Chapter 5: Equipment — from Online Courses by Thomas Cooney
Gear does not make an investigator. It does expand what you can document. Start simple; add tools as cases demand.
Core kit
- Notebook and timekeeping — still the most important instruments. Log time, location, who was present, and what happened.
- Still photography — modern digital cameras (or good phone cameras used deliberately) for rapid review. Instant cameras still have a place when you want a physical print on site.
- Video — static wide shots plus handheld. Night-capable or IR-assisted cameras matter because much field time is dark.
- Audio — continuous digital recording for EVP review and session logging. Headphones later, not vibes in the moment alone.
- Thermometers — indoor/outdoor comparison and, when useful, non-contact IR. A “cold spot” is only interesting if you can show it is not the HVAC or the weather.
- EMF meters — popular and easy to misuse. Establish baselines. Wiring, panels, dimmers, and appliances create spikes. A number is not a ghost; a change from baseline without a mundane source is a note, not a verdict.
Useful extras
Two-way radios help when the team splits up. Portable motion sensors can flag unwatched rooms; some setups can trigger recording and save review time. Remote audio/video monitors reduce the need to stand in every doorway. Geiger counters and radiation survey meters are sometimes brought along; spirits do not “emit radiation” in any simple sense, and the cost often outweighs the value for ordinary casework. If strong environmental anomalies trick a meter, that can be interesting—it is still not automatic proof of a ghost.
Parapsychology has often studied high EMF in the context of human-generated effects (including RSPK theories) rather than external entities. Correlation studies between “entity strength” and meter readings are thin. Do not pretend otherwise. Buy tools you will actually log with. Gadgets you cannot interpret are decoration.
For most investigators, a solid core kit beats a trunk of unused devices. For those who love instruments and can afford them, the market will happily sell more—just keep the detective, not the toy aisle, in charge.