Who here legitimatly investigates the paranormal?

Question

What equiptment do you use? How long have you been investigating?

I just want to hear from people who investigates the paranormal please.

Answer 1

You can expect an honest answer to this question but you can't really expect an accurate one.  Who would say they are an illegitimate investigator?

I have investigated a bit.  I do not use thermometers except to help me determine how warmly to dress.  I do not use audio recorders unless I am trying to capture a particular noise or need to remind myself of something.  I do not use an EMF detector unless I am looking to plug something in or am worried about electrocution.  I use a video camera just to get the basic layout of the place and to review footage for something I may have missed.  I do not use thermal imaging because I conduct all investigations in broad daylight or, if at night, with the lights on.

I have yet to come across any instance of a claim, event or ongoing activity that didn't have a natural explanation so I have yet to get even beyond the preliminary investigation stage.

These are my methods because I am not seeking anomalies or any other sort of evidence to confirm someone else's conclusions.  (That's what ghost busters do.)  I am there to investigate and attempt to explain a concrete claim.

I am not part of an organization.  I operate independently and only intermittently (read rarely).  I have been doing this for many years.

Answer 2

I've been investigating the paranormal and helping people for just over 10 years.  The only equipment I use is occasionally a digital camera and dowsing rods (to pick up where there's leylines or energy anomalies).  Everything else I pick up psychic-ly.

http://www.moonslipper.com/ghosts.html

Answer 3

Nobody "legitimately" investigates such phenomena as there is no such thing as "paranormal" as the popular interpretation of the word goes.

There are gullible and/or highly suggestive people who believe they're are studying something beyond the realm of science.

Their instruments vary, from the outlandish; i.e. divining rods, pendulums, Ouija boards etc, to EMF detectors, cameras, and tape recorders.

These pseudo-scientists who use more "legitimate" methods often contradict themselves with their own readings.

Watch about any episode of "Ghost Hunters",  and you will notice that EVP's (electronic voice phenomena) only show up on hand held recorders, and not on the audio of their video recordings.

Hmm, selective "ghosts", or pure B.S.?

I'm betting on the latter.

Answer 4

I belong to a local group in Washington state.  We help people with problems in their homes and business's.  We all bring different talents and equipment to the group.  My background is in computer industrial robotics, security and alarm systems,  and process control design and control monitoring.  So that makes the tech guy in our group.  I have about 10 or 12 CCTV cameras with 2 DVR systems, Geiger counters, EMF meters, 5 digital cameras, 4 EVP recorders, film cameras, digital and analog camcorders,  IR illuminaters, Ir filters, 3 computers-2 Macs- 1 PC, and a whole bunch more stuff.  About the only thing I don't have is a FLIR system.

Answer 5

Well Peter pretty much sums things up. I have investigated 5 years now and I have used all the popular electronic gadgets. I will venture to say that everyone believes they are legit. to me anyone who honestly approaches this is investigating legitimately. I always warn of the deceptive tactics that some teams use. They do not realize they are deceptive and only think they are being smart.

If a team uses the term Professional or has a scientific sounding name or claim scientist then these are probably more than likely deceptive terms to make them appear more Legit than they really are.

Usually, more often than not your local paranormal investigative team is really no more than a ghost club of true believers pursuing  a hobby. There is nothing wrong with this but I have a problem with them claiming the above without any degrees or collage backing to support their claims.

BB