To many investigators, an E.M F. meter is possibly one of the most useful tools to have in the field. To give you a quick explanation, all that they do is measure and detect electromagnetic fields, and fluctuations in electromagnetic fields. PERIOD. They DO NOT detect ghosts or paranormal activity.    There's a theory, that says that electromagnetic fields can be effected by paranormal activity. This is a theory that MOST investigators subscribe to. This is NOT a fact. Remain open minded to the idea that this theory is nothing but conjecture.    Also, keep in mind when using an E.M.F. meter that their readings can be effected by almost ANY electrical device. If you have a high reading next to a microwave, it's probably just the machine.    Unfortunately, E.M.F. meters cannot be bought in stores, and you'll need to shop around online to find a good one that you'll feel comfortable with. Here is a list of many meters and a little information about each of them.

 

Infrared Thermometers

There is a widely believed theory in the paranormal investigation field that spirits will 'drain' energy from your equipment's batteries to manifest themselves. The theory also extends to borrowing the energy from the atmosphere.    I'm sure that many of you have walked in a location that MAY or MAY NOT have been considered 'haunted'. While walking, the temperature in the air seemed to drop dramatically in one little area. The theory suggests that there's a spirit, or another paranormal event trying to manifest itself at that location and time, and is taking the ambient energy out of the air, leaving a cold spot in its wake. That's the theory. Again, not to sound like a broken record, it is NOT a proven fact. Still, it's all we have to go on right now. Isn't it?    Infrared thermometers are the only real way to measure this drop in temperature. A regular thermometer would take too long to read the temperature change, and by the time it did, if there WERE a paranormal event taking place, it would be over by the time the thermometer made a final and accurate reading. Infrared thermometers detect the temperature instantly.    Keep in mind that just a drop in temperature doesn't mean a paranormal event IS in fact taking place. It's just one indication of the possibility. Combine it with an EMF reading, and maybe a reading from some other gadgets, and you MAY have something.    Now, if you're using an infrared thermometer, I want to warn you about something that I've personally noticed about them in the field. Because they ARE electronic, they CAN themselves be effected by electromagnetic fields, and give you false readings. Be careful when combining the thermometer reading with an EMF reading. Your EMF meter MAY be detecting a power source, while your thermometer is ALSO effected by the field that the power source is giving off. BOTH devices will agree that there may be something interesting there, when in fact, it's just a false positive. Be careful of this with your thermometer, and with all other electronic gadgets.

 

Basic Infrared Thermometer    This is usually the first infrared thermometer that many ghost hunters begin with. The one pictured to the left costs about 50 bucks and can be bought at Radio Shack. The thing about little infrared thermometers like this is, although they're great for beginners getting their feet wet, they're not very accurate for the work we're doing. A veteran will want something more substantial. They emit an infrared beam that will instantly read the SURFACE temperature of any solid object. A cold spot in the air has no surface to to speak of. Pistol Style Infrared Thermometer    A pistol style infrared thermometer is pretty much the same exact concept as the smaller infrared thermometer mentioned above. The only difference is the shape of the thing. Also, SOME pistol style thermometers have a laser equipped on it to aim at the surface you wish to get a reading on, OR you can use it to tease your cat. You an get it at most places that sell heating equipment, and maybe places like Home Depot. It is a little more expensive than the smaller one at roughly 60 to 70 bucks. Infrared Thermometer With K Port    Looks just like the pistol style thermometer that we just mentioned, doesn't it? The thing is, it's got one little thing that makes it much more useful than the other infrared thermometers mentioned above. It has what is called a "K Port". This thing is what most investigators prefer to use. The K Port is used to connect with an "Ambient Air Probe". (discussed below) The thermometer can be bought by itself, or can be bought WITH the probe. The thermometer/probe combo can be bought online for about 130 bucks. Ambient Air Probe   The probe can also be bought by itself online for about 20 bucks, sometimes less. This thing is a wonderful tool. Here's how it works, you plug it into your infrared thermometers 'K Port' and it stops acting like an infrared thermometer. Instead of using the infrared light to reflect off of a surface to measure, the measurement happens from the probe itself. It DOES NOT measure surfaces like all the others, It measures the actual ambient air around you. It's freakin' BEAUTIFUL for cold spots!

Miscellaneous Meters & Detectors

There are all sorts of other little gadgets and toys that can be used to detect anomalies while you're out on an investigation. Some you'll be interested in, others you may never use. It's really all about your own personal preference and sensibilities. My aim here is only to list them to help you make up your own mind about what YOU think will fit into your own work.

Motion Detectors   Infrared motion detectors are widely used in the field by many investigators. There's a theory that some paranormal events can be detected on the infrared spectrum. If that's true, than a motion detector COULD alert you to it, if it were moving. There are other reasons as to why a motion detector could be useful. A motion detector is a good way to make sure nobody enters a room that you wish to be sealed off. These can be bought in many places. Yup, Radio Shack again. We're talking less than 30 bucks. Hygrometer     Who knows what circumstances and weather conditions are best for investigating the paranormal? Nobody. This thing measures the humidity in the air. If there's a lot of humidity, there might be a better chance that your camera flash will capture the moisture in the air creating false positives. Again, who knows. If you measure things like this, and keep tabs on your data, a pattern can emerge. Once again, Radio Shack. 20 bucks. Sound Meter    The Sound Meter pictured to the left is a Radio Shack model and costs about 50 bucks. A sound meter measures the decibels of any sound that you point its microphone at. It can come in very handy on an investigation if there is an unexplained sound that you're trying to record data on. I mean, you can record the sound to a voice recorder, but to use this will give you exact digital figures of how loud the sound is in different locations of your investigation. Barometer    I was surprised with how expensive these things were when I decided to get one. The cheapest one I found was at Radio Shack for 40 bucks. No, I don't work for Radio Shack, and I'm not being paid... It's just that you can get a lot of neat little gadgets there. I'd use a barometer the same way as I mentioned in the Hygrometer description above. You never know what conditions are best for this sort of work. So, measure ALL conditions. Discover a pattern. Learn from it. Radio Frequency (R.F.) Detector    Here we go! Now we're gettin' into stuff that CAN'T be bought at Radio Shack. R.F Detectors can be very handy in the field. They can also be controversial. You don't want to accuse your clients of being false, or liars. Be discrete while using one. This thing detects radio frequencies in the air. Sometimes on investigations, you hear, and record odd voices, or sounds. This will help you find out if someone is broadcasting a signal to trick your team. Shop around online if you're interested. They're around 75 bucks and up. Geiger Counter     It is believed by many investigators that paranormal events can give off a certain minute amount of radiation. Again, this is conjecture, but the possibility is something that, if you're serious about the field, you have to keep an open mind about. To measure any type of radiation, you'll need a Geiger counter. If you want to own one, I would seriously recommend that you do your homework, and look around for a good deal as 150 dollars is a LOW price for one of these. Be happy to find one so cheap. Ion Counter    Now, this is an expensive little toy. If you shop around, the best price you're gonna get on the Internet is about 500 dollars! Why do you want to count IONs for 500 bucks? Again, we have no idea what conditions are best for paranormal activity. NOR do we really know what a paranormal event leaves behind. It's been suggested that ION counters are useful because they're good for detecting energy. If paranormal events are made up of any type of measurable energy, this thing becomes useful.