Where to start in investigating

[GLCsector3295]

The paranormal investigating field seems fun, could be dangerous, ....  With out being able to join in on an investigation with out paying through the nose, the next option is to just start ones own investigation. An there in is the title, where to actually start.

I have an okay tripod and DSLR with a video recording option, but as for EVP recording,  what kind of quality does one really need to capture any kind of EVP ?  Are there brands of recording devices to look for, or does it not matter at all ?  The other gadget I am curious about are, I think, white noise boxes, that cycle through channels, and supposedly spirits can speak through the device through the channels,  are those worth buying online or is it just the same to make ones own.   Or perhaps another question is what to avoid buying and what is worth buying .

[Emma_Acid]

21 minutes ago, GLCsector3295 said:

The paranormal investigating field seems fun, could be dangerous, ....  With out being able to join in on an investigation with out paying through the nose, the next option is to just start ones own investigation. An there in is the title, where to actually start.

I have an okay tripod and DSLR with a video recording option, but as for EVP recording,  what kind of quality does one really need to capture any kind of EVP ?  Are there brands of recording devices to look for, or does it not matter at all ?  The other gadget I am curious about are, I think, white noise boxes, that cycle through channels, and supposedly spirits can speak through the device through the channels,  are those worth buying online or is it just the same to make ones own.   Or perhaps another question is what to avoid buying and what is worth buying .

Maybe come up with a scientific framework for how these things are supposed to show evidence of ghosts in the first place, rather than just copying something you've seen on the TV. Never seen a single scientific explanation for why the things "ghost hunters" use are actually supposed to work.

[+Desertrat56]

Yeah, I went with a friend who got a gig on halloween to do a medium consultation and she wanted proof that ghosts were actually there so my job was to keep track of the temperature in the room and around the table the people were sitting at.  Supposedly the temperatur drops when a ghost is present.  What I found was that the temperature was 2 degrees higher around the table than the rest of the room.  (4 people sitting in a close space, maybe).      I think if anything that medium was telepathic rather than talking to ghosts, she was picking up what the people were thinking and what they wanted to hear. 

[Tiggs]

38 minutes ago, Emma_Acid said:

Maybe come up with a scientific framework for how these things are supposed to show evidence of ghosts in the first place, rather than just copying something you've seen on the TV. Never seen a single scientific explanation for why the things "ghost hunters" use are actually supposed to work.

I'll take a wild layman's swing at it, if you like.

If the Many Interacting Worlds theory holds -- perhaps the movements of those worlds cause resonant patterns to form.

Perhaps those resonant patterns can be detected as order within otherwise stochastic sources.

Such as voices within white noise, or images within television static.

[GLCsector3295]

10 hours ago, Emma_Acid said:

Maybe come up with a scientific framework for how these things are supposed to show evidence of ghosts in the first place, rather than just copying something you've seen on the TV. Never seen a single scientific explanation for why the things "ghost hunters" use are actually supposed to work.

well since you brought it up, what would constitute to you as  a  " scientific framework " ?

 

An for anyone else that may have done an EVP , that is what I am interested in, what worked for you or didn't, and etc as I originally posted.

[Emma_Acid]

On 8/22/2019 at 7:09 PM, Tiggs said:

I'll take a wild layman's swing at it, if you like.

If the Many Interacting Worlds theory holds -- perhaps the movements of those worlds cause resonant patterns to form.

Perhaps those resonant patterns can be detected as order within otherwise stochastic sources.

Such as voices within white noise, or images within television static.

Pure handwaving woo, and doesn't explain why the majority of "ghosts" are dressed as Victorians.

Edit - sorry, wasn't meant to be this shirty. But I stand by it as an "appeal to quantum woo". This still isn't an explanation for "ghosts".

Edited August 24, 2019 by Emma_Acid

[Emma_Acid]

23 hours ago, GLCsector3295 said:

well since you brought it up, what would constitute to you as  a  " scientific framework " ?

*squints*
Seriously? This isn't my call. This is a world-wide standard for the way science works, that has resulted in the modern world around you - computers, smartphones, medical and lab equipment. The scientific model is what it is. That you guys can't conform to it is not our problem.

Edited August 24, 2019 by Emma_Acid

[Piney]

On 8/22/2019 at 10:32 AM, GLCsector3295 said:

 could be dangerous, ....

 

Not even a little bit. 

[Emma_Acid]

Just now, GLCsector3295 said:

So if you want to contribute to a scientific method to use, I am open to looking into it, but right now it appears you are not really certain

OK, so - for something to fit within a scientific framework it needs to:

• be falsifiable
• be used to make predictions
• be evidenced from multiple sources
• be able to be replicated in any suitable environment
• it is consistent with pre-existing experimental data

Those are the basics. There are other criteria. But this isn't some mystery held by a select few - this is how science works. "Ghost hunting" doesn't pass a single one of these criteria - so why ask about "ghost hunting methods" when it doesn't really exist?

[Habitat]

3 hours ago, Emma_Acid said:

Pure handwaving woo, and doesn't explain why the majority of "ghosts" are dressed as Victorians.

They are ??? Funny you should say that, the only person who ever related a convincing ghost story to me, described a young woman, very much in Victorian type dress.

[Gwynbleidd]

On 8/23/2019 at 12:55 AM, Emma_Acid said:

 Never seen a single scientific explanation for why the things "ghost hunters" use are actually supposed to work.

I don't know but I quite enjoyed it when that Zac guy (from Ghost Hunters or some show) used that thing called a Talk-box - or Ghost-Box?  That was rather entertaining.  Admittedly, I don't really understand how it flicked through so many frequencies so fast and came out with words from various channels, but I just took it to be coincidence in piecing words together.  My justification for that particular tool is, if you're looking for something to occur, I feel people can often find things by seeing, hearing or feeling anything they want to.     

[Tiggs]

14 minutes ago, Emma_Acid said:

Edit - sorry, wasn't meant to be this shirty.

Wouldn't be Science if you were pulling your punches -- and honestly -- that's what I like about you.

Truth is -- I have no idea if ghosts are real or hallucinatory, but what does seems to be real, is people's perception that they've experienced ghosts.

What particularly interests me, is that different people have reported experiencing the same phenomenon, at the same location -- but at different times, sometimes years apart.

Which suggests to me that there may be an underlying basis for that experience.

Even if it is all just happening in their head (the brain still being part of the material world, and all).
 

3 hours ago, Emma_Acid said:

Pure handwaving woo, and doesn't explain why the majority of "ghosts" are dressed as Victorians.

All true. It's a fair cop. I thought the resonance bit was a nice touch, though.

IMO -- until someone discovers what the underlying basis for the experience is (if one even exists) -- and then subjects it to the scientific method -- then pure handwaving woo is pretty much all anyone's got.

[GLCsector3295]

On 8/23/2019 at 9:30 PM, Emma_Acid said:

OK, so - for something to fit within a scientific framework it needs to:

• be falsifiable
• be used to make predictions
• be evidenced from multiple sources
• be able to be replicated in any suitable environment
• it is consistent with pre-existing experimental data

Those are the basics. There are other criteria. But this isn't some mystery held by a select few - this is how science works. "Ghost hunting" doesn't pass a single one of these criteria - so why ask about "ghost hunting methods" when it doesn't really exist?

 I am just yanking your chain, I knew you had nothing of value to add to my original question,  you sort of got the answer right, don't know how ya think pre-existing experimental data is formed if there is none to begin with though... I understand and know what a  scientific method is,  the crux is, there is no scientific method to  " ghost hunting ". Because it isn't a scientific based field.  It is a field based in faith. you either believe in it or you don't. Same for a miracle, miracles are miracles because science can not explain with all its might how the miracle happened.   I was really looking to find like minded people who are actively or have in the past and what they use.  That was my mistake thinking that a forum on the paranormal was going to have like minded people that actually contribute to subjects. While there are a few, they seem to be out numbered by those that would rather just start drama where none was started.

On 8/23/2019 at 11:21 PM, pixiii said:

I don't know but I quite enjoyed it when that Zac guy (from Ghost Hunters or some show) used that thing called a Talk-box - or Ghost-Box?  That was rather entertaining.  Admittedly, I don't really understand how it flicked through so many frequencies so fast and came out with words from various channels, but I just took it to be coincidence in piecing words together.  My justification for that particular tool is, if you're looking for something to occur, I feel people can often find things by seeing, hearing or feeling anything they want to.     

yeah that interested me in how the device actually worked, if it was just all created for the show, or if this was something well known in the paranormal community.  I imagine just taking a radio and cycling through the channels with the volume set at a reasonable level could work just the same.  An the human senses can work in detecting,I agree,  I imagine part of investigating is being able to debunk ones own experiences and not take everything at face value as paranormal. As for trying to prove anything, that was never my intent of this thread.

Edited August 28, 2019 by GLCsector3295

[GLCsector3295]

By the way, since I specifically asked for a link, on a scientific method, which is learned in grade school, and I couldn't even get a link just a rambling of guesses.  I figured why not post an easy wiki link.

in short it is 

- Formulate a question

-  Hypothesis

- Prediction 

- Testing

- Analysis

An then here is the link 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_method

 

Not that it really matters , but why not correct a mistake.  An again,  science and the spirit world do not match well at all, while these actual scientific methods can be used in " Ghost Hunting " it isn't going to hold up to those who want " science based " proof, with I guess, chemicals and beakers being used and microscopes and X-rays. 

When it comes to recording, things are too easily faked in todays world and for me at least on this forum wouldn't be worth posting. as the first thing to be said would undoubtedly be , it is faked, or prove it isn't fake. an that is the catch 22. an falls back to you either believe in the field or you don't.

So again my mistake thinking that there might be people here who have done their own paranormal investigations and for thinking I would actually find them on a forum like this an then get some decent information on what kind of equipment to look into using. Silly me .

Least I know where to go if i want to kill some time.

[toast]

Just out of interest I did a Google search on "ghost hunting equipment" and its quite entertaining somehow. There are "K2 EMF Meter" ($59,90), "Trifield Natural EMF Meter" ($199,95), "ParaForce SpiritPod" ($139,90) and a lot of other stuff as well. The funniest thing I`ve found is named a "EVP Recorder with USB and live listening", which is a standard OLYMPUS voice recorder, model WS852.

Do you know the daily prayer of "ghost hunting equipment" dealers? Its "Thank you, idiots, thank you very very much".

[openozy]

I hate ghost hunters in general,they should get into another line of work.They can have EVP recorders and whatever other garbage they use,they have no concept of the paranormal.They prey on people's fear of the unknown and achieve nothing, but are good at stirring up trouble.Bunch of messers.

Edited August 28, 2019 by openozy

[GLCsector3295]

6 hours ago, toast said:

Just out of interest I did a Google search on "ghost hunting equipment" and its quite entertaining somehow. There are "K2 EMF Meter" ($59,90), "Trifield Natural EMF Meter" ($199,95), "ParaForce SpiritPod" ($139,90) and a lot of other stuff as well. The funniest thing I`ve found is named a "EVP Recorder with USB and live listening", which is a standard OLYMPUS voice recorder, model WS852.

Do you know the daily prayer of "ghost hunting equipment" dealers? Its "Thank you, idiots, thank you very very much".

yeah i never really believed that those types of " Equipment " were really anything but snake oil.    Or perhaps are actual electronic monitoring equipment being sold as " ghost hunting equipment "  so I guess it is worth learning about meters and how they work, the voice recorders i cant imagine being anything more than just a regular recording device, and then using different software to clean up back ground noise.

5 hours ago, openozy said:

I hate ghost hunters in general,they should get into another line of work.They can have EVP recorders and whatever other garbage they use,they have no concept of the paranormal.They prey on people's fear of the unknown and achieve nothing, but are good at stirring up trouble.Bunch of messers.

yeah the tv show investigation things are, a joke, but based on reality some where. They have to go for the ratings or it wouldnt be entertaining. some things they do seem at least plausible as to being useful. I have seen where they rigged flashlights to be easy enough to touch that a light will come on, or some other device that lights up if something passes through it. an then i think at one point they used some kind of device to scatter light through out a room, dots every where, and if something passed through, it would be picked up in a recording. I think the most basic thing i saw them do, was to track the sound of foot steps, they just scattered flour across a floor to see if anything was actually walking.  Sounds interesting. how practical it really is to use electronic devices in an investigation I don't know.  But I am sure there are groups out there that are not televised that either want to prove something to a client or to peers and are using something... what they use i don't know so, Tv is all I have to go on at the moment.

But in general the tv shows of investigations are in deed achieving nothing. I believe that ghosts and spirits do exist, that there is a spirit world, but i dont buy into the tv shows.

 

[Emma_Acid]

On 8/24/2019 at 4:35 AM, Habitat said:

They are ??? Funny you should say that, the only person who ever related a convincing ghost story to me, described a young woman, very much in Victorian type dress.

And it was convincing how? How is it any more convincing that someone reading Harry Potter to you? One story is no different from another, it makes no difference how earnest they are.

[Emma_Acid]

On 8/24/2019 at 5:21 AM, pixiii said:

I don't know but I quite enjoyed it when that Zac guy (from Ghost Hunters or some show) used that thing called a Talk-box - or Ghost-Box?  That was rather entertaining.  Admittedly, I don't really understand how it flicked through so many frequencies so fast and came out with words from various channels, but I just took it to be coincidence in piecing words together.  My justification for that particular tool is, if you're looking for something to occur, I feel people can often find things by seeing, hearing or feeling anything they want to.     

The problem here is that they jump straight to the end output without building a framework for how the output works. Ok, so you can record spirits on a ghost box, but how do ghosts inhabit the radio magnetic spectrum?? What is powering them? As I said, there are no scientific frameworks for how these things as supposed to exist, they "just do". *waves hands*

[Habitat]

6 hours ago, Emma_Acid said:

And it was convincing how? How is it any more convincing that someone reading Harry Potter to you? One story is no different from another, it makes no difference how earnest they are.

It was convincing because I know the teller very well. The prelude to his sighting, had a series of baffling, but not completely improbable happenings. The teller is very much a head-nosed, scientifically minded character, and seemed almost embarrassed to be telling a "ghost story", as if it was something he'd never have credited, unless he'd seen it. I'm sure he's second-guessed himself a hundred times about what he saw, but it was just too rich in detail, to be dismissed by him.

[Gwynbleidd]

7 hours ago, Emma_Acid said:

The problem here is that they jump straight to the end output without building a framework for how the output works. Ok, so you can record spirits on a ghost box, but how do ghosts inhabit the radio magnetic spectrum?? What is powering them? As I said, there are no scientific frameworks for how these things as supposed to exist, they "just do". *waves hands*

Exactly, I have no idea how these things work or even if they're "working".  But on tv especially, I just suspect it's all for the entertainment purposes only.  After watching that old show Most Haunted for many years, I thought wow, this is more for the scream factor, not scientific purposes. Yes, how indeed does a ghost inhabit the radio magnetic spectrum....what is a ghost?  I'm afraid I'm still not sold on whether ghosts/spirits exist.  I'd like to believe, but sadly, I don't feel there is evidence enough to prove yay or nay at this time. I still enjoy a good ghost hunter show though  

[Emma_Acid]

On 8/28/2019 at 3:39 AM, GLCsector3295 said:

  there is no scientific method to  " ghost hunting ". Because it isn't a scientific based field.  It is a field based in faith.

Well, thanks for being honest enough to admit that.

[Emma_Acid]

2 hours ago, Habitat said:

It was convincing because I know the teller very well. The prelude to his sighting, had a series of baffling, but not completely improbable happenings. The teller is very much a head-nosed, scientifically minded character, and seemed almost embarrassed to be telling a "ghost story", as if it was something he'd never have credited, unless he'd seen it. I'm sure he's second-guessed himself a hundred times about what he saw, but it was just too rich in detail, to be dismissed by him.

That is not proof of anything.

[Habitat]

10 minutes ago, Emma_Acid said:

That is not proof of anything.

Not for you. For him...…..not so.

[the13bats]

On 8/22/2019 at 11:44 AM, Desertrat56 said:

I think if anything that medium was telepathic rather than talking to ghosts, she was picking up what the people were thinking and what they wanted to hear. 

i consider that a trait of a cold reader no special "telepathic" powers.