Ghost Hunting on a Budget

So you wanna hunt some ghosts, do ya? Worried that maybe it's just too expensive because of all of those fancy, smancy gadgets eh? Well look no further! In this post, I'm going to be discussing how anyone can pick up this exciting new hobby without breaking the bank. Let's take a dive into some of the basic tools that ghost hunters usually have in their arsenal, and see if we can't find some cost-effective solutions.

Basic Items

These include regular flashlights, notepad, writing utensils, portable chargers, etc. I'm not going into too much details on these because I'd rather get into the juicy stuff.

EMF Meters

EMF or electro magnetic field meters, are one of the most widely recognized pieces of equipment that ghost hunters are seen using. The theory behind this, is that spirits are said to give off an EMF due to the fact that they are believed to be made up of pure energy. Because of this, an EMF meter should theoretically be able to detect the presence of a nearby ghost. Many investigators opt for the tried and true K2 EMF Meter. This device will typically run somewhere in the ballpark of $60-$70, though there are definitely less expensive alternatives. Did you know that some smart phones can actually be used as EMF Meters? If your phone has a built-in magnetometer, then it can be used to detect EMF! I use the Ultimate Ghost Detector app, but there are definitely other choices, as well. If this isn't a viable method, you could always just head to Amazon and get one for $30.

Spirit Box

Spirit boxes, such as the SB-7, are used primarily as a means of communication with spirits. By rapidly sweeping through a variety of FM/AM frequencies, it is believed that ghosts are able to somehow influence the device so that it can use words that are spoken on varying channels to respond to questions that are asked by investigators. This being said, the SB-7 and SB-11 also have additional features, such as being able to detect unusual changes in ambient temperature. If you don't feel like dishing out $80.00 for an SB-7, you can buy a $20 12-820 armband radio and make a few modifications so that it sweeps through radio frequencies similar to any other spirit box.

Cameras

Many ghost hunters incorporate the use of full spectrum or infrared cameras on their investigations. Despite the obvious benefit of using one such camera to be able to record investigations in dark conditions, there is another reason why these cameras are such a valuable piece of equipment. These cameras are able render all wavelengths of light as visible, whereas the human eye is only able to perceive certain wavelengths. Some apparitions seem to only appear on full spectrum cameras, because they are not on the visible light spectrum. For this piece of equipment, your best bet is honestly just to invest in a good piece of equipment, since alot of the cheaper options on Amazon can be pretty awful and vary in quality and reliability. However, if you are feeling particularly daring, you could try to purchase one of these infrared "night vision" cameras for anywhere from

$60 to just over $200. If you are a crafty individual, you could also attempt to remove the infrared filter from a cheap action camera, as well but this is definitely risky and you could ruin your camera if you aren't careful. There are plenty of tutorials on YouTube for this, so I won't bother with providing a link here.

Digital Voice Recorder

This piece of equipment is definitely an essential, in my book. Many investigators use digital voice recorders in an attempt to capture EVPs, or electronic voice phenomena. These are voices or even sounds that spirits could make in response to questions asked by paranormal investigators. These sounds may not be heard in the moment or by ear, so the use of a digital voice recorder comes in handy when reviewing evidence, especially in conjunction with software that allows audio enhancement. You could honestly just use your cell phone for this if you really wanted to, but if you'd rather just buy one, these are pretty inexpensive.

Motion Detectors

This one is pretty self explanatory so I'm not really gonna go into detail, lol. For this you could literally use a cat toy if you want to be really cheap.

Bonus: REM-POD

This one definitely isn't necessary, but I find it to be a very interesting and unique tool. The REM-POD is a device that generates it's own electromagnetic field. When someone or something that conducts electricity enters the POD's field proximity, this causes the illumination of several lights that will glow dependent upon strength and proximity of the electrical interference to the REM-POD's field. Along with this, the device is also able to detect unusual changes in ambient temperature, as well. This is definitely one of the pricier tools I have mentioned in this post, and it won't make-or-break a ghost hunt, however it is a very cool tool. I have seen some videos on YouTube of people making similar devices on their own, however if you aren't tech savvy and don't want to pay $180, you can always take a trip to the wonderful world of Etsy and check out cheaper alternatives.

Other Tools and Gadgets

There are a variety of other commonly used tools such as SLS cameras, digital thermometers, laser grids, anemometers, etc. These are worth mentioning, but I will not be going into depth on these simply due to the fact that they are not as commonly used (in my experience.)

Conclusion

You don't need to have an entire camera crew or have top-of-the-line, cutting edge gear to enjoy the fascinating world of the paranormal. We aren't all rolling in the dough and diving into vaults of gold, head first like Scrooge McDuck. Sometimes all you need is a group of friends, a spooky setting, and maybe even just a smart phone. There are lots of humbly priced solutions for amateur ghost hunters or those who are just wanting to dip one toe in the water. The main thing is that you enjoy it and immerse yourself in the thrill of the hunt. And if you want to slowly work your way towards stocking up on more and more gear, then that's ok too. Trust me, the ghosts aren't going anywhere.

-Ron :)