In the 1960s I lived in a haunted house; it was my introduction to scary phenomena and sleepless nights (not very good for a four-year-old). But something at that house happened: I developed a growing desire to explore and solve paranormal mysteries. By the end of the 1970s I had formed my company, The Searcher Group, to go out and explore the strange, dark world of paranormal. In those first few years it was rough terrain: we had no internet, computers, or cell phones, and the equipment available at that time was reminiscent of Harry Price's field kit (very old school at best). This lack of equipment didn't deter me, however; over time I discovered techniques that worked the majority of the time. These things were important to me, and it became important to share them with people who were working towards making those same discoveries.

Today, when you have a reputed haunted house to investigate, you will most likely enter with a plethora of equipment. Standard gauss meters detect alternating current (AC) fields. A natural EM meter is designed to do measurements for changes in extremely weak static, or direct current (DC) electric and magnetic fields. Meters are available to determine changes in temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, and static electricity. This equipment tracks important data: the count of ions; detection of vibrations; the note of odd, out-of-place frequencies; and even the discovery of ultra violet light where none should be detected is important.

All of this equipment allows you to add to your collection of data for the location you are investigating, and it can allow you to track changes in the environment and over time provide you with data trends that will assist in understanding how and why ghosts effect their surroundings. Even with all of the data you can collect, there is one powerful thing to consider when you're embarking on a paranormal investigation, that I cannot stress enough: surveillance. Surveillance is the workhorse to any successful field operation; those watchful eyes and ears always present working in the background capture things that equipment can routinely miss.

I've found in my investigations that most locations have more than one spirit, sometimes many. Spirits are very social and, like the living, communicate amongst themselves. Where the problem lies is that they simply need something to talk about. That's were we, the investigators, come in.

Once you have set up your audio/video surveillance systems in the locations you feel will give you the best opportunity to capture activity, you will activate the site; we call it "stirring things up." Start talking about the history of the place, about reported phenomena, and mention that "ghosts aren't really real, are they?" Our group includes the idea that ghosts don't exist because it gives them something to prove to us. This informal conversation shouldn't last more than twenty minutes. Remember to be polite and respectful; we aren't there to pick a fight, but rather to build a trusting relationship with the intention of gaining information and insight from the other side. After the activation, everyone exits the building; the last one out can say something like, "We;re going now," or, "We'll be back." This is specifically a cue for the surveillance system to record the team's absence, and everything that comes after that moment is coming from your empty building.

I have had so much success with this empty building technique that it is used in just about every investigation we do. This is not to say that you and your team have to stay out of the building. But we use this method for maybe an hour or so, then, when we return, we add to this, like layers of investigation, using active EVP sessions, spirit box sessions, pendulum sessions, etc., all while the surveillance systems are still operating in the background.

Now, there are many different techniques, and so many different types of audio/video systems, from standard daytime recording, night vision IR, full spectrum to Ultra Violet systems if you find them, to all types of different lighting panels with various configurations. It is really up to you to find the best tool for the job you are undertaking, what you can afford to buy, and ultimately what works best for you.

Some things to consider when selecting your audio/video equipment: there are two types of video cameras; the first is a handheld, mobile system, like a camcorder, which are carried around to film action in real time. The second type include surveillance cameras that are fixed in a location to monitor a specific area or object. Surveillance cameras include closed-circuit television (CCTV) or an open system. The CCTV system is local, meaning the entire system is contained on location, whereas the signal from the cameras used are sent to a monitor and recording medium, typically a digital video recorder (DVR) located in the same general area. An open system sends the camera data to an IP network with a network video recorder (NVR) where the video information can be viewed remotely. The major differences are that an NVR system can be viewed anywhere in the world where a DVR system is limited to the length of wire connecting the camera to the recording system.

Standalone cameras can be used as surveillance cameras when placed in a fixed location. However, these cameras record to an insertable flash memory or secure digital memory card (SD card), and are extremely limited in terms of data storage and cannot be monitored in real time.

Areas under surveillance should be marked or, at the minimum, the team should be fully aware of their locations. When entering these areas, the team member should simply state their name and the time, conduct their business (being mindful not to block the view of the camera) and upon leaving, again state their name and the time of their exit.

In some situations, cameras can be tampered with by unseen forces, either being moved, shut off, or knocked over. In these situations, it would be wise to use a cross-surveillance technique where one camera watches another and vice versa. By using this method, should one camera be involved in an incident, the other camera might capture the event.

Keep in mind that every camera used during your investigation must be fully analyzed. For example, if 4 cameras are used for a 6-hour visit, this will equal 24 hours of analysis time (probably more like 30 hours, because you will need to go back and listen or watch something several times). But wait, there's more: you have to include your digital recorder files and your photographs, as everything needs careful analysis. This is one of the greatest differences between actual field investigations and television paranormal shows: it's a lot of work. I mean a lot of work. It can be the most boring, pull-your-hair-out type of work; however, it is extremely important not to cut corners on this. Of course, the greatest rewards come when you find that amazing capture: your eyes water and your skin tingles and you realize you're the first one to hear this recording.

Now, I don't want people to immediately feel that because you have a ton of video cameras operating that you are going to capture ghostly images all the time; these types of captures are rare and hard to get. The majority of captures will be EVPs and on occasion you will capture visual phenomena. The camera gives context to the EVP; in rare cases you may see something important, but in most cases, they can confirm there is no one there causing the sounds and voices, which can be just as important.

As for the audio, I will say that if you can find a good tech friend who can modify your camera and digital recorder microphones down to 15 or even 10 Hz, they seem to work much better. It will give you a slightly clearer recording and for some reason you may also find you capture a higher quantity of sounds and voices. Another thing I have found is that old analog tape recorders seem to do better capturing EVPs then the new digital voice recorders. Of course, there is a much higher cost involved as you will need to purchase either cassette or mini tapes. Remember, it isn't a good idea to reuse these tapes, as they can give you false positives within your recordings.

As a closing note, one question I get asked all the time is: why do government agencies never release remarkable paranormal surveillance video captures to the public? I have an answer, at least for 99% of them. Large corporations and government agencies run surveillance systems to protect their properties and assets. Some of these institutions run a lot of camera systems, twenty-four-seven, and they are of the highest quality that money can buy. I have seen some of these captures on these systems that demonstrate paranormal phenomena that is almost impossible to dispute. Although these recording can be amazing, they are glazed over and forgotten, never to be seen by the public. Now, I'll admit that I, too, love a good conspiracy theory. However, in these cases there isn't one. The reason these images are classified is that because to show the public would be to show camera angles, access points, and areas under protection, all of which would compromise security plans and cause these institutions to become vulnerable (some smart individuals would even be able to figure out the type of recording systems being used from such footage). So, it is sad but true reality that some of these great captures either sit on some dusty old server locked away in a storage room or have been purged and deleted forever.

For more information, tips, and tricks for your own paranormal investigations, check out The Complete Paranormal Investigation Handbook. It includes almost 50 years of paranormal investigation knowledge wrapped up in one book, big enough to provide in-depth working knowledge, helpful field hacks, and insights to allow you to consider alternative ideas and theories—yet small enough to drop into your bag or equipment case and take with you into the field for easy reference.

Thanks for reading, and happy investigating.