The KII Meter (k-2) was created for the purpose of paranormal investigation and it definitely has had its heyday. We carry several KII Meters however we rarely use them. The KII is a very basic EMF Meter that lights up lights according to the amount of EMF detected. While the lights are fabulous and engaging, the device has its downside, it picks up RF (radio frequencies). Two way radios, cell phones, emergency radios, CBs, and more can make this device go bonkers. If you plan to use a KII during an investigation please use other devices to back up the EMF and have a secondary piece of data that supports the KII data.
Shack Hacks/ Ghost Boxes
The most important device or tool you can have in your equipment bag is a digital recorder. There are many brands and types of recorders out there to choose from but my recommendation is always to make sure it can be hooked up to a PC. We utilize these for recording walk throughs, baseline data, stationary recorders, EVP sessions and more. During investigations you can document occurrences, capture disembodied voices or sounds, or even capture EVPs (Electronic Voice Phenomenon). Our recorders shown to the left are RCA VR5320-RA, Sony ICD-PX312, Tascam DR-40, Olympus VN5200PC, and Olympus VN6200PC.
KII METER
This bag is probably one of the most important bags, period. I keep all of our supplies in this bag. Batteries for equiment; AA, AAA, 9 volts, button batteries, etc. I keep mini and regular size screwdrivers for opening equipment. I have battery testers so that no battery is left behind (or every battery is used to the fullest). I have wind up flashlights and lights for the base command in case it is in a dark area. It has painters tape for taping wires down in location, it works perfect since it is easily removed. I have various colors of electrical tape just in case we need to tape wires or make color codes for equipment. I have additional brackets for lights and mini tripods for any equipment that may need them.
P-SB7 "Spirit Box"
Two Way Radios
Handheld Cameras
Two way radios are a great communication device for investigations. Each team on an investigation utilizes a two way for questions or reports of activity. During set up we use two way radios for camera placement and communication. One of the most important things to understand however is that these devices can cause false positives on many of the devices used in investigations. Please test out your equipment to determine the effect.
Thermometers
EM Pump
IR Lights
Laser GRids
We include many different trigger objects in our Trigger Object and Debunking box. Whiskey, cigars, dolls, stuffed animals, playing cards, Confederate money, Civil War Maps, prayer book, and a spanish/english dictionary. We utilize glow in the dark balls as well for manipulation and trigger objects. (not pictured). For debunking we have a black light, motion detector, thermal leak detector, and a sound meter. We use all these items in various ways to help validate our data.
DVR Bag/ Base Command
There are so many types of EMF meters out there it can be hard to determine what you should purchase. The MEL Meter which has a great back story was created as an all in one device which tests EMF and the temperature. There are more recent MEL meters that do even more than that. I personally prefer that each device serve one purpose so that my findings aren't potentially contaminated. The Ghost Meter is a basic device that senses EMF and will flash or elicit a sound. The read out is not digital and does not give you an accurate reading. The last Lutron EMF-822A however is a professional grade EMF Field Tester. It gives you accurate results of any EMF that could affect your investigation. We utilize them for baseline readings only.
ambient Lights
We keep a varied amount of ambient lights in our bags and boxes just in case. The small oval lights pictured here are easily moved and they wobble. They have been seen moving from time to time and that makes them an excellent addition to a "manipulation" experiment. The large red/black LED lights and the round blue light in the front are more for areas that need a light for various visual anomalies. Additionally you never know when you may need a light in a dark location.
Digital Voice Recorders
EMF Meters
ITC (Instrumental Trans-Communication) is the use of a electronic device to receive communication from spirits or entities. One of the most popular devices to use are Radio Shack radios that have been modified to scan the radio frequencies. It is theorized spirits use the white noise-like sound to create speech patterns. These devices are viewed extremely skeptically. Many believe the patterns are more of apophenia (seeing connections or meaning in random data or information). If you are utilizing these devices it is recommended you only utilize information that comes in large phrases or sentences so that you are cutting down on the potential invalidation of your data. Our team has 3~ 20-125 Models (one of which is a turbo mode) and 1~ 12-588 (arm band radio which requires an external speaker).
Trigger objects/Debunking
This EM Pump was created by one of our original founders. The materials were basic items that electricians use however the exact details are confidential. This EM Pump is plugged into a wall outlet and then the toggle is turned to the ON position. It has a constant and a pulse setting for the EMF. On one occasion we set it up in the basement of a 5 story building. The EMF within ours had settled around the building in a "cloud" of EMF about 6 inches thick 3 feet up off the floor. We verified that it was present on the 2nd and 3rd floors and the stairs in between. We do not use this device often because it causes headaches and nausea. We have not noted that it increases activity.
We utilize these IR lights to increase the lighting on our handheld cameras. There are occasions that the IR that is built into the cameras is not enough for the area or location that we are investigating. These little lights pack a big punch and help out immensely. Built by Phantom.
Over the years ambitious investigators used many types of everyday items to use for capturing evidence of the paranormal. Today however there are so many devices and phone applications that were created for the purpose of paranormal investigation. While we enjoy testing a few of the new devices there are few pieces of equipment that we use on a regular basis. On this page we have listed what we keep in our bags and boxes, plus we included some of the theory or results of the devices.
Zmodo 4 Channel DVR System
One of our most important pieces of equipment for any investigation is our DVR system. We decided on a 4 channel system and we have never needed more than it provides. We utilize cameras that can do IR up to 80 feet, we have hundreds of feet of cable, tripods that extend up to 6 feet, and a 19 inch television for our monitoring. These systems can be used for attempting to document visual anomalies, security purposes, or documentation of the investigation itself. The possibilities are endless.
Having a thermometer that tests surface and ambient temperatures is an excellent way to monitor increases or decreases of temperature that is potentially paranormal. We normally take baseline readings of the temperature to determine if there are any drafts or natural temperature fluctuations occurring in a location. Baseline readings are done using the Cen-Tech ambient thermometer that takes the temperature of the air surrounding the device. The Sentry, we rarely use, is a non-contact thermometer that uses a laser to take the surface temperature of objects.
Handheld cameras are a great way to document every aspect of an investigation; Set Up, EVP Sessions, anomalies, and so much more. They can be used as stationary cameras or for handheld moving cameras. We have had various types of handheld cameras such as HDD (Hard Disk Drive) and Hi8's. The Hi8 cameras are without a doubt the best when it comes to night vision however tapes are harder to find and very expensive when you investigating frequently. We have added a second HDD this year to get our video investigation positions back into use. We also utilize a sturdier tripod, the Targus TG666OTR, for these more utilized cameras. The models of the handhelds are HDD DCR-SR40, HDD DCR-SR82, Hi8 CCD-TRV128, and Hi8 CCD-TRV318.
Laser Grids came into paranormal investigation in the past few years. They are set up in an area that is said to have visual anomalies and you are able to capture a disruption of the grid lights when something passes through. A common misconception is that they are blocked/ blacked out when something crosses in the beam, however they actually ripple if something passes in the beam. We have two regular laser grids, one purple and one green. We also have a larger more powerful laser that is red.
In 2009 the P-SB7 made its debut on Ghost Adventures and was a sensation overnight. We purchased the "Spirit Box" in 2009 with the intent to test the validity of the box. It quickly became a go-to tool for our bags and boxes, just one of those devices we always have with us. We have an original model and a more recent model. Both require an external speaker because the original speaker is not loud enough. I do not recommend sitting the speaker/ box near your audio recorder because review will make you deaf. It does not always work as a real-time device. At times we have to listen back to determine what is being said if anything is being said at all.
Flashlights are an important tool especially for walk throughs and late night investigations. Our team utilizes tactical flashlights that have a white and red beam. The white works best in larger areas and the red is easier on eyes in small rooms, plus it doesn't cause IR cameras to recalibrate. We also utilize Mini Mag flashlights for spirit communication. While many people refuse to use this method because it is "proven" to be false. While we do accept that this technique has false positives we have seen it used at Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum in a session that beat any other experience we have had to date. As with any device using deductive reasoning you can weed out the false positives and choose to throw out the data.