By Robert W. Benjamin.

 

Ghost hunting can be very enjoyable; however, it can also be one of the most terrifying experiences of your life.

The following are just a few of the things folks have encountered during ghost hunting or paranormal investigations:

1. Smells: These odors can seem to come from nowhere, develop instantly, and disappear just as quickly. The smells are often foul, resembling rotten meat or fresh feces, and can be overwhelming at times.

2. Apparitions: Some spirits appear as barely visible forms, while some become as solid and normal-looking as a living person.

3. Clouds – Mists – Masses: Often fleeting shadows, things seen from the corners of the eyes are encountered. Or a rolling black mass may appear, sometimes a wispy form like smoke is seen.

4. Disembodied voices: These are often heard, and at times, they can be very scary. Imagine being in a darkened room and having something invisible whisper or even shout in your ear. These are not EVPs but normal-sounding speech.

5. Physical Sensations – Some ghost hunters have been touched, pinched, slapped, had their hair pulled, been scratched, or even bitten by invisible entities.

6. Rappings – Scratching – and Knockings: In walls, ceilings, and floors. Strange sounds and noises are often heard in haunted locations, as well as hearing what sounds like objects being dropped or moved in nearby rooms.

7. Cold spots: Sometimes, just before a spirit manifests, it absorbs energy from its surroundings. As a result, a specific spot in a room may suddenly become very cold. For instance, the average temperature in a room might be 75 degrees, but in one corner or area, it could drop to 50 degrees or even lower. This dramatic temperature change is a strong indication of a spirit’s presence or an imminent manifestation.

8. Power drains and equipment malfunctions: Like cold spots, when a spirit draws energy needed to become solid or more visible, it will often draw in nearby energy; this energy can also come from batteries in video cameras and other devices. Often, cameras, tape recorders, and even lights will suddenly go haywire or stop working altogether when a spirit is present.

Almost everyone who does ghost hunting believes that there are two types of spirits, human and inhuman; the latter are also called demons. I am a born-again Christian and believe the Bible 100%, treating it as factual. I believe there is only one type of spirit involved in any haunting: humans or demons.

According to the Bible, when we die, our spirits or souls are present with God. From there, we are either granted a life of love and peace in heaven with the Creator and other believers, or we are cast into hell forever, with no chance of escape. The Bible also states that a vast chasm separates the living from the dead, preventing any crossing over or communication between them. Additionally, there are passages in the Bible that clearly indicate that ghosts cannot be the spirits or souls of deceased individuals.

Whether the creatures involved in a haunting are spirits of the dead or demons, if you are trying to prove they truly exist or disprove a haunting, you must conduct paranormal investigations professionally.

A professional Ghost Hunter or paranormal investigator needs to have the right tools. Here I will explain devices that every ghost hunter or paranormal investigator MUST have if they are truly taking the phenomenon as real or as a business, and not as a joke.

1. Voice Recorder: It doesn’t matter whether you use a standard tape recorder or a modern digital recorder; what truly matters is the quality of the device and its ability to connect to an external microphone. Aim to choose a high-quality recorder that supports a plug-in microphone with a cable so that the microphone can be positioned away from the recorder. Small, all-in-one recorders with built-in microphones often pick up unwanted hiss and mechanical noise during recording.

A recorder is essential for capturing electronic voice phenomena (EVP). EVPs are intriguing and sometimes unsettling sounds commonly found in haunted locations. An EVP refers to voices or other forms of communication that are recorded and heard during playback, but were not detectable while the recording was taking place.

2. Film Camera: Do NOT use a digital camera because the photo will always be questioned as being fake, no matter how good it is, whereas if you use a film camera, you at least have the negatives as some proof. And unless you buy a high-megapixel digital camera, the photo quality will be less than that of a nice, cheap 35mm film camera.

3. Camcorder: A camera is good, but a camcorder is even better. Get one that uses a tape, either the small cassettes or one of the older models that use the full-sized VHS tapes. I recently bought two of these older camcorders for under $75 each.

4. Thermal Imaging scopes or goggles: These capture the upper portion of the infrared light spectrum, which is emitted as heat by objects instead of reflected as light. Hotter objects, such as warm bodies, emit more of this light than cooler objects, like trees or buildings. Often, spirits that manifest have a temperature in their form that stands out in this spectrum, especially if a spirit is present in a cold location.

5. Night Vision scopes or goggles: These little devices have become very cheap; a nice night vision scope can now be purchased easily for under $200. They work by collecting tiny amounts of light, including the lower end of the infrared spectrum, that are present but may be imperceptible to our eyes, and amplifying them to the point where we can easily observe the image.

6. Flashlight: Take along two small pocket ones for each team member. What can be worse than exploring a dark cellar or underground area and having the lights or another flashlight fail.

7. Walkie-talkies: If you have a group of team members and you are investigating a large location, walkie-talkies are not just a good thing to have, but they can be a lifesaver at times.

8. Notebook and pencils: Often, any electronic, electrical, or other devices may fail in a haunted location, so it’s very wise to carry along a small notebook and some pencils in case you need to keep some valuable notes.

9. Thermal Scanner: A handheld thermal scanner (thermometer) uses infrared technology to measure the surface temperature of material without touching it. You point at your target, pull the trigger, and read the temperature on the lit LCD display.

One of the best tools I recommend is also the cheapest, under $10 U.S. It is a computer software program that is made just for Ghost Hunting and Paranormal Investigations. It’s called ‘Ghost Hunter’. The software is for anyone who explores haunted houses or locations where paranormal activity is occurring. Whether you are trying to gather evidence of the haunting or other proof, this software can help make the job more organized and easier.

Ghost Hunter software was made as a scientific tool for paranormal researchers who believe in spirits, demons, or ghosts. Researchers can easily track vital data collected at haunted locations. With this software, you can see at a glance vital information such as the activity’s date and time, location info, GPS data, telephone numbers, notes, sounds heard, odors detected, temperature anomalies, and more.

You can use the software on-site during the investigation with any Windows-based notebook Computer, or back at home or in the office after the investigation.

For more information and the ability to download and try a free demo version of the ‘Ghost Hunter’ software, please visit the publisher’s website: http://www.rb59.com/ghosth (dead link)

 

© Robert W. Benjamin, February 2006. Compiled and edited by Kathy Alexander/Legends of America, updated February 2026.

About the Author: Robert W. Benjamin has been in the internet software business for over 5 years and has produced low-cost software for the past 25+ years. He first released products on the AMIGA and C64 computer systems in the late 1970s-80s. Article Source: Go Articles (dead link)