Investigation Experiments

Dave_h · Investigation Experiments

Investigation Experiments

There are a large range of different experiments that can be carried out during paranormal investigations. You don’t have to have expensive equipment to do some of them either, it can be something simple as a pad, a pen and a witness to carry out a good experiment. I’m going to take some time now to go through a few experiments that could be carried out when on an investigation and give you some guidelines as to how to do them, and what you should take into account to make sure the experiments are as successful as possible. I will also run through the equipment you will need to carry them out.

1. The Baseline Test

This is a standard test that should really be carried out on each investigation. The aim of this test is to take measurements of Electro-Magnetic Field and Temperature. These are the two most basic measurements you should take, however; if you have the right equipment available, you can also take readings for Humidity, Air pressure, and do an Ion count. Also whilst carrying out these tests, keep an eye open for anything within the location that may be mistaken for being or causing a paranormal occurrence once the lights are off. This can be anything from lose wall fittings, creaky floorboards, objects that hang down from the ceiling or protrude out from the walls that may give someone the feeling of being touched.
Please below for an example of a typical baseline sheet, and one that I personally use on investigations.

Baseline Sheet

Location:

Date:

Location Time EMF Temperature Notes
Holding Cell 1 22:00 0.5 MG 10.6 oc N/A
Corridor 1 22:30 2.5 MG 9.8 oc 1
Holding Cell 2 23:00 0 MG 11.0 oc N/A
Main Entrance 23:30 0 MG 6.1 oc 2
Office 00:00 0.5 MG 7.1 oc 3

Notes

1. Electrical Cable running along ceiling giving off higher then average EMF readings

2. Draft from main doorway lowering temperature in this room (Note outside temperature if applicable)

3. outside temperature affecting room temperature due to draft from adjoining main Entrance

Signed:

Witnessed by (print name) Signed

Please note: The information given in the above example is purely fictitious, and is only given to demonstrate the correct procedure for filling in the Baseline Sheet

Baseline Sheet Explained

The baseline sheet is very simple and pretty much self explanatory. In the notes columns you’ll see that I have simple number 1, 2 and 3, then explained the notes underneath the actual table using the numbers as references. This is an easier way of doing things then making massive notes columns. It looks more professional and will be a lot easier to understand when it comes to analysing the data later on. In the EMF column you’ll see MG, this stands for Milligause, the measurement given by EMF Meters. Everything has an electro-magnetic field, and this is picked up on EMF Meters, but they are usually very low measurements, and should never really go above 1.5/2 MG, anything higher then these readings, and with no possible explanation being found could be of a paranormal nature. Things that may cause such high readings that may be found would include Electrical appliances, cables and other wiring. This could mean Televisions, Radios, Plug Sockets, Wiring behind walls, or under flooring, all of this should be taken into consideration when carrying out a baseline test (see note 1 on example).

Temperatures should be taken using an ambient room thermometer if possible; however for larger locations/rooms it may be advisable to use a laser non-contact thermometer. Take into consideration any heating that may be on in the room at time of baseline, and doors that may be letting in a draft, and also windows that may be open or letting in a draft also. Basically look for anything that may cause the temperature to drop throughout the night. It is also advisable to watch or gain information on the expected temperature for the night from weather bulletins, these should be noted down and compared with the external temperature (which is again, advisable to be taken), and the internal temperatures of the location. All this information will be needed for analytical purposes after the investigation vigils have been completed.

Baseline tests should be conducted at various stages throughout the investigation, and the results compared to afterwards during analysis after the investigation is completed.

Trigger Objects

Trigger objects have been used to try and capture evidence of poltergeist phenomena on investigations for several years. All you need is an object, a plain while piece of card and a pen. Place the object on the card in a room where such phenomena have been reported before. Draw around the object being careful not to move it at the same time, then leave a locked off camera filming the experiment. Leave the room and LOCK THE DOOR behind you if this is possible. I have highlighted lock the door simply because this experiment is simply useless unless the door is locked. If the door is not locked then the possibility of fraud is far too high. Any sceptic would say that the object was moved by another investigator. If the door is locked, and the key guarded, then there is no way that another member of the investigative team will be able to move the object. If the room is locked and the object is found to have been moved when you return, then the locked off camera should be reviewed to see if it has been captured on film, if it has, this would be considered fine evidence. A few points to remember, the camera should be able to take in ALL sides of the card into the film so to again rule out the possibility that someone may have moved the card. Also the camera should be checked regularly to make sure there is sufficient film, and battery time available. If the film or battery is running out, these should be replaced only with a witness present to testify that the experiment was not tampered with in any way while the film or battery were being replaced.
If all these guidelines are adhered too, and filmed evidence of the trigger object being moved is captured then the experiment is a success and evidence of paranormal activity has been captured.

Flour Dusting

Flour dusting is a good way of looking for evidence of movement in objects, or even looking for fingerprints. Unexplained finger prints have been picked up on investigations before. If not used for the above reasons, you can also put a light dusting in doorways to make sure rooms haven’t been entered; if they have been entered then footprints will appear.
Flour can also be used for trigger object experiments. Instead of drawing around an object, place the object on a bed of flour, and movement will again show up by manipulation of the flour. Also, instead of using white card, it would be a better idea to use black card if flour is to be used instead of drawing around the object.

Mediums and Psychics

Almost every paranormal investigation team has at least one psychic medium. The main role of the medium is to pick up on ant alleged spirits that may be present, and give information either on the spirit person, or past events in which they were a part of. They may also be used to read the buildings place memory, or even perform what’s known as a spirit rescue. A spirit rescue is when a medium apparently sends a spirit to its rightful place; this is often believed to be to the light, or heaven.
Mediums are a tricky subject for parapsychologists as there is little or no way to prove that they can do what they say they are doing. Are they really communicating with the dead, or just making it up as they go along? Can they really go into trance, and somehow be taken over by the spirit of a deceased person in order to pass on messages? In truth, there is no way of really knowing, it’s up to your own beliefs as to whether you believe them or not.

Tape and/or Voice Recording

Many investigators carry around a mini tape recorder or dictation machines. This could be used for any number of reasons. It’s far easier to record on tape then it is to spend all night taking down written notes, especially in the dark. The tapes can be listened to later and all recorded notes can be taken from the tapes. The mini tape recorders could also be used to record for Electronic Voice Phenomena (EVP). This when the alleged voice of a ghost is caught on tape. Many of these so called EVP’s have been captured, and are often very distorted and difficult to hear. In fact, it is only after the tape has gone through several digital cleaning processes that any sense can be made at all. It is also evident from my own experiences with EVP that once you have been told what someone else thinks is being said, it is very hard to hear it as anything other.
There is a lot of equipment on the market for sound recording, but many people have said that the best thing to use is a simple tape recorder with an external microphone. Simply leave them recording while you taking part in a séance or just calling out for a response during a vigil, then make sure the tapes are properly labelled with the location, date and time. After the investigation has been completed, listen back to the tapes and see what you have picked up. This is another good way of noting down events of interest, instead of having to write things down all night.

Digital Photography

Digital stills cameras, and Digital Video cameras with night vision or 0-lux recording facilities are often used on investigations. Rooms should be photographed so if anything is moved then the original photo can be referred back to for better accuracy. Many so called Orbs have often been caught on Digital stills, and Video recording. These show up as little balls of light that appear, and then seem to disappear again on film, or are just there on photo. There have been several natural explanations of what these may be including dust particles reflecting dust, moisture in the air, insects and fibres from clothing are just to name a few, but the debate can go on all day.
These Orbs seem to show up more readily on nigh vision video cameras, or Digital cameras with a night shot facility. These cameras have brighter flashes or infra-red which only adds credence to the reflection explanation, it is very difficult to capture orbs on any other format, and some digital cameras do not pick them up at all. It has also been offered that the camera itself may be faulty, and shows up the orb effect as a result.
There are several ways in which the Video Camera can be used on investigations. They can be carried around by team members, recording the main vigils of the investigation, what’s seen and heard etc. They can also be locked off in rooms where things have been reported to be moved, heard, and even seen in the hope that they may pick things up in the investigators absence. As with sound recording, all tapes should be labelled with the date and time and location so it’s clear what is being analysed later.

Candles

Candles can be used to create a nice soft light for a vigil location, it is firmly believed that ghosts (should they exist) would interact more readily in low light situations. Although 75% of anomalous cases reported to the Society for Psychical Research were actually experienced during daylight hours, many investigation teams still conduct their investigations at night time, and often in complete darkness. In truth it is actually better to have a soft light in the room so that if anything really does happen, it will be seen and witnessed, and not just a noise in the dark, that could be caused by anything.
The candles are also good for detecting so called Psychic Breezes, and the flame will flicker if these are believed to be present, personally I would say they are better at locating drafts from windows or doors.

Sugar Paper

This is a good experiment to set up in a doorway. You will need two good sized sheets of paper. Put one sheet down and dust it with sugar. Then you put the other sheet on top of that. Anyone, or thing that walks on it will be very easily heard

Chalk Marking

Take a piece of chalk on investigations with you, if you are in a location with floorboards or concrete/stone floors you can (with the location owners permission) draw around the base of furniture to create large scale trigger object experiments. It has been known in many cases (especially Poltergeist cases) for furniture to be moved. One such case occurred during the Enfield Poltergeist case in London during the 1970’s when the home owner and her four children all witnessed a large chest of drawers move away from an upstairs bedroom wall.
Always remember to use a damp cloth to clean up the chalk lines before leaving.

Ouija Board Experiments

Not many investigative teams will choose to use Ouija Boards on investigations due to their bad reputations and equally bad press. Many stories of Ouija Boards causing adverse amounts of poltergeist type phenomena have been told for many years. People believe the boards are like an open door to the spirit world, and will let anything through, good and equally bad. I have been contacted by people who have used them and have reported to me that strange things happen right from the moment they start using them. They also say that the strange occurrences that started with the experiment are difficult to get rid of, and almost impossible.
I don’t know whether to believe many of the stories I hear, I think a lot of them are blown out of proportion to scare people away from using the boards, a strategy that appears on the most part, to be working. If you are brave enough to use the board, then a good experiment to at least test the reliability of the board is to get a group of willing volunteers to be the sitters and conduct the Ouija board experiment as you would do normally. Then once you have done it once, do it again using exactly the same sitters, but this time blindfold everyone sat at the table. Have observers monitoring the experiments, these observers should be filming, sound recording or even taking notes the whole way through to make sure that ALL questions and answers are recorded accurately.
Once both sittings have been concluded, compare the results. It is often that you will find conclusive answers to the first (non- blindfolded) sitting. These answers will co-inside with the questions, and will give you names and dates etc. If you look at the results for the second sitting (blindfolded) you will find that there is very little sense to be made, no words will appear, no dates, just random letters and numbers. That’s even if the planchette or glass moves at all on the second sitting.
So why does this happen? Many parapsychologists will say that it is down to sub-conscious fraud. Once a question has been asked a very usual answer will appear in your head almost immediately in your brains own natural response. This will cause the brain to send signals to your hand to move the glass towards the first letter to an appropriate answer. Say for instance the question “Is there anyone here who would like to talk to us?” is asked. Everyone around the table, bearing in mind the whole reason you are there is to communicate, will want a yes answer. This will automatically and subconsciously send signals to your muscles in your arm and hand to move the glass to yes. If you cannot see the position and direction you are moving the glass because you are blindfolded, then the brain cannot tell if the glass is moving to the right location on the board to influence the next subconscious movement. This is why seemingly coherent answers are received with the normal test, and random letters of no real sense will be received with the blindfolded sitting.
If you ever do decide to use a Ouija Board, there is one thing you really should consider doing.
Have a medium sit in to moderate the proceedings, and if need be, to provide protection on a psychic/spiritual level. If mediums really can communicate with the dead, then they should know who is trying to come through, and if they are a positive or negative soul. This will also give the sitters more confidence on a psychological level, and will make them feel far safer and confident throughout the experiment.

Automatic Writing

This is by far one of the simplest experiments you could carry out on an investigation. All you need is a pen and paper. Simply write a question at the top of the paper and hold the pen to the page. It is thought that psychic energy or even spirit people will influence the movement of your hand to write an answer to the question. This has been tried many times before with varying results.
I think the best way to do this experiment would be to gather the whole investigative team together and do the experiment on a large scale with several participants. Then all the results can be analysed together and matches can be looked for if any words or names etc come out. If several matches are founds, and fraud can be ruled out, then the experiment can be deemed a success.
This experiment can also be done on individual level, and any results can be traced to a link with the locations history. The most common results are names and dates.
Psychic art is essentially an extension of this idea, and uses artists to draw or paint from there psychic levels and produce a pictorial representation of a past event or someone in connection with the location.

End Note

There are several different interpretations to the above experiments, and I’m sure I haven’t mentioned them all, but I should hope there are enough there to keep you going for now. I have used many of the above mentioned experiments on investigations. They are easy to set up so the amateur can take part, and the potential results are good for all of them if they are carried out correctly.
If you have an experiment I have not mentioned on this, then contact me and explain it. You can do so by e-mailing hauntedmaldon@fsmail.net

Take care and stay safe, there is no point investigating ghosts, just to become one.

The End

Dave_h

The Baseline Table did not quite come out properly after copying and pasting the above document from my files.
Please accept my apologies for this inconvenience

Mandatas

no worries.

Manda
x

karmicallyclose

Thanks for that Dave

I am interested in giving the Automatic handwriting a go on our next invest

Dave_h

Sounds like a good idea :)
Let me know the results, I would be interested to hear of them.

Take care all

karmicallyclose

Will do matey.