.99. Copyright 2007 and beyond, Chris Tanner – All Rights Reserved

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Less than a year later, the Olympus VN-960PC came out, which had four times as much memory and now costs $79.99. The model I saw before was now in the $50 range. Six months later the VN-240PC is selling low on the internet liquidator sites and the VN-960PC is just under $50.00.

The thing to remember is that technology moves very quickly. What is hot right now will be old news in six months. The other thing is that there's really not that much difference between the two. So as a rule of thumb I generally look for models that are nine months to two years old. If two years old sounds old…it really isn’t. Many ghost hunters, including myself, still use Digital 8 cameras. That technology is over five years old… but performs close to what is out now, or more than well enough for what we need.

4) REFURBISHED / SCRATCH AND DENT ITEMS

It should go without saying that if you can find what you're looking for as a refurbished or scratch and dent item you'll save a ton of money.

For instance, just this morning in the Sunday paper a local electronics and appliance store is advertising a large sale on these kinds of items. Many of which are all least 50% off.

The thing you have to remember is that the smallest scratches or other imperfections, which may not bother you or you may not notice, is enough reason that they have to drop the price if they want to sell it. It is almost always something very superficial because larger damages would prevent them from being able to sell it. Oh, don’t forget to ask about floor models as well!


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5) OPEN BOX RETURNS / OUTLET STORE

Much like #4, if the store has an open box return and they want to resell it, they have to mark down the price. Sometimes there will be a special shelf somewhere in the store where they showcase all their open box returns or sometimes you may have to ask them what they have. Some stores, like Radio Shack, actually have outlet stores where they send all the open box returns and the closeouts. You can get some really crazy deals here.

The town I live in has a Radio Shack outlet store on the southeast side. It is basically a regular Radio Shack store but it has five aisles in the middle of the store packed full of items that are perfectly fine but have things such as smashed boxes. I found several great items here including a compact cassette recorder that Radio Shack normally sells for $60.00 that I got it for $20.00. So what if the box is smashed? You’ll probably smash the box yourself before you throw it in the trash can.

Next time you are sitting at home and have nothing to do, get out the yellow pages and try to find out where all the outlets stores are in your city. You'll be glad you did!

6) MADE IN CHINA

If, when you hear the term, “Made in China” you think of cheap, not-asgood items, you are thinking what most people think. Even in the recent new there has been a lot of negative press about items made in China. However…. There are a couple of benefits in dealing with items that are made in China. The first is, many manufacturers have their items made in China, and they stamp their company name on them. Sometimes, those same items can come out of the same factory and have a lesser, “no-name-name” stamped on Copyright 2007 and beyond, Chris Tanner – All Rights Reserved

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them. It’s the exact same item, except for a huge price difference.

If that is not the case, then it is usually this: There are few rules in China that prevent them from copying items that originated in other countries. Another possibility is simple corporate espionage. They get their hands on American plans and build a cheaper version or reverse-engineer it to get their own plans. Either way, you end up with two near-identical items that may simply have different brand names or colors.

Sometimes there’s nothing shady about it. The manufacturer makes a product and several different U.S. distributors stamp their company name on the products. I’ve seen this example a lot with ELD flashlights. Also, one factory can make items for several different brand names. This happens a lot with batteries for example. There are several brands of lithium battery all made at the same factory.

So what does all this mean to you? Whether it is a direct knock off or just a lesser known brand name stamped on the same item as the bigger name, you can very often find what you are looking for, for a lot less money…it just won’t have the brand name you expect on it.

For example, I have been to a store called Harbor Freight Tools that sells primarily a lot of made-in-China stuff. I have found on several occasions Thermocouple Thermometers and IR Thermometers that are exact replica of a large American instrument manufacturer, but had a different name on it…a company name that doesn’t seen to have a company website. It was similarsounding name, but still a different name….and it cost between 50% -75% less than the better-known name!

This can be a tricky situation, but one that you will win more than lose with. Most of the items I am referring to in this situation would be items that fall under the detection gear category in ghost hunting equipment. These are usually pretty good. Some other items classified as knock-offs are not good at all. Usually less technical items like flashlights.


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There’s one more thing to consider about the “made in China” category. Sometimes you will find things that are made in China that are NOT a direct copy of any thing but work great for what you need it to. I recently found an Infrared LED flashlight with 28 LED’s made by a Chinese manufacturer that was selling on ebay. It was not a copy of anyone’s product. BUT it only cost $15.00…..and worked better that the Sony-brand IR illuminator that I paid $50.00 for! A $15 tool outperformed a $50 one. This is the kind of stuff to keep an eye out for. Every one in a while, it’s a gamble that you may lose. But in my opinion, more often than not it’s a gamble worth taking.

7) USED ON EBAY, MISSPELLINGS, AND ODD END-TIMES

I think it goes without saying that everybody knows that you can get good deals on eBay. You just have to know how to find what you're looking for.

As I mentioned in point #1, you need to know your manufacturers' model numbers. Very often this is how most people list them on eBay. You can set up and save special keyword searches on eBay so that you receive an alert e-mail to let you know that somebody has listed the item you're looking for. This is a good way to passively search for a hard to find item.

Another thing to consider is whether or not the item that you’re searching for has a common misspelling. Try and spell the item a few different ways. Not everybody out there can spell as well as you. You may very well find an item you're looking for that has been misspelled and therefore is getting missed by a majority of other people’s searches. Less competitors = lower prices.

Look at what time the options end. Remember to consider the four major time zones. Sometimes I prefer to set my eBay time to the Pacific Time zone. That way I know that if the item is ending at 1:00 am PST, then everyone else will more than likely be in bed, as the rest of the country ranges from 2:00am to 4:00am. These are good auctions to bid on because Copyright 2007 and beyond, Chris Tanner – All Rights Reserved

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chances are there will be little to no people still on top watching the end of the auction. The last hour of an online auction is the busiest. So find the auctions that are ending in the middle the night or early in the morning during the workweek. When I have been lucky enough to find an auction that ends during these times, I've always gotten a good price.

8) WTB (Want to Buy) Flyers and Emails

This is something that I came up with recently when I was looking for a folding table that I could put my DVD recorders and TV monitors on. At first I wasn't sure where find these tables a good price. So what I did was print up a flier saying that I was searching for a folding table, did anybody have one they did not want that they would be willing to sell me for a fair price? I stuck these up on bulletin boards at work.

The next thing I did was type up a short e-mail basically stating the same thing. I only sent to the people in my e-mail address book that lived in my city. I did not find anybody that had a table to sell me, though few people gave me suggestions on where to look.

Even though I struck out on this particular item, I figured this could work very well for certain items. Look around your own house and look at the different things you have that you are not using. I'm sure if you asked, you'd find someone who might have an extra camera bag or something else you may need. You never know…. they may give it to you for free!


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9) “Friends with Benefits”

You know what's really nice? What’s nice is having a friend who works at a store that sells the types of things that you need to buy. More often than not, people who work in a retail store get discounts on items in that store. For example, If you know someone who works at Best Buy, you might get $50.00 off of a new camcorder (or $1000 of an HD TV…since they have the highest markup) if they would be willing to buy it for you. I have a friend who works at a music store that will be able to get me the new Zoom Solid State Audio Recorder for $70.00 off the sticker price.

Friends can be very good to have especially if they work in:

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Electronics/Appliance stores (Best Buy, Circuit City, HHGregg)

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Office stores (Office Max, Office Depot)

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Computer stores (Micro Center, Fry’s, CompUSA, etc)

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Department stores (Wal Mart, Meijer, etc)

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Home Improvement stores (Home Depot, Lowes)

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Music/Pro Audio stores (Sam Ash, Guitar Center)

Some of these may have seemed like odd choices, but I can pick out several items from any of these stores and apply them to ghost hunting. If you have a friend that works at any of these places and they are willing to use their


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discount to buy something for you, then make sure you take them out to eat or something…because they can save you a lot of money!

10) Seasonal Deals

Seasonal doesn’t only mean after Christmas. Oh no! That’s not even my favorite time of the year! Here are some of my favorite times to go shopping for the bigger things on my list.

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•

•

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Back-to-School: This one is priceless, ESPECIALLY if you are in the market for one of the greatest ghost hunting tools of all time…the laptop computer. If there is one time of the year to go out and get a great deal on computer equipment, it’s during the back to school sales.

Graduation: Toward the end of the school year, you’ll find many stores running specials on the same stuff as the back-to-school stuff, though not as much. You will find a lot of electronics on sale during this time.

September: I hear you saying “Huh?” out there. Think about it. October is the beginning of the fiscal year for most manufacturing companies in the US. That’s when people go shopping for the currentyear car models because next years models are coming out. The same goes for many other things, like electronics. As soon as a model year is up, the current items start getting closed out to make room for the next year's models. This may not work for everything but it will work for a lot of things. Just try and keep a greater awareness of the Sunday ads during the fall months. If you don’t get the newspaper, call and subscribe to it for Sunday-only delivery. It’s obviously cheaper and you’ll get all the really important stuff in that one day.

The end of hunting season: This is when you’ll find Wal Mart and many other stores trying to close out on all of those plastic, foam-


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interior gun cases. These make fantastic gear/camera cases for a relatively inexpensive cost. (If you have one nearby, Gun stores generally have them year round.)

•

After Christmas: I personally don’t think it is as great as it used to be, but you can still find some good overstock deals here. And also, don’t forget that this is PRIME open-box return season (point #5)!!


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Part 3

Equipment Recommendations

Equipment Recommendations…what you need, what you don’t


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Earlier in part 1 of this book, I gave you a brief overview of the different types of equipment that you would be using. Now I want to go into some of the more specific models and why I feel they are the best choice for paranormal investigation. But first….

Making your own gear innovations

Some of my most useful items are the ones in which I found my own ways to use them for ghost hunting. This is something I can't stress enough. If you have any ideas for new ways to use old items, or have an invention idea, act on it!! My two favorite innovations are things that I figure someone else should have thought of before me. They almost seemed like obvious solutions. And yet no one had tried it that I know of.

If more people did this, maybe we would come up with new ideas and methods that would advance paranormal investigation. As I have said many times before, one of the biggest problems in this field is that there is not enough original thinking. It reminds me of one of my favorite sayings which goes: “What is the definition of insanity? To do the same thing over and over and expect a different result.” Unfortunately, that is often the case with ghost hunting.

It was that saying which led me on the path of coming up with my first innovation, which was the use of black-light bulbs to enhance infrared video. This is a method that has become increasingly popular with those who have tried it. More than once I've had to confront people posting on online message boards claiming that they invented it. I guess I should take that as a compliment.


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Anyway, back to my story. I was thinking about the above quote, about how we as ghost hunters do the same things over and over. The one that nagged at me the most was the use of infrared video. When Sony first introduced this in the late 1990's, it was considered one of the greatest advancements in equipment for paranormal investigators. Very quickly, people began filming “orbs” which were considered to be paranormal. It took many years for people to begin to realize that 99 percent of what they're seeing in their videos was nothing more than airborne particles that were being illuminated by their close proximity to the onboard IR light.

For whatever reason, after the use of video cameras came out, ghost hunters just seemed to stop using regular video all together. It became “Niteshot-ornothing at all.” But that's not the only mistake they were making….

Most of the time when you hear somebody telling a ghost story, it is rare for them to say this: “I was sitting in my house with all the lights off and all my electronics off. It was absolutely quiet. That's when I saw the ghost.” Instead, they were usually just doing their normal routine in their ho me. The lights were on, the TV was on, and the homeowner was not wearing night vision goggles!

But yet, the first thing most ghost hunters want to do when they arrive in someone's home is shut off all their lights, get real quiet, and turn on IR video. They completely change the environment from how it was when the experiences took place.

People claim to see ghosts all the time. No human beings that I am aware of were born with green night-vision eyes. Yet, they are seeing ghosts. So why did we stop using the normal video? It’s one of those things that make you go, Hmmmmmm…? I don’t think we should stop using niteshot video, but at the same time, we should still be using regular video as well.

Let’s get back on track. So I was trying to experiment with using the video camera without using the Niteshot. I also had the idea to trying to use some Copyright 2007 and beyond, Chris Tanner – All Rights Reserved

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different forms of light to see what results they may produce. I decided to try using blacklights. This created an interesting, dim-purple video. Then, at some point, I went upstairs to change the tape in the camera. I turned the nightshot on to see what the difference would look like. That difference was astonishing. Suddenly, the grainy dark green video screen had turned into a bright green, crystal clear display! The image was incredibly better. I had just accidentally come up with a new way to dramatically improve niteshot video viewing.

The best part? You can get all the parts needed for it for less than $10.00! All you need is an aluminum clamp light and a regular blacklight bulb, and you’re all set. Clamp it to your tripod, plug it in, and enjoy clear, bright Niteshot video.

Some people have argued that UV and IR are on opposite sides of the spectrum and it will screw up our ability to catch the ghosts on video. I countered that with, “When did we ever have this mythical ability to begin with?” Thousands of hours of Niteshot footage have been filmed over the years, with only a handful of potential apparitions. So I say, try anything and everything and do not fool yourself into thinking that “niteshot camera” equals “magic ghost camera.”

There ARE some other ways you can use the Niteshot video. Set up a room with a lot of things that can be interacted with, such as wind chimes, IR motion detectors, EMF meters, ribbons hanging from ceiling, etc. Assume that you will not be able to actually SEE the alleged ghost, but maybe you CAN catch evidence of it moving something in the physical environment! (Remember: think outside the box!)


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My latest innovation

I like this one even better than the blacklight. I credit Jim Willis, of The Ghosts of Ohio, for indirectly giving me the idea. He has a story about using an IR thermometer that involved witnessing the laser dot leaving the wall and hanging in mid air…as if it were hitting something invisible. After asking around, I found that a few others had experienced this, either with the IR thermometers or with laser pointers. That got me thinking….

It makes sense, even if it is beyond our ability to prove. For many years, people have claimed that their IR thermometers can pick up ghosts. I have seen IR motion detectors triggered for no apparent reason. Maybe sometimes they can manifest just enough that they can effect these kinds of devices.

Is there a better way? I thought about it for a while.

It occurred to me that a laser level would be perfect for this. The next day, I found one for $10.00 at Wal Mart! I bought a few of them. The idea is that if they can cause a laser pointer dot to stop in mid air, then if they were to cross an entire laser LINE…then we would easily see them, their width, and the direction of movement. The ability to discern form and movement could be enhanced by adding more laser levels, and creating a grid pattern of lines.

I tested it out in a pitch black room. I fired up the laser level (which I had modified into a gun-like device) and a bright red line crossed the entire room. I still could not make out any other details. I then had my friend begin to cross the room at the other end. Though I could not see him, I immediately saw the laser line “bubble” out and wrap around his form. His “bubble” then traveled across the line to the other side. Perfect!!

After making some online notes to ensure that people would know where the idea came from, I shared this idea on a few internet forums. I figure the more people out there trying it, the better the chances. And who knows? Maybe we’ll get some good video of a laser line suddenly changing shape for no reason! Copyright 2007 and beyond, Chris Tanner – All Rights Reserved

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You can get these Laser Levels for as little as $10.00, but the average price seems to be between $15.00 and $20.00 in the stores.

Now let’s go over the different items you can add to your ghost hunting kits, and lets break it down into different uses and categories.

1. “Detection” Devices Unfortunately, the device Egon used in “Ghostbusters” to track down the ghost in the library hasn’t been invented yet. (It actually wasn’t a ghost detector, but instead was an alien communications device. “What?” you ask? If you don’t believe me, go rent the John Carpenter movie “They Live”)

Since we don’t have that great tool at our disposal people have always clamored to find a working “Ghost Detector.” This section deals with the devices that may possibly alert you to the presence of paranormal energies. Make sure to check out all the links embedded throughout these equipment sections.

AC EMF Meter/Detector

This is probably the most commonly used item in ghost hunting that is thought of as a “ghost detector.” The problem is we can’t really prove that ghosts emit AC EMF energy, and even if they do, so does just about everything else we have on this planet these days!


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In my opinion, this tool is best used for surveying the environment just to see if there may be any unusual amount of EMF coming from power lines, wiring, and so forth. If you choose to walk around with it looking for ghosts, just remember that 99% of what it reads WILL NOT be a ghost. And with that percentage, why do it? Well, there are studies that suggest that exposure

to high EM fields can produce “haunting-like” sensations and feelings. So this is more of a “debunking” tool for me.

Featured Meters

There are many AC EMF meters out there, and they have been featured prominently in just about any ghost hunting book ever written that has an equipment chapter. So I won’t get too much into it. However, If I had to choose one AC EMF meter for you, I would suggest the CELLSENSOR for the following reasons:

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It isn't too expensive, and this is a tool you shouldn’t invest too much in

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It has both light and audible alert signals

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It has two scales (0-50mg and 0-5mg)

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It has an analog scale, which makes it a meter and not just a detector

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It has a backlit display

Find a Cellsensor for $29.99 here: http://www.smarthome.com/7021.html?src=Froogle


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DC “NATURAL” EMF METERS

These are the better choice if you intend to use it to actually “read” a ghost. These sense/read relatively weak static fields…like the one your body produces. Yes, one of these meters can and will detect your own personal energy field…which is why most people suggest this is the far better tool.

The problem for most people is they are generally many times more expensive than the AC EMF meters. The most commonly used model in ghost hunting is the TRIFIELD NATURAL EM METER and it averages about $180-$200! Also, due to the extreme sensitivity of these meters, they are not well suited for mobile use. They work best when they are set down, which is another reason some don’t want them. That being said, they do seem to work exceptionally well for paranormal research, and if it is within your budget to get one, by all means do. Get them from the source, with the add-on features you want here: http://www.detectortechnologies.com/store/detail.aspx?ID=5

If you intend to purchase one new, I highly suggest you use the link in the previous paragraph. That is the actual manufacturer, and they not only offer the best price on the web for them, but they also give you add-on options you can select for a fee. You can add a red LED backlight, AC power, and several other options if you so wish.

If you intend to look for a used one, try searching for it on ebay. You’ll probably have to set up a search alert in your ebay profile to let you know when one is listed. You do not often see them. But you can get good deals on the secondary market….after all I paid $50.00 for my first one!!


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Oh! By the way…A lot of people misspell “Trifield” as “Trifeild” so remember to search for it misspelled on ebay…which is one of the biggest tricks in the book to finding an ebay deal no one else sees!

Thermometers: Infrared (IR) and Thermocouple

IR Thermometers and Thermocouple Thermometers are very different tools with very different uses. But don’t worry, I’ll show you how to save money by killing two birds with one stone!

IR THERMOMETERS

These are gun shaped and often even have a laser sight….no wonder so many ghost hunters want one! These devices measure the surface temperature of an object, and do not measure ambient air temperature. However, many people theorize that in some instances, ghost may be tangible enough for the thermometer to read it. This idea is bolstered by the fact that IR motion detector alarms often are activated in vacant rooms in haunted houses.

For many years I was a staunch opponent to using IR thermometers to look for ghosts. Although I now believe that there may be something to the theory, the following problems still remain:

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You can’t PROVE that it is reading a ghost, and not a wall

Different units have different DSR’s (Distance to Spot Ratio) which determine how large an area it is reading at what range


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The laser sight just shows you what you are pointing at…it isn’t what is being read

It’s based on theory

One important thing to note regarding IR Thermometers

If you insist on getting one, make sure you look at the Distance-to-Spot ratio for that particular model. It will look like this: (6:1) What that DSR indicates that the thermometer is reading an area 1 ft wide at a distance of 6 ft. The further away the object you are measuring, the less precise the reading will be. Small, pocket meters can be as small as 1:1. Average is 6:1 with the better models going up to 12:1. The Extech model linked above has a DSR of 11:1 (Measures a spot 1 ft in diameter 11 ft away) which is pretty good!

THERMOCOUPLE THERMOMETERS

These usually more “meter looking” and can actually read ambient air temperature. They are made to measure many different ways, but the fact that they are so sensitive to ambient air makes them the best choice. Oh, and they read temperature changes FAST…much faster than any other type of thermometer for measuring ambient air.

So if the idea is to read that cold spot that is dropping the temperature in the room 20 degrees, you’d want a thermocouple thermometer.


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The solution for saving money on both types of thermometers

It’s quite simple…find a good unit that does both! Luckily, now they have one. My absolute favorite device for this is this Extech IR Thermometer with Type-K Thermocouple Input. It retains the functionality and form factor of the IR thermometer gun, but also has the Thermocouple probe ability…and you can use both at once! If you intend on adding a temperature device to your ghost hunting kit, save yourself some headache and just get this do-it-all Extech model. There really isn’t a better or less expensive option…I looked. I found one here: http://www.ambientweather.com/ex42miinth.html for only $99.00. The best part? It is the EXACT same model (with a different brand name) as the one TAPS uses that cost 2X as much!!

USB Temperature Datalogging Devices

This is a really neat new device that has come around recently, and hasn’t made it onto the ghost hunting scene yet. It is a device about the size of a tube of lipstick, with a male USB plug on one end. You plug it into your PC to configure it the way you want. It can take readings as quickly as every 10 seconds, and it can take about 16,382 readings max. You can set units of measurement, High and Low alarms, and even what time you want it to begin taking readings.

So if you have a location where people report drops in temperature, you could set these up in different areas, and collect them when you leave. Then you simply take them home, plug them back into your computer, and it will display the temperature in graph form. This would be very helpful, especially if you had other evidence and it correlated with a drop in temperature. Now you will have something to show for it.


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You can see them here on the Manufacturers Website: http://www.lascarelectronics.com/PRODUCTS.CFM?STOCKNO=EL%2D USB%2D1&CFID=12357727&CFTOKEN=3cde0392ed205a700BAA3422-C297-FD96-B2C9F81560711D1C Here are some Google Product Search results: http://www.google.com/products?show=li&q=Lascar+Electronics+Data+log ger For more specific results, search with the particular model number you wish to get pricing on.

IR Motion Detector Alarms

This is something that is now both easy to find, and inexpensive. I have found these regularly priced as low as $12.00 a piece. I have seen some which do not have an audible alarm, but instead have a soft dome light (for installing in say, a closet) for even less. Sometimes, the light is better if you are watching remotely on a camera and do not want the noise.

These are good for two reasons. First off, there has been evidence to suggest that sometimes paranormal entities can trigger IR devices. Second, you can use them to secure an investigation site, and let you know that a person has entered the area which may compromise your evidence (such as EVP recordings.)

You can find them all over the internet, and most often in the big department stores in the aisle dealing with security items and door locks. I also sometimes see them in the aisle where the night lights are. Being that they are so inexpensive, you can grab one here and there whenever you happen to be at that store for any reason. Before long, you’ll have several. This is the more cost-effective way to purchase them.


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Portable Door Alarms

There are two types that are relatively inexpensive that may be useful to you. The first looks like a wedge door stopper. It has a pedal-like activator that sounds the alarm when the door opens and pushes the button down. Good for those pesky haunted doors that open on their own.

The second door alarm is known more as a “Door Knob Alarm” and is hung on the door knob itself. Supposedly, it will activate as soon as someone touches the doorknob on the other side of the door. Again, these can be used either way, but are better for securing a location. It will make your evidence stronger if you can show that nobody was in there at the time. Google Product Results: http://www.google.com/products?q=Door+Knob+Alarm&show=li

Laser Levels/Laser Line Generators

These were already covered in an earlier section, but belong here in the detection device section. This is a new method that is just being explored and could become a big asset to video evidence collection.

Thermal Imager

I feel this belongs in the “Detection” category rather than the video category where most people would assume it would belong, but its purpose is to detect and illustrate different variances in temperature. Sometimes you see the clues, if not the object. These are one of the few “very high end” tools for ghost hunting, and way above the financial limits of most people. It helps to have a rich uncle, or a TV network backing you if you want one of these


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bad boys. But don’t lose hope yet…there may be a chance for you, if your credit is good enough.

One company that sells the FLIR brand thermal imagers for industrial use is www.professionalequipment.com. They have the least expensive Thermal Imager available, which is the Flir ThermaCAM B-CAM that retails for a mere $5, 750.00. The company does offer financing plans, which allows you to purchase this Thermal Imager for $138.00 a month. That’s only $34.50 a week, or less than $5.00 a day! (Yeah, I sold Kirbys a looong time ago...can you tell?) Now aren’t you glad I told you that? Just leave me out of it when you tell your wife.

The ThermaCAM B-CAM does store images as JPEGS, but if you wish to record the video from the Thermal Imager (which I reckon you would) you’ll have to step it up to around the $9,000,00 range. Now you’re talking around $200 a month financing, so you better be serious about it. The model is the Flir ThermCAM B2 which may look familiar to you, if you are a fan of the show Ghost Hunters. This is the one used by the TAPS crew, and is a very good unit, which has the all-important video-output feature. If these options interest you, you can download the credit application by clicking HERE: http://www.professionalequipment.com/images/pdf/pecredit-application-2005.pdf (Note: I am not affiliated with this company, nor do I receive any money from them if you buy based on this ebook.)

Other “Old School” items used for detection

There are a lot of other different items one can use to help detect a ghost. I would generally use these things in conjunction with a stationary video camera, which can in turn make the video evidence that much more exceptional if you're lucky enough to get some interaction with the pieces that you put out.


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Ribbons - you can hang these from the ceiling to help give some sort of visual indication of air movement

Bells - these can also be hung from the ceiling by a string, much like a wind chime which can also be used.

Ping pong balls - I sometimes set these up in view of the video camera in a way that they sit still, but can easily be moved. I think they're good choice because they're so light weight, making it easier for potential spirits to move it

Baby powder - this is one of the oldest items in the Ghost Hunters tool chest. It is used by sprinkling it on the floor where people would normally walk

String / Fishing line - this can be used in as many ways as your imagination can come up with. It will come in handy if you're using the bells, or hanging anything else from the ceiling

Aluminum Foil - some people have used aluminum foil by pulling out large sheets of it and using it in the same way as the baby powder

Balloons - balloons are another easily manipulated item because they're nearly weightless. Use these much like the ping-pong balls listed above

Glass of water – this is used to detect tremors in the floor by viewing the ripples on the surface of the water


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Other Devices

Although these would not be considered detection devices, devices that can be used to detect other aspects of the environment could potentially offer clues that may be a factor in the haunting.

Relative Humidity (RH) Meter

RH meters sometimes go hand in hand with thermometers. However, the types of thermometers of that are usually built into an RH meter are not the sort that would be most useful in ghost investigation. As we've already discussed, thermocouple thermometers are the best way to go when it comes to ambient air temperature. Most relative humidity devices use temperature sensors that are not as quick as thermocouples.

Why would you want to use a relative humidity meter? The main reason is because humidity affects the amount of static electricity in the air. There have been several studies that suggest but there is a relationship between the amount static electricity in many of the signs better associated with a haunting. A really good book that I highly recommend that touches on the subject is “How to hunt ghosts” by Joshua P Warren. http://www.amazon.com/How-Hunt-Ghosts-Practical-Guide/dp/0743234936 Contrary to the title, I didn't find the book to be much of a step-by-step guide to investigation, but it is chock full of really, really good thoughts and theories associated with investigation of paranormal events. This book is on my short list of recommended reading for ghost hunters. As far as picking out a humidity meter goes, this is one of those few items that you don't have to spend a lot of money on. You can find inexpensive digital temperature humidity meters at Wal Mart for less than $10.00.


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Barometric pressure gauge

Again, this is an item not specifically for detecting the presence of a ghost, but for recording the status of the environment at the time of the investigation. Could there be a correlation? Perhaps. Either way, some people insist on recording every possible piece of data that they can during an investigation. Barometric Pressure is just one of those pieces.

Carbon Dioxide and Carbon Monoxide Meters

Carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide are two gases that can cause adverse affects on the human body when exposed to large amounts of it. There have been cases where people have reported haunting activity only to find out that there were being exposed to carbon monoxide through some faulty part of their heating system. The gases were very slowly poisoning the people living in the home, and affecting their brain. Once the problem was identified and fixed, the reports of haunting experiences stopped.

Devices that measure levels of carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide are not inexpensive, and I only recommended them to those with the financial means to purchase them and who want to have a “complete” kit.

Ion Counter

This device is one of the many devices I sometimes see on various ghost hunting websites as recommended devices to use. It does what its name implies; it counts negative and positive ions in the air. Some say that the amount of negative ions in the air can affect paranormal occurrences, though this is very heavily in the theory stage, and is one of those things that may never be able to be proven. Given the cost of an Ion Counter, which


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averages to be about $500, it is not something that just anybody needs to ghost hunt. This device is for people that have a specific application in mind when the purchase it.

New technology is coming out all the time. You never know when a device is going to be introduced which can be beneficial to ghost hunting. We all need to keep our eyes out for new things that could be beneficial to us. Too many ghost hunters only know about the same old items that have been listed hundreds of times on various ghost hunting websites. If we want to expand the field we have to continue to find new pieces of equipment and new techniques to try.


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2. Audio Devices

The audio recording part of ghost hunting has always been one of my favorites. There's no shortage of equipment, software, and techniques that can used when it comes to recording for EVPS (Electronic Voice Phenomenon). EVPS are, in my opinion, one of the easiest forms of evidence to get. Now let’s talk about the devices used for collecting them.

Recorder types

There are many different types of recorders out there. Ask 3 ghost hunters which ones work best and you’ll probably get 3 different answers. I believe we should try all of them, since we have no way to really know the mechanics of EVP. “Throw it all against the wall and see what sticks”, I say! There have been many recent advancements in the area of digital recording. At the same time, EVP was originally discovered on analog recording. So what works best?

Analog Cassette

By “analog cassette” I am referring to those devices that record to the standard cassette which was the format of choice in the 1980’s. Tapes are still relatively easy to find, and come in many different grades. Some people still prefer the warm sound of analog recording.

Analog cassette recorders are also the most affordable of audio recording devices for beginners to use. You can usually find standard cassette recorders at most major dept stores at an average price of $20.00.


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One of the more common brands is GE, and I have used several of their recorders and gotten great results with them. Example of GE Recorder from Google Product Search: http://www.google.com/products?q=GE+shoebox+Cassette+recorder&show =li

Another recorder I like quite a bit is the Sony TCM-210DV. http://www.google.com/products?show=li&q=Sony+TCM-210DV

This may very well be common knowledge, but I feel I would be remiss in my duties if I did not mention it. If you are using an analog recording device, it is of the utmost importance that you always use some sort of external microphone. Analog recorders have a lot of moving motor parts which create noise, and if you use a built-in microphone (which are rarely of good quality anyway) you will have an exceptional amount of noise.

If you decide to put more money into an analog recorder, they can go as high as $450.00 (Marantz PMD-222). The benefit to these is the amazing high quality sound recording, usually due to the recorder having multiple heads. The more heads a recorder has, the better (and the more expensive) the recorder can be.

One other BIG benefit to using analog recorders is that more often than not, you can use them as a sort of “RT-EVP device.” RT-EVP is what I call Real-Time EVP…being able to hear the EVP as it happens instead of just upon playback. If you plug your headphones into the recorder as it is recording, you should be able to listen through the recorder's microphone, which gives you a sort of “super-hearing” device. Try it out sometime…I think you will find it very intriguing.

If you want to get the audio files onto your PC for review, all you need to purchase is a double-male 1/8” audio transfer cable from Radio Shack. They cost around $3.00. You plug it in from the headphone jack on your recorder


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to the microphone jack on your PC. Start recording on your software and press “play” on your recorder. It’s that simple.

Micro Cassette

Most everything written in the previous section still applies to microcassette, although micro cassettes are much smaller, and do not have all the different grades of tape that standard sizes do.

For whatever reason, some people have ridiculous luck with micro cassette recorders. One member of COPS seems to get great sounding EVPs off of her GE micro cassette recorder nearly every time we investigate a location (that isn’t completely bogus)

Example of GE Micro Cassette Recorder from Google Product Search: http://www.google.com/products?q=GE+Microcassette+recorder&show=li

Digital Voice Recorders

Digital voice recorders are all the rage right now in ghost hunting. Now, when I refer to digital voice recorders, I am referring to those commonly found in office supply stores that are used for voice notes and dictation. These are not recorders that are used for professional music or sound capture.

By far, the only brand I will recommend is Olympus. In my opinion, as well as the opinions of many other ghost hunters out there, Olympus Voice Recorders are by far the easiest to use, and have great features and results.


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There are a lot of models to choose from, even in this one brand name. The one major suggestion I would give you is to make sure that you pick a model that has “PC” in the model number. These models have USB ports on them so you can quickly dump the entire contents of the recorder onto your

computer. This is a huge advantage, especially if you do a lot of passive EVP recording, which can amount to several hours of audio. Another suggestion is to do some digging and find those model numbers from yesteryear. You can get some fantastic deals on them now. I mentioned this elsewhere in the book, but Olympus digital voice recorders have now gotten to the point that they have many models with many hours of recording capability that are no longer even current models. The result: you can find them at half price.

Some models from the previous year that I recommend are the Olympus VN960PC http://www.google.com/products?q=Olympus+VN960PC&show=li&scoring=p and the Olympus WS-100 http://www.google.com/products?q=Olympus+WS100&show=li&scoring=p. Although it does not have “PC” in the name, it should be noted that the WS-100 does have USB connectivity…it has the male USB plug built into the recorder.

Keep in mind that advertisers often advertise the recording times that are available in LP mode. You won’t be using LP mode, you should be using HQ mode (LP is low quality, HQ is highest quality). The HQ recording time is going to be drastically less than the LP recording time.

Lastly, these types of recorders are great because they work equally well with or without external microphones. They are also small, lightweight, and very battery-friendly.


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Laptop Computers

A laptop computer can be one of the best pieces of overall gear you can get for your ghost hunting tool chest. With the right software, you can record pristine audio files straight to your hard drive, and then play it back or edit it. There are many different programs out there that are good for recording/EVP analysis. The only well known one that you can download for free is Audacity. This program does all the basic stuff you would need it to do. Later on, you can progress into full-featured programs like Adobe Audition, Adobe Sound Booth, or Sony Sound Forge, and the audio cleanup program BIAS Soundsoap. Audition: http://www.adobe.com/products/audition/ Sound Booth: http://www.adobe.com/products/soundbooth/ Sony Sound Forge: http://www.sonycreativesoftware.com/products/soundforgefamily.asp BIAS Soundsoap: http://www.bias-inc.com/soundsoappro/ When using programs such as Adobe Audition or Sound Booth, you can select the sampling and bit rate of the recording, and use virtually any microphone (although stage mics ending in XLR plus will require an audio interface module). This makes the laptop as good as, if not as portable, as the better Solid State recorders.

And of course, the laptops hold far more possibilities than just audio recording in ghost hunting. With digital cameras, digital video, and a host of other useful technology, the laptop can quickly become the centerpiece of your mobile ghost hunting HQ.


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Solid State Recorders

Solid state recorders are the premiere digital audio recorders. They have higher resolutions and more complex features than do the digital voice recorders made for dictation and voice notes. These will soon become the EVP recording devices of choice for those with the financial means. Just recently, these devices are becoming much more affordable. At one point, you couldn’t get one for less than $400.00. Now the Zoom H4 Handy Recorder has broke the mold and brings incredibly full featured recording abilities at a price you can handle, for $299.00. This caused M-Audio to drop the price of their digital recorder, the M-Audio MicroTrack 24/96 to $299.99 to match it.

But it gets better! Samson has added a new addition to the Zoom line with the H2 Recorder. This recorder allows you to record 360 degrees and only costs $199.00!! This is my pick for top EVP recording device for the money.

Even as these great recorders are coming down in price, newer, more advanced technology is being introduced. The Korg MR-1 Mobile Recorder offers a brand new method of recording (which can be described better on the previous link). This unit comes in around $800, and while not the cheapest, it’s still less expensive than some other devices that cost twice as much with half the potential.

If you are serious about EVP recording, keep your eye on solid state recorders. You can find them at Sam Ash, and in catalogs such as BSW. Zoom H4: http://www.samsontech.com/products/productpage.cfm?prodID=1901 Zoom H2: http://www.samsontech.com/products/productpage.cfm?prodID=1916 MicroTrack 24/96: http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/MicroTrackIImain.html Korg MR-1: http://korg.com/gear/info.asp?a_prod_no=MR1


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Others

There are a few other options out there for audio recording, although I have already detailed the best ones. However, if you choose to do further research, you can look up some information on some of the following options:

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DAT recorders (Digital Audio Tape): These are well regarded, but hard to find and expensive. They have been eclipsed by the solid state recorders.

MiniDisc recorders: These are yet another proprietary format dreamt up by Sony that has never really caught on, even though there are a lot of players out there.

Reel-to-reel recorders: These are the grand-daddy of all analog recorders. They still make them new, but they are pricey.

Microphones for Ghost Hunting

Sometimes the microphone you choose to use with your recorder when you do your EVP work can make you or break you. The microphone is the single most important part of the recording process. You want something that is going to give you good, clear sound and make listening to your recordings that much easier.


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There are two common types of microphones that you are likely to come across, and they are Dynamic and Condenser microphones. (I’m going to keep this very basic, but I do recommend reading into the finer workings of microphones.) In a nutshell, Dynamic microphones are primarily for vocals (i.e. singing) and require no batteries. Condenser microphones do require batteries, and can pick up sound from much farther away. Needless to say, you are going to want to pick out a condenser mic for your EVP recordings.

Like everything in life, you get what you pay for. That being said, there are still some REALLY good microphones that can be had for a relatively low price that work great for EVPs.

The first one I recommend to people is the Sony ECM-F8 which is small, lightweight, inexpensive, and is one of the few that does not have a cord that you could jump rope with. It has an omni-directional pickup pattern, which means it catches sounds from all directions (an obvious plus). Average price for one is around $12.00. This very small microphone produces some amazingly crisp audio. If money is tight, go for one of these, as you will not be sacrificing quality. Sony ECM-F8: http://www.google.com/products?q=Sony+ECMF8&scoring=p The second one I like to recommend is the current Omni Directional Boundary Microphone offered by Radio Shack. This is the second version of the Omni Directional Boundary Mic they have put out. It is extremely sensitive, and will pick up a lot of sound. It is offered by Radio Shack for $39.99. Now, it would not surprise me if this model wasn’t around for long as Radio Shack tends to quit using certain models after a while. It’s always worth it to stop in and ask what Boundary mics they have in. I’ve had 2 different ones so far and they’ve both been great, so I would believe if another model came out, it too, would be very good.

By the way…while you are at Radio Shack looking at microphones, make sure to grab a few 1/8” Mono-to-Stereo adaptors. A lot of recorders have mono-output on the headset jack, so you need one of these to be able to listen through both earpieces. It’s not true stereo, but it IS easier to listen to. Copyright 2007 and beyond, Chris Tanner – All Rights Reserved

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The final one I am going to recommend is the Audio-Technica ATR-55 Shotgun Mic. This is a good, entry-level shotgun mic suited for walking around more than camera mounted. Very few Sony camcorders anymore seem to have 1/8” mic inputs, so it’s no good there anyway. I’ve used this walking around, and mounted on a tripod. This is good for recording in a specific direction and not picking up as much around you. They average about $55.00 price wise, and produce some excellent recordings. ATR-55 Shotgun Mic: http://www.google.com/products?q=ATR55&scoring=p There are countless microphones out there other than the three I mentioned. I mentioned these three because I have and do use them personally, and they are great quality for the money. I encourage you to look around and keep a sharp eye out for others that might work for you and try them out if possible. Try and get on with a wide frequency range, preferably down to 100htz on the low end. Remember, if you are using an analog recorder you will NEED a good microphone, so hopefully this will give you some good options.


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3. Video Devices After audio evidence, the next most common type of evidence is video evidence. Some may disagree with me on that and say that photographic evidence is far more common, but I would say that 99% of pictures that are supposedly paranormal have a perfectly non-paranormal explanation.

The nice thing about (most) video evidence is that you get audio along with it. A lot of people overlook the audio that they collect on their camcorders, and they are doing themselves a disservice. A lot of times EVPs can show up in the video tape as well as the audio tape. This is something you need to keep an eye (or rather, an ear) out for and be diligent when reviewing your video.

Like most other common tools under the umbrella of ghost hunting equipment, video recording gear is getting better and better all the time. The quality of the footage and the flexibility of the varied formats ensure that everyone can find something that works for them…and something they can afford as well.

Current consumer-level video formats include Hi8, Digital8, MiniDV, MiniDVD, HDV (Hi-Definition Video), and HDD (Hard Drive Disk).

For those who want to brush up on their camcorder knowledge, check out www.camcorderinfo.com, as well as their sister site, www.easycamcorders.com. These would be my first two recommended stops online to answer all questions related to camcorders.


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The most common video camera formats being used today by ghost hunting groups are Hi8, Digital 8, and MiniDV…mostly because these were the main formats of the Sony Handycams that launched the nightvision revolution in ghost hunting. That, and they are the most affordable!

The good and the bad of the formats

Let me give you a very quick and dirty primer of the pluses and the minuses of the different types of camcorders. This is simply to give you a quick idea of the main things to consider when choosing a camcorder.

Hi8

The Good : Relatively inexpensive. There are tons of them available on eBay for the budget conscious. Longer recording times. Evidence video is preserved in the “better-proof” analog format.

The Bad: The lowest resolution of all current formats. Hi8 is a real pain in the butt to get the video off of the analog format and into digital. Almost totally overrides any benefit of getting it cheap. HOWEVER…there is now a new way to do it easier. My latest gear purchases were a couple DVD Recorders. It is easy (if you have one) to just hook up the HI8’s A/V cables to the DVD recorder and burn it directly to DVD. MUCH easier than getting gone of those PC video capture cards.


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Digital8

The Good: Digital8 camcorders are the “Old Faithful” of ghost hunting camcorders. All are Sony, all have very good Niteshot capability and they can be streamed to your computer via USB or Firewire cable. They have the long recording times the Hi8’s do. They can be found around $100.00, and sometimes less for the eBay sharpshooter. Resolution is about the same as most MiniDV camcorders. Evidence video is preserved in the “better-proof” analog format.

The Bad: The bulkiest of the camcorders. Slow “real-time” transfer of video to digital format.

MiniDV

The Good: MiniDV camcorders are often the smallest camcorders and thus are easier on the arms to carry around while sniffing out specters. MiniDV is a widely used format, with good resolution. It has a wide price range, from affordable to “not-so-affordable.” MiniDVs occupy that “sweet spot” where they are still current (though declining) technology, but there are tons of them showing up every day on eBay. Evidence video is preserved in the “better-proof” analog format and you still have the digital transfer capability. Last, but definitely not least, you can still get a sexy little brand new MiniDV camcorder for as low as $200.00.

The Bad: Tapes only record for 60 minutes in SP (preferred) mode. It has the same slow “real-time” video transfer rate of the Digital8 cameras. Tapes can get to be pricey.


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MiniDVD

The Good: MiniDVD eliminates the virtual headache of “streaming” your video in order to get your analog footage onto the PC. Just take out the MiniDVD and slap it in your DVD drive. Newer, rewritable discs allow you to use the disc many times over. The higher end models have some great features including recording in Dolby sound.

The Bad: This format is where the price begins to go up. The lower models lack a lot of the good features that a comparable-priced MiniDV model would have. Also, the MiniDVD’s themselves can get expensive (if you aren’t using RW discs) and most of the less expensive ones only give you 30 minutes of recording time which is not good for ghost hunting.

Hi-Definition, Hard Drive, and other new formats

The Good: These are the newest of the new technology and must be studied in depth as they are constantly changing. HD cameras offer the obvious benefit of possibly getting Hi-Definition paranormal footage…improving a common weakness in ghost video (resolution). The Hard Drive cameras allow for maximum record time without the limiting effects of having to use tapes or discs. Seven hours record time is not uncommon, and is more than what just about anyone needs for an average investigation. Transferring video should be quick and easy.

The Bad: Obviously, these are your more expensive models and if you want one your best bet is to utilize as many tricks in this book as possible. With the Hard Drive models, you lose the hard-to-refute proof of an analog tape as evidence. In this George Lucas age of computer effects, people will forever be dubious of fantastic images in an all-digital media. But then again, for some, no evidence will ever be good enough to be believed.


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Security Cameras

The Good: These cameras can range greatly in price, can be very small and can be used to easily cover a great deal of area. They can be used in conjunction with virtually any recording system, from DVRs, to VCRs, DVDRs, and PCs.

The Bad: These cameras are almost always only good for indoors. They are not mobile, so you will still probably need your camcorders as well. They do not have the built in microphones that camcorder have and more often than not (unless you go expensive) their resolution is not up to par with what even lower-end camcorders will give you. They may look cool and professional but I personally do not think that these cameras are the best choice for this particular job.

Other Video Devices

Other than the cameras themselves there are a slew of other things that go hand in hand with them, especially if you intend on setting up a stationary monitoring-type system. I would categorize these items into “live viewing gear” and “miscellaneous.”

Live Viewing Gear: 13” TV’s

The 13” Color TV’s are the most cost-effective way to view video remotely. First of all, most tube-type TV’s are quickly becoming outdated so they are much less expensive. I have recently witnessed a sudden drop in the average price of a 13” TV. I remember 6 months ago I couldn’t find a 13” TV for less than $80.00. Now I know of a few stores that regularly sell them at


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$49.99…sometimes even $39.00. I quickly snatched up two…one for each camcorder that I personally own.

Today’s TV’s are ideally suited for this use, as they are mostly set up to be video game TV’s for a child’s room. They usually have the A/V jacks in the front and one specific button on the remote that switches it over to the video signal. They are also much lighter weight these days!

The bad side is they aren’t something that will probably last you for years but they should last long enough to get your moneys worth out of them.

Quad Processors

A Quad Processor (QP) is a less expensive option when you want to look cool like the guys on TV but don’t have the cash for a full-fledged DVR system. QP’s simply divide the signal and the TV screen into 4 separate channels. Therefore, you would run 4 cables from 4 camcorders into the QP. The QP output signal goes to the TV, and viola! You have a fancy-looking 4-screen display.

Now you can still record on-camera if you wish (though you’ll still have to run out and change tapes) or you can record the four-screen display onto a VCR, DVR, or DVDR. The recorded video will still be four screens, with no way to separate them. Recording 4 channels separately will require the u se of a DVR (digital video recorder) system made for 4+ camera surveillance (just in case you thought your cable company’s rental DVR would work!)

For $79.00 (as I found them at Security Cameras Direct) they are worth having. Even if you do not have the money yet for off-camera recording, you can still save space by only having to carry one TV (make it a 20”!) and a QP with you instead of four 13” TV’s. Copyright 2007 and beyond, Chris Tanner – All Rights Reserved

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Security Camera A/V cable on a Cord Reel

Unless you want to drive yourself to madness for some reason, steer clear of using Coaxial cable for your remote video cameras. Instead pick up a few of these thin, pliable video cables. When I found these I threw out my Coax, and it was like a breath of fresh air! These can commonly be found in 50’, 60’, 100’, and 120’ sections. Cables are connected using double-female AV connectors. The 60’ lengths are best if you intend on doing mostly standard home-sized residential cases. For larger areas, the 120’ is king though, when you don’t NEED that much, you’ll have the pain of having to unwind a mess of cable and pile it on the floor to get to the other end. I have found having two lengths of 60’ and two lengths of 120’ give me maximum versatility. The 120’ may not sound like much, but trust me, it goes a long way indoors! When you search for it, look for "(include the amount of footage) RCA Extension Cable.” You’ll find many results with this When you search for it, look for “(However many Feet) RCA Extension Cable.” You’ll find many results with this.

As for the reel itself, look for them at Lowes Home Improvement in the aisle with the extension cords.

Portable DVRs

These are most commonly used in law enforcement for undercover work but I think they could come in handy for ghost hunting as well. For instance, once you receive your Security Cameras Direct catalog (you DID order it, right?) you’ll find a wide range of very small cameras…from the size of your hand to smaller than a quarter. One of these cameras, when coupled with a small portable DVR, would make a nice addition to your kit. You Copyright 2007 and beyond, Chris Tanner – All Rights Reserved

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could use it to cover an extra area or hide it in case you feel someone is trying to pull a fast one. One thing to think about is if ghosts are intelligent and try to avoid cameras, maybe they wouldn’t notice the small, hidden one? You never know! One last use would for what I would call a “quick kit.” I have several pieces of gear that are designated for this in case I need a small “grab and go” bundle of gear. Everything in it is very small and may include digital voice recorders, small microphones, etc. Use your imagination and you’ll come up with some creative uses for something like this.

DVD Recorders

DVD Recorders are my new favorite thing. They are an inexpensive way to do a lot of expensive stuff. They average about $100 each, but if you diligently watch in-store specials you may just hit the jackpot. I was lucky enough to get two of them from HHGregg for a meager $39.99 each. And what a deal that was! First of all, if you are setting your video cameras up for stationary recording, you no longer have to waste money on tapes. Just disable the auto shut-off in the cameras menu. Turn the camera on and hook it up to the AV cables. Run the cables to the DVDR and the TV monitor. You can now record live straight to a blank DVD+R. Depending on what settings you choose, you can squeeze up to 6 hours of (uninterrupted!) video onto one disc! Then you can just pop it into the DVD player at home and you have all of those advantages while you review your video (such as slow playback). Also, as I mentioned earlier, you can use them to transfer video off of an analog video camera. They also play DVDs, so you get a DVD player out of it as well. It’s a pretty useful device for the money and well worth it, in my opinion. The only downside is, if you want full screen video, you’ll need 1 DVDR machine per camera. If you use a Quad-processor, you will not be able to expand one of the individual feeds to full size.


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Other Options

There are of course more possibilities. It is possible to set up video viewing through a laptop, though I am not well versed how, and it would not be the cheapest way to go. There are handheld monitors of different kinds that can be found in catalogs such as Security Cameras Direct. As always, I stress to you to think outside the box. If you think of something new, always share it with others online so that we may grow together.


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4. A quick word about cameras and photographic gear I am not a ghost photography expert and I won’t try to be. I know photographs are a big part of most people’s investigation techniques…they just aren’t part of mine. You see, I’ve never had much luck with it and with the explosion of digital photography, I see two big problems.

The first one is this: Everyone predominantly uses digital cameras now, for obvious reasons. However, we live in a time when computers can make anything seem real. Look at what they can do with movies! Pictures that do not move…well that’s even easier.

I think if anyone ever gets a really good ghost shot, nobody will believe it because it is digital. I know I wouldn’t. It’s just something you have to accept. It’s also the biggest reason to continue using regular film cameras…if you can afford to spend the money on film and developing.

The second problem is that there is no way to know what settings work best at capturing a ghost image. There are 100,000 variables when it comes to digital cameras and the various settings they have. Anyone who tries to tell you “This is the way to do it” is simply blowing smoke at you. At this point in the technology, it’s like finding a needle in a haystack.

Did I say two problems? Whoops. Let me add a third one. Let’s not forget that there are hundreds of reasons for strange shapes and lights to show up in a picture. How can you really tell if something is paranormal or not? It usually comes down to what the person who took the pictures believes.


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I think it is safe to say that I (personally) no longer feel pictures are credible evidence in the age of Photoshop. The only thing I would use a camera for is to document locations…rather than use it to try and capture a picture of a ghost. And if you STILL want a camera….

Obviously, many of you will still want one. So I’ll throw a few suggestions at you just in case.

•

•

•

•

•

If possible, go with a Digital SLR Camera. They are more expensive but they have the best of both worlds when it comes to film and digital. The super-fast shutter speed could be a big factor. These are the best cameras overall.

If possible, get a Sony camera with Nite-Shot. Not a lot of them have it, but since we do a lot of stuff in the dark, this capability would be a plus.

Get a few sets of NiMH rechargeable batteries. Make sure you pick out the ones with the highest “mah” number. And get a 15-minute quick charger. If there is one device ghosts like to kill power in, it’s cameras!

Don’t get less than 5megapixels. This should be a given. At this point, 5MP is the bottom. The more the merrier.

Forget all that crap ghost hunting sites say about “Take off your camera strap!” What sense does this make? You are better off with a non-broken camera than a silly “vortex” (camera strap) picture. Rather than risk breaking an expensive piece of gear, just use common sense when looking at pictures and don’t call a flash-lightened camera strap a “vortex”.


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•

•

GET IT ON EBAY!!! If you do not buy your camera on ebay, you are throwing money away. There are thousands of cameras on there at any given time. Use what you learned earlier and get one for cheap! ONE LAST THING: As I am finishing up this manuscript, I am seeing a new feature show up in digital cameras. I recently saw in the Sunday ads a 12mp digital camera that was only $300 and it recorded Video in 720P High Definition! Now THAT is a handy extra to have in a digital camera! I’d probably use that more than take pictures, though you’d have to have quite a few 4GB SD cards, I imagine.

Final Thoughts

I hope you have found this eBook to be helpful in your efforts to obtain ghost hunting equipment at a good price. I did not just pull these tips out of the air, I taught myself out of the necessity of needing a lot of gear with a limited budget. I have one of the biggest caches of personal ghost hunting gear of anyone I know and you can do the same with what I have taught you here.

Remember that there are no set rules as to what is really best, only guidelines. What works best today might not be so tomorrow. Always keep an eye on new technology and ask yourself, “How could I use this device to

ghost hunt?” Don’t be a follower…be a leader. Remember the two questions from earlier in this eBook:

"What am I trying to accomplish?”

“What do I need to make that happen?”


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If you consistently ask yourself this, you’ll never need to ask others what to use, and you’ll come up with new, original ideas nobody else has tried. THAT’S what this field NEEDS…freethinkers and new ideas. If you want to set yourself apart from the masses, don’t just do what they do. Be original!

If you ever have a question about ghost equipment, or any other kind of question that I might be able to help you with, you can email me at [email protected]. Make sure you put “Question from eBook customer” in the subject line so I will recognize it as a priority email. I usually can respond to most emails within 24 hours.

Thank you so much for reading my eBook and I wish you luck in all your ghost hunting adventures!

-Chris Tanner Central Ohio Paranormal Society


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Appendix A: List of Links

TAPS = www.the-atlantic-paranormal-society.com Ghost Hunters = www.scifi.com/ghosthunters/ Big Lots = www.biglots.com Ghost Weather Station = http://www.softpedia.com/get/Internet/WeatherHome/Ghost-Weather-Station.shtml Microsoft Access = http://office.microsoft.com/enus/access/FX100487571033.aspx Photoshop = http://www.adobe.com/products/photoshop/family/ Audition = http://www.adobe.com/products/audition/ Soundbooth = http://www.adobe.com/products/soundbooth/ Premiere = http://www.adobe.com/products/premiere/ B&H Photo = http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?A=getpage&Q=FreeCat alog.jsp&kw=CatalogRequest&O=UPennSupplierShowcase Professional Equipment = http://www.professionalequipment.com/ “Temperature Datalogger” = http://www.professionalequipment.com/usbtemperature-data-logger-el-usb-1/thermometer/ Google = www.google.com Google Product Search = http://www.google.com/prdhp?tab=wf&ie=UTF8 Copyright 2007 and beyond, Chris Tanner – All Rights Reserved

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DOWNLOAD GOOGLE TOOLBAR = http://toolbar.google.com/T4/index_pack.html EBAY = www.ebay.com Amazon.com = www.amazon.com Security Cameras Direct = http://www.scdlink.com/ B&H Photo-Video = www.bhphotovideo.com LessEMF = www.lessemf.com BSW Professional Audio Gear = http://www.bswusa.com/main.asp Craigslist: The national online classifieds = www.craigslist.org Power Street Inc. = http://stores.ebay.com/power-street-INC Laser Levels = http://www.google.com/products?sourceid=navclient&rls=GGLJ,GGLJ:200 6-45,GGLJ:en&q=Laser+level&scoring=p CELLSENSOR = http://www.google.com/products?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF8&rls=GGLJ,GGLJ:2006-45,GGLJ:en&q=Cellsensor TRIFIELD NATURAL EM METER = http://www.detectortechnologies.com/store/detail.aspx?ID=5 Searching for it on ebay = http://search.ebay.com/Trifield-Natural-EMmeter_W0QQ_trksidZm37QQfromZR40 IR THERMOMETERS = http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF8&rls=GGLJ,GGLJ:2006-45,GGLJ:en&q=IR+THERMOMETERS


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THERMOCOUPLE THERMOMETERS = http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF8&rls=GGLJ,GGLJ:2006-45,GGLJ:en&q=Thermocouple+Thermometers Extech IR Thermometer with Type-K Thermocouple Input = http://www.extech.com/instrument/products/400_450/42535.html Manufacturers Website = http://www.lascarelectronics.com/PRODUCTS.CFM?area=3&type=DATA %20LOGGERS&CFID=16751363&CFTOKEN=40828360 Google Product Search results = http://www.google.com/products?q=Lascar+USB&btnG=Search&show=li& scoring=p “Door Knob Alarm” = http://www.google.com/products?sourceid=navclient&rls=GGLJ,GGLJ:200 6-45,GGLJ:en&q=door+knob+alarm&scoring=p Flir ThermaCAM B-CAM = http://www.professionalequipment.com/flirthermacam-b-cam-infrared-thermal-imaging-camera-27801-0202/thermalinfrared-camera/ Flir ThermaCAM B2 = http://www.professionalequipment.com/flirthermacam-b-cam-infrared-thermal-imaging-camera-27801-0202/thermalinfrared-camera/ Credit application by clicking HERE = http://www.professionalequipment.com/images/pdf/pe-credit-application2005.pdf “How to hunt ghosts” by Joshua P Warren = http://www.amazon.com/How-Hunt-Ghosts-PracticalGuide/dp/0743234936/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/103-73971676508664?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1186704222&sr=8-1 Example of GE Recorder from Google Product Search = http://www.google.com/products?q=GE+35027+cassette+recorder&hl=en& show=li


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Sony TCM-210DV = http://www.google.com/products?q=Sony+TCM210DV+cassette+recorder&show=li Marantz PMD-222 = http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&rls=GGLJ,GGLJ:200645,GGLJ:en&q=Marantz+PMD-222&um=1&sa=N&tab=fw Example of GE Micro Cassette Recorder from Google Product Search = http://www.google.com/products?hl=en&rls=GGLJ,GGLJ:200645,GGLJ:en&resnum=0&q=GE+Microcassette+recorder&um=1&sa=N&ta b=wf Olympus Voice Recorders = http://www.olympusamerica.com/cpg_section/cpg_vr_digitalrecorders.asp Olympus VN960PC = http://www.olympusamerica.com/cpg_section/cpg_vr_digitalrecorders.asp Olympus WS-100 = http://www.google.com/products?q=olympus+WS100&show=li Audacity = http://audacity.sourceforge.net/ Sony Sound Forge = http://www.sonycreativesoftware.com/products/soundforgefamily.asp BIAS Soundsoap = http://www.bias-inc.com/products/soundSoap2/ Zoom H4 Handy Recorder = http://www.samsontech.com/products/productpage.cfm?prodID=1901 M-Audio MicroTrack 24/96 = http://www.maudio.com/products/en_us/MicroTrack2496-main.html H2 Recorder = http://www.samsontech.com/products/productpage.cfm?prodID=1916 Korg MR1 Mobile Recorder = http://www.korg.com/gear/info.asp?a_prod_no=MR1&category_id=3


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Sam Ash = http://www.samash.com/catalog/categorysub.asp?CategorySubID=940&dep artmentid=6&sourcetype=categorysearch Sony ECM-F8 = http://www.google.com/products?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF8&rls=GGLJ,GGLJ:2006-45,GGLJ:en&q=Sony+ECMF8&um=1&sa=N&tab=wf Radio Shack = http://www.radioshack.com/sm-omni-directional-businessmicrophone--pi-2296039.html Audio Technica ATR-55 Shotgun Mic = http://www.google.com/products?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF8&rls=GGLJ,GGLJ:2006-45,GGLJ:en&q=Audio+Technica+ATR55&um=1&sa=N&tab=wf CamcorderInfo.com = www.camcorderinfo.com EasyCamcorders.com = www.easycamcorders.com


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Note from the author

I feel compelled to point out that I have no relationship whatsoever with any of the website I have linked in this document. I receive no compensation whatsoever if you buy, or do not buy from anyone linked in this document. The sole reason I have placed these links is to make it easier for you, and because these are all places, programs, and products that I personally like and think highly of, and encourage others to try for themselves. Just as you would tell a friend about a product you like, so I have done here. This eBook is 100% my own work and is copyrighted as such. Any infringement of copyrighted material will be pursued legally to the full extent of the law. The information contained in this ebook is merely a reflection of the methods I have used myself. I assume no responsibility for any problems which may or may not arise in the course or purchasing goods from any vendor links I have placed in this book, or from using devices I have recommended in this book. This book is for information purposes only, and I take no responsibility for what you do with that information.


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