Getting Into Paranormal Investigating

vauraine

Hi all,

I've been lurking around this forum for a good while now and have searched high and low but can't seem to find what I'm looking for, or at least not a recent one. Basically I'm looking to try my hand at investigating but have no idea how to start.

I'm a skeptical believer and I'm fascinated by the subject, but I have no friends or any contacts that have any interest at all in the topic. I like to think I'm pretty ballsy but I'm not going anywhere on my own! I have a decent idea of the kind of equipment needed too, but I've never had any experience in this and would be reluctant forking out on something only for it to scare the bejeebus out of me and for me to spend the rest of my days hiding under my duvet.

Would anyone on here have any suggestions on how I could give it a go short of sticking an ad up on craigslist?

Ziycon

Due to the rapid decline in the 'cool' groups era, your best bet now would be to find a group (many on facebook) and tag along on a couple of public/charity investigations, it will help to get to know others. Then you can maybe go down the route of getting one or two of the people you've gotten to know to go to some places.

As you rightly said, don't go anywhere on your own for numerous reasons, the main one being in case something was to happen you'd have help and aren't left wedged under a collapsed staircase and become what you were there looking for. Also don't trespass, look for locations on the internet or by word of mouth and organise with the owners to be allowed visit the place.

Also there is nothing to suggest that ghosts only come out at night so go in the day, it's a lot safer. And if you're ever on holiday down the country have a chat to a few locals in the local public house as they always have stories about the area.

Hope that gets you started.

maccored

I would first ask yourself why you want to try your hand at investigating. If its for ****s and giggles and the scare factor, then theres plenty of groups (particularly on FB) who ooh and aww at bad photos and orbs, and get scared by old buildings. Contact one of them. If on the other hand, you're more interested in the hows and the whys, then its that bit more difficult and you probably might need to start your own research and interact with like minded individuals along the way.

vauraine

Thank you both for the advice. I did have a look on facebook but could only find past public investigations. I guess I'll just have to keep my eyes open.

I wouldn't say I'm in it to get spooked by old buildings. I'm a fairly logical thinker and I'm of the belief that most people get caught up in local tales etc. I'm interested in finding my own proof more than anything else.

maccored

I dont think theres too many serious research groups out there unfortunately. Many just seem to regard the whole thing as social outings. Ask among your friends - if you can find one or two like minded people, then do your own thing. You dont need much of the hi tech gear being used like thermal imaging (good for catching real people but not ghosts) or the full spectrum cameras. Those cameras are a rip off in fact since the ones used on tv shows like ghost hunters are custom made and DONT include infrared and UV (whereas thats all the commercial versions have, plus normal video).

I'd say get some like minded friends, a few video cameras, audio recorders, some pen and paper, research some palces you might want to look at, get permission and go investigating.

vauraine

Thanks maccored, when you say serious research groups do you mean like ghost hunters as opposed to most haunted? I've only seen a few episodes of ghost hunters but I think I'd be interested in something along those lines, and I actually quite like when they can find a logical reason for something that at first glance looks paranormal. And thanks for the note about the full spectrum cameras, I never would have known that!

Another thing I saw on here was a paranormal convention next year in belfast, do you think that something like that would be a good experience for someone just getting into this?

maccored

it never does any harm meeting people - and you'd find all kinds at a convention. I think you just need to explore a bit and figure out which part of the paranormal interests you (theres many facets to it). theres no rules or regulations or 'proper' way of doing it. Some focus on going to scary places, some like just to scare themselves and others like to find out about strange activity and then go try and find/debunk it. I think once you know what it is you want to look for or to discover, then thats half the battle.

If i was to choose between ghost hunters and most haunted, I'd go the ghost hunters route - but dont forget - all that stuff on TV is for entertainment moreso than anything else.

vauraine

Thanks a million for all your help!

maccored

vauraine wrote: »

And thanks for the note about the full spectrum cameras, I never would have known that!

Technically, the commercial ones are *really* called 'multi-spectrum cameras'.

The full spectrum camera was the work of two people - Barry Fitzgerald from GHI who was working on full spectrum still cameras (where he was researching different light spectrums to see if some where better at seeing what we couldnt see, than others) and Bill Murphy from Paranormal Fact or Faked. Bill knew a guy who made video cameras so he and Barry approached him about making barry's still cameras into full video.

That batch of cameras went to Ghost Hunters, GHI, Paranormal Fact or Faked and Destination Truth. I was talking to both barry and bill (and ben hanson) about them and they all say that IR and UV are probably the least useful when it comes to paranormal research, and therefore werent included in the full spectrum camera.

Thats what I mean about research - but as you see, such research into paranormal light spectrums hasnt really affected the 'ghost hunting' craze considering how many still use IR and multi spectrum cameras

vauraine

Wow ok, beginning to think I need to do a lot more reading before I do anything (and believe me, I read a lot!). I guess if someone is interested in the topic but isn't very into reading it would be very easy to take shows like ghost hunters as what is needed. Really does show that you need to do your research!

maccored

i agree - you really need to know what it is you want to look for, before thinking of going investigating. As I said, theres no 'proper' way, nor is there 'proper' theories or equipment. Its very easy to just take it as gold, the kind of equipment you need and why you use it. Best to read up on the various theories about the paranormal and take them into consideration in developing your own view - but dont take anything as definite since we just dont have the full dataset to work from.

Theres some great theories out there. Graham Hancock and others have put forward the idea that different dimensions use our minds to communicate with us. Much like the shaman and pagan priests would travel to 'the other world' in their mind to meet with gods. Its also interesting to note that years ago p[eople saw monsters and fairies (and where apparently kidnapped by such creatues), whereas today its ufos and aliens (and people claim to be abducted by such beings). Same basic idea - but our mind represents it in a way that fits in with our society so we can try and make sense of it as best as possible. I like that theory myself.

The you have David Rountree and his experimentation with EMF. He done a great experiment with a medium where he datalogged the emf changes in the local environment at the same time a medium contacted 'spirits'. Quite interesting results. His theory is that something comes into the local environment and changes the levels of emf, plus seems to send electro magnetic signals. Its the kind of stuf the brain might pick up and interpret - ie some form of communciation. Again - I would think along the same lines as this - he isnt claiming its dead people. He's just saying that his data shows there is a electronmagnetic signal that corresponds to the medium communicating. He suggests it might be some form of mini wormhole, or miniature version of the big bang between our brane and the next

... but all I m saying is theres some interesting stuff out there - much more than empty house = 'paranormal investigation'.

mr jelly bean

hi i am a bit like u looking to get in to paranormal investigations but finding it hard also have loads of gear but nowhere to investagate