Here you will find a list of the equipment we use. Some pieces of equipment are used regularly on investigation and others only occasionally. If there are any good points to a certain device then we have pointed that out as well as any negative aspects of that particular piece of equipment.

We don't have as varied a kit as some teams but this is simply due to the fact that we are self- funding and money is limited. We do have a very long wish list, however!

Max/min mercury thermometer

A very handy thing to have set up in an area, that we can’t cover all the time. Will tell us the highest and lowest temperatures of the room during a set period of time. Best used in a secure, locked area, after all temperature fluctuations are only really useful if the conditions have been the same throughout the night. People going through the area all the time would render the reading useless. Easy push button to reset.  Disadvantages to this piece of equipment are that it is quite fragile and that its use is limited. It only gives an overview of temperature and not any insight into when or how often there has been a drop or rise in temperature.  

Simple,  light weight but really useful. Not back-lit which means you have to find a light to read the display but that’s the only drawback. Sample rate can be adjusted from once every 10 seconds to once every second which is ideal for paranormal investigation use. Temperature range –10 to 110*C

Digital in/out thermometer

Very small device with a clear readout.  Measures –19 to 70*C. Updates temperature every 10 seconds. Not back lit which is the only drawback to this small piece of equipment.

Hunidity/temperature sensor

Humidiprobe from Picotech, Not used yet but soon to be up and running! The only disadvantage to this particular piece of equipment is that it must be plugged into the laptop to be used which makes it awkward to take from area to area. Plus it only measures from 0-70 C so below zero temperatures won’t be accurately recorded. Main advantage, however, is that all data is saved to the laptop which makes analysis easier.

Data Loggers

3 portable, waterproof devices with probes which allow us to check temperature measurements in real time and also save each reading along with the date and time onto pc. The data can then be read as a word document or as a line graph. Also shows min/max temperatures at the press of a button.

Range -40C to +40C

Sample rate is every 2 seconds to every 24 hours

Infrared thermometer 

Easy to use but probably the least used piece of equipment we have. Laser pointer to help aim the target accurately.This device will measure surface temperature only and is no use for finding cold spots in a room. It will not measure ambient temperature. Ideally should be used very close to the target at between 7-30cm away. Factors such as dust or smoke can prevent accurate measurement. Plus points are the very fast response time of 0.5 seconds, the backlit display and small size which makes it ideal for keeping to hand in your pocket. Temperature range –20 to 200*C. 

Measures sound/light/temperature and humidity. Quite fiddly to use in the dark, especially to plug probes in and to change the settings but a good piece of kit and easier to use if sitting still in one area where it can be attached to a tripod. 

Sound range = 35-130Db

Lux= 0 – 20,000

RH% = 25-95%

Temp= -20-750*C

The team currently own 5 Sony camcorders with night vision, ranging from analogue to HDD. We chose Sony camcorders due to their night vision capability, which uses infrared technology. This gives the image a green tint but the image is not as grainy or as jittery as what you might get by filming with other brands using night mode rather than night vision. Night mode relies on slower shutter speed rather than infrared. 

DCR TRV265E X 2

Recommended but extra batteries are required as they last 180 mins MAX. Tapes last for an hour’s filming so timing is essential.

DCR HC35E as above

DCR SR32E HDD Can record for 7 hours which is great till it becomes time to watch the footage! Spare batteries are handy for this reason. Built-in lens cap/shutter.

CCD TRV228E analogue. Tapes last for 1.5 hours. Again best to have spare batteries. This camcorder is mainly used for recording our trigger objects as the tapes last for that little bit longer than the other models. The only difficulty encountered is if we capture anything interesting. The analogue footage then has to be converted to digital which is very time consuming as it has to be converted in real time

Digital cameras

EPSON PHOTO PC 2100Z model G871A
Great for taking photos in dim light.

TECHNIKA SH 1060

10 mega pixels. High resolution but best for use in daylight/lit conditions.

Audio Recording

Digital voice  recorders

All Olympus

Olympus VN-2000
This voice recorder was a waste of money! It has no usb port, not helpful at all, and doesn’t give the best quality of recordings either. This is only kept as a back up and for recording notes and comments about the investigation.
 
Olympus WS-10
Brilliant! We would buy ten of these! They plug straight into the computer and it couldn’t be easier to transfer files. Great quality and not too expensive either.

Olympus VN-960PC

High quality recordings. Not as easy to transfer files as with the WS10 but still quite straightforward.

Cassette  Recorder
Sony TCM 16 

Limited use now we have digital voice recorders although sometimes used alongside a voice recorder for comparison should we capture an EVP on both. Use of an external microphone is advisable otherwise it is possible to record the mechanism inside. Also used in empty rooms to play back a set of pre-recorded questions while a digital recorder records any EVPs in response.

Ghost Box

A cheap hacked Radio Shack digital radio used for spirit communication. Speakers or headphones are required but speakers are best as it is necessary to ask questions out loud and then listen for answers. ‘Spirts’ are allegedly able to communicate by manipulating  the voices on the airwaves (sometimes only individual syllables from words) and white noise to form audible answers to questions. So basically, the answers the investigator hears can be formed from bits of various broadcasts. However, sometimes the spirits seem to produce sounds using their own ‘voices’ as in EVPs with the excepton that these utterances can be heard in real time.  It is best to record sessions with this piece of equipment and play them back later as it is easy to miss some of the communications first time. Can be recorded directly onto voice recorder or onto laptop.

Very simple to use but does it work? Well, we’ll make our opinions known after we have tried it for a while.

Superear Personal Sound Amplifier

Basically amplifies so that you can hear the slightest noise more clearly. Boosts sound by upto 50 decibels. Very lightweight and easy to use.

This is basically a room guard. The siren is activated by the movement within the room or at point of entry depending on where it has been set up.  Ideal for securing an area and for alerting the team of any animal presence or human intruders. Multi – directional so can be attached to cover a whole room or just a doorway. Can also be used with mains electricity via adaptor.

Beam Barriers

Set of small alarms which create  an invisible beam barrier. When the beam is broken it triggers the alarm.

20m (75ft) range

Very useful on staircases, in  long corridors, doorways etc.

Glitterbug ultraviolet powder

This is used to dust our trigger objects in situations where they are not being left in a secure area. Transfer of the powder is easily spotted on hands, clothes, door knobs etc under the beam form a UV torch. IF we are ever rewarded by having one of trigger objects move by paranormal means then we wonder where or if any of the powder would be transferred  . . . ?

Torches/lighting

Various torches

The small IR torches are helpful but really not big enough to be of that much use. The best IR torches we came up with are home made, extremely cheap and very easy to put together using coloured acetate sheets.

Sony infraerd camcorder light and adaptor. Vrey useful and can illuminate upto 30 feet away.

 UV Torch

For use with the UV powder mentioned before. Also can be used in conjunction with a UV pen. Mark the back of a trigger object, eg a coin. If the item is found in another area you can check with the UV pen if it is indeed the same item that was set up elsewhere earlier. 

Laser pointer

Handy to use when on a vigil in the dark and you want to remain silent. Can be used to show team mates where a sound has been heard or something has been seen.

Torches

Torches with spare batteries are essential pieces of equipment for each investigator.

Battery operated tealights

Useful for when a low-light is required, eg during a séance, for mirror scrying etc. 

Book light

Fixes onto clipboard to allow you to take/read notes in the dark 

Paper and pens

Magnetic board and letters/numbers

First aid kit and blankets

Compass

Extension leads

Fold-up tables

Spirit level

Camera tripods

Measuring tape

Electronic room sizer

Two-way radios

Trigger objects : coins, jewellery, toys, crucifixes, playing cards, child's magnetic drawing board etc

Sellotape & blu-tack

Scissors

Screwdrivers

Spare batteries for all pieces of equipment

In-car camcorder battery charger

Clip boards 

Self-adhesive door/window alarms

Black scrying mirror

Dowsing pendulums

Dowsing rods

Gearometer - writing planchette

Psychic circle board

Long stemmed wine glass for divination

Ghost box with set of speakers

Zener cards (have been used as an experiment during divination before)

Paper and pencils