Equipment Bag Essentials: Walkie-Talkies

One of those questions that is constantly asked of paranormal investigators is, 'what types of equipment would you recommend to those new to this field?' The paranormal field is full of really fun, unique gadgets marketed as tools to communicate with the other side. It's also saturated with tools designed to measure and record audio, video, and fluctuations/anomalies with environmental factors. It seems like each year, new and improved toys are hitting the market with promises of being the ONE THING you need to gather solid proof of the afterlife.

Unfortunately, at this point in time, we have to accept the fact that not one single piece of investigation equipment we use can 100% without a doubt PROVE that ghosts exist. So, while these new toys are really fun to play with and may offer some head scratching data, I always suggest to those who are new to this field to start with some basics---a good voice recorder, a way to record video, a means of measuring temperature and EMF fluctuations, a reliable flashlight, and if feasible, a set of walkie-talkies!

Walkie-talkies (or two-way radios, to sound more proper) are probably not the first thing you think of when it comes to paranormal investigation equipment, but I personally feel they are a wonderful addition to a team's equipment bag. They're versatile, portable, and can be found in a range of price ranges, starting from quite reasonably inexpensive. Let's take a closer look at how walkie-talkies can benefit your ghost hunt, as well as examine some things you need to watch out for!

Pros of Using Walkie-Talkies on Investigations:

*Keep in Contact with Your Teammates:  The obvious use of a handheld two-way radio on an investigation is to keep in communication with your teammates. Some places we investigate, both indoors and outdoors, are large enough to require that we break into two or more teams while on location. Many locations that we investigate are out in the middle of nowhere, and cell reception (even in 2023) is spotty at best. But, even if we had reliable cell reception, walkie-talkies allow instantaneous contact with multiple groups at once, as opposed to trying to text or call several different team members and waiting for a response. Those few moments saved could be critical if you have an event happening in real time, or if there is some type of emergency situation. And, in addition to the communication benefits while on site, walkie-talkies can be used to communicate between team members driving in different cars TO the location, granted they aren't that far apart. Speaking from personal experience, this has come in handy when trying to figure out directions in places we've had multiple cars carpooling to sites with absolutely no cell service whatsoever. 

*Communicate with the Ghosts: Theoretically, walkie-talkies can be used for more than just staying in contact with your teammates; they can be used as ITC devices! ITC, or instrumental trans-communication devices are basically just any sort of electronic device that can be used to interact with paranormal entities. If a living person can send a message via a two-way radio, why couldn't a spirit/ghost? Spectral Research and Investigations has actually had this happen to us, during a public investigation event we assisted with at the Haunted Haymond House in Sutton, WV. We clearly heard the voice of a fellow investigator come over the radio, in a frantic, almost panicked voice say, "hello? hello?" However, she wasn't even TOUCHING her radio at the time, and neither were we--it was sitting on a table in front of us. So whose voice did we hear?

There's also an experiment laid out by Dr. Lloyd Auerbach that involves the use of a walkie-talkie. Instead of having investigators INSIDE a room doing EVP work, you can seal the room off, with just a walkie-talkie and a voice recorder. Ask your questions from another location, via the walkie-talkie. The idea is that not having a living person on site might allow the spirit to be more comfortable in answering questions, or may even assure that the recording device is not being psychically imprinted on by the living investigator. Yeah, it gets complicated, lol...but just try some of your own experiments. See if keeping only ONE walkie-talkie on yields results over multiple units being turned on. See what channels seem to be the most open to communication. Experiment with anything you can think of and document, document, document!

Cons of Using Walkie-Talkies During Investigations:

However, remember that as with any piece of investigation equipment, walkie-talkies have their drawbacks. They aren't infallible. They require batteries (which can get expensive) or charging (which can be time consuming), and can quickly lose their charge...because of NON paranormal reasons. Having a non-functioning communication device can be both dangerous AND frustrating. Unfortunately, the higher quality radios may be more reliable, but they can run into the hundreds of dollars---money that may be better spent on other items for your investigation toolkit.

They can also interfere with other pieces of investigation equipment. They will absolutely set off your K-II and other EMF detectors, so experiment around to see how far away they have to be to react, and just keep that in mind if you get an anomalous reading that can't be explained. 

And finally, two-way radios can pick up other frequencies. If there are truck drivers or other CB users in the area, you can absolutely accidentally pick up their transmissions.If there are road construction crews, hunters, or even kids that are using two-way radios, you run the risk of picking up their conversations. During my work with a previous team, we even picked up a signal from a nearby baby monitor! And, while not many people have them these days, it wasn't unheard of to pick up conversations from cordless phones as well. 

In conclusion, I think that two-way radios are a great addition to your equipment bag, but as with every piece of equipment we use in this field, must be used with a full understanding of their limitations. But, walkie-talkies make a great, versatile tool that I think you'll get a lot of practical AND experimental use of. Let me know in the comments below whether or not YOU carry walkies with you on YOUR investigations, and if you've ever had anything strange come across them! Happy Haunting! 

Budget Ghost Hunting Equipment

So, this meme is supposed to be funny, but it does highlight an important aspect of paranormal investigation:  You don't NEED to spend thousands of dollars on equipment....especially when you're first starting out!  

My very first 'ghost hunting kit' contained a 35mm camera (often supplemented by one of those old disposable cameras), a flashlight, a notebook and pencil, a microcassette recorder that I borrowed from my mom's office, and a cheap compass.

As time went on, I upgraded quite a bit, but to this day, I still haven't really broke the bank on equipment.  It can be fun trying out the latest gadgets featured on your favorite ghost hunting shows, but the truth is, most of that stuff is not really scientifically proven to be able to detect ghosts!

If you're just starting out, I highly suggest you hold off on making any huge purchases for awhile.  Look around your own house and see what you already have that can be used on an investigation.  Most people either own or have access to basic stuff such as flashlights, video and still cameras, voice recorders, temperature recording devices, and basic means of taking notes.  And although I don't normally recommend using a smart phone for investigation purposes, in a pinch they provide access to everything I've listed above, plus a myriad of apps that some ghost hunters swear by.

If you decide that paranormal investigation/ghost hunting is a hobby you'd like to pursue further, THEN start thinking about investing in some higher quality, more specialized equipment. However, DO YOUR RESEARCH!  Don't waste your time or money on fun, flashy gadgets that aren't really of any scientific merit, just because you saw someone else use them.

Be wary of equipment that is specifically marketed towards ghost hunters.  This is for two reasons:  1. As I've said before, there is no way to prove ghosts exists, so its only conjecture at best that these devices can actually detect ghosts.  And, 2. These devices are usually going to be more expensive.  In the case things like cameras and EMF detectors, shop around to see if you can find the same or similar device, NOT being marketed to the paranormal community, for less.  

Also important to note...make sure you know how to use any equipment you might acquire.  Equipment is only as good as the person interpreting its data, so train yourself on how to use your stuff properly.  Know its limitations and potential issues. Finally, take care of your stuff---you're paying for it, so make sure you keep it in good working order. 

And, just a quick bonus tip:  People tend to want to start out in this field by buying a ton of really cool equipment.  Unfortunately, many quickly lose interest in paranormal investigation and end up selling off their stuff for much less than what they paid for it.  Or, as they find that they enjoy the field and want to go further, they upgrade their equipment and sell off their older stuff.  Shop around.  Take a look at places such as eBay and Amazon to try to find the best deals on gently used equipment!