SUGGESTED EVP KIT
DIGITAL VOICE RECORDER/DICTAPHONE:
My current make and model is the SONY PX370, although the 470 is now on the market. It will set you back around £45.
There are cheaper and more expensive recorders around so shop according to your maximum budget if you can.
I started with £15 makes from EBay but after a time they began to let me down.
The Sony though is easy to use and with its USB function (it is already attached) there are no hassles with leads when it comes to uploading files. Recording quality is excellent too.
Essentials - reliable products that won't break the bank!
COMPUTER/LAPTOP - This will be the most expensive bit of kit needed. It's all very well recording and playing back on the voice recorder, but to do things thoroughly and efficiently you need to get your finds onto a computer. It doesn't have to be a swish fancy thing though, second = good enough. I've had several over the years, from HP's cheapest through to a second hand HP Elitebook which was amazing, until I trod on it. Temporarily I borrowed a Lenovo Yoga which is okay although requires external back up to store all of my files, and now I'm merrily working on an amazing Samsung. AND I purchased a second hand 4TB Seagate backup hub - for obvious reasons.
AUDIO EDITING PROGRAM - I use a combination of two FREE programs downloaded from the internet. They are:
* AUDACITY https://www.audacityteam.org/download/windows/
* OCENAUDIO https://www.ocenaudio.com/en/download
VIDEO EDITING PROGRAM - I use Adobe Premiere Elements.
There are other freebies around or cheaper programs but this is the one that I find invaluable for final presentation. It costs around £80 for a one-off download, but there are monthly options too.
HEADPHONES - Never EVER (!) attempt to listen to any audio without headphones, and if you ask anyone else to listen, make sure that they wear them too!
The intricate subtleties of EVPs deserve every possible aid to get them heard properly. You'd be surprised at the tremendous difference it will make even to the most clear capture.
It always riles me greatly to see the TV ghost shows playing back audio instantly from their recorders and listening to the tinny hisses. They instantly know what's said, even though to the listener they're blatantly wrong. There's a whole lot of supposition floating around under these circumstances, and it's something that could really work in their favour if a little more time and effort was made to diagnose what's said - so if Ghost Adventures would like to talk, I'm here!
NOTEPAD
Rudimentary but necessary for your first draft notes and catalogue. Always keep your notes in a file along with your finished catalogue if you find you need to dip back into it for reference down the line.
A RELIABLE TORCH! - Don't be alone in the dark.
TV ghost shows make Infrared and night-vision look attractive, but until you can afford fancy option (I can't) a torch is a MUST. Also spare batteries.
If you can stretch to it, back up recorders are handy. Leaving multiple recorders in the same place can have interesting results, as can leaving them in locked off areas. If you're out and about and one lets you down it's a comfort to know you've got backup.
Also a camcorder or GoPro to film yourself in situ - It's further backup and proof that you're alone and not faking. They don't have to be expensive, and now that the majority of mobiles these days have video facilities, you might not need to splash out at all. It's when it comes to filming from multiple angles simultaneously that it can get tricky!
Other bits of handy kit in your ghosting arsenal may one day include:
- a K2 meter (EMF meter with lights & sound). Anomalous activity is often highlighted by a
sudden charge of electromagnetism. I've certainly experienced this many times.
At home after poltergeist-like activity I instantly ran for my recorder and my K2. The K2 shot to
red (the top of the dial) and stayed there for nearly ten minutes, and the recorder captured
two voices. A pleasant sounding older man's voice saying, "We're bored ducks!" and a chilling
gruff man saying something like "Hold his TONGUE!" or "All this TIME!"
- Laser grid pen - Used in the dark on a mini tripod to see if laser lines are broken by anything moving. Good to use on night investigations in static situations in conjunction with the voice recorder and the K2.
- Cat balls - light up if vibrations present, used for Yes/No questions generally.
-For in-the-moment communications some people like to work with spirit boxes, SB7s or the like. I'm not a huge fan due to the static noise as the device sweeps back and forth over multiple radio bands at speed (and in reverse). The likelihood of trying guessing what you're hearing in the moment quite often results in questionable evidence, but that said I have seen them work properly. They just give me a headache. You still need to record at the same time too to verify your communication by playing back later however, and so this is a part time tool and probably not your main one.
Similar products fairly fresh on the paranormal market include the Geo port and Geo box (as seen on Paranormal Lockdown).
I was intrigued by the PARABOLIC MICROPHONE as seen on Ghost Adventures. It's essentially an enormous coned amplifier that in theory, offers ghost hunters the chance to hear EVPs in the moment. I excitedly purchased one several years ago, and was very disappointed. The 'record' function on it is only lasts for a matter of seconds and without the ability to store what you've recorded, it automatically wipes what you've just done! Also, although exceptionally good at picking up sounds from outside or the other side of walls indoors (great for spies and stalkers as it also has a viewing scope!) I didn't pick up any EVPs on it. I recorded on my voice recorder at the same time and had a few show up on there, but nothing on the parabolic mic'.
Similar products fairly fresh on the paranormal market include the Geo port and Geo box (as seen on Paranormal Lockdown).
The only piece of equipment I'd say you can use alone is the voice recorder - all the others are great if used as part of an ensemble of gear. I frequently only ever go out with my recorder and phone to take videos and photos as I go - on more in-depth investigations I'll go 'full orchestra' - which can get tiring but it's worth it!
There are lots of online ghost-equipment stores out there, just beware the home-made cheaper looking items. I've been caught out a few times. Ghost Stop is one I'd recommend, and also the US supplier Digital Dowsing, set up by Ghost Adventures' very own Bill Chappell.
Digital Dowsing Paranormal Investigation Equipment
