All equipment used on location is personally funded by individual team members and remains the personal property of the contributing member. 

The tools we use:

While all individuals and teams have their own preferences to equipment, here is a breakdown of some typical items found in an investigators equipment kit and some optional items as well!

Digital and 35mm Cameras/Digital SLR: Digital photography is widely used on location for both exterior and interior shots. Digital photos allow for redundant/excessive photos for control images and data analysis. Our team members have both point and shoot and higher end DSLR Cameras on location. Our general protocol is to take 2 photos of every angle or shot we choose to take to allow for a control or comparative photo for every photo we take. Using a range of cameras and pixel quality will produce and equally debunk or dismiss known anomalies such as orbs, lens flare, reflections and exposure variations. 

We also take photos in open spectrum or IR Spectrum only. 

Video Cameras:  Our team employs several video camera. Teams employ a walkthrough of locations or evp sessions with at least one camera among the group. Sony Cameras are our preference mainly because much of our work is done overnight and Sony has the available Nightshot mode for 0 lux filming. We also employ Infrared light extenders for better illumination when no light is available. Our team cameras range from Sony Digital8 models, Sony MiniDV and Sony Hybrid DVD and HDD cameras. A wide range of cameras for both standard and high definition recording. More and more we employ the use of the newer hybrid HD cameras for better filming and longer coverage. 

Camera Accessories: Long Life-rechargeable batteries, memory cards of adequate size. Tripods and unipods.  Additional lenses and filters can also be used to isolate light spectrums and allow wide angle photography.

CCTV/DVR: After some failure with PC based DVR Systems, for the 2010 season we have added (two) standalone CCTV 4 channel DVR systems to allow stationary coverage from several locations at one time. DVR systems not only allow for more coverage, but better security, control video and easy data review. They also allow live viewing from the investigation control center or our 3g phones. 

(TIC) Thermal Imaging:   JCPI recently acquired a thermal imager for the 2010 season which is still being learned and deployed in field investigations. 

Digital/Analog Voice recorders: Used for recording EVP (Electronic Voice Phenomena). Our team utilizes several brands of recorders as well as having Audio capability on our DVR Systems. 

EMF/Tri-field Meters/Gaussmeters: There are several variations of meters available fairly easily and inexpensive. JCPI utilizes several meters, including the K2 modified and the DSP-523 meters. We also deploy stationary single axis EMF arrays on location as well to monitor fluctuations that may occur on location. We have been so pleased with the DSP meters by Justin Faulk, that I even added a convenient link below: You get what you pay for in meters, and no fluctuation proves there is a ghost standing in the room with you- but the DSP-523 is the right tool for analyzing AC,DC and Magnetic fields. 

Non-Contact Infrared thermometers or other ambient Temp Measuring equipment: Not the most accurate, but great for measuring ambient temperatures in walkthroughs and to better determine hot/cold spots which is commonly believed to associate paranormal activity. Despite being laser guided these can only measure the ambient temperature between the IR sensor and the flat surface.  

Flashlights/Glow sticks: Always have a flashlight for safety’s sake. And in the event of sudden battery drain or other failure glow sticks are a nice back-up to safely navigate dark locations.  

Baby Powder/Talc: Effective for dusting areas to monitor movement of stationary objects or props and to help monitor tampering.

Props: Items that can be introduced into possible paranormal areas. I.E. Toys, crayons/chalkboards, balls, handcuffs, rocks etc. Basically, when researching a location it is not a bad idea to pay attention to history. Bring a prop that may help encourage kinetic movement of props. If investigating a former prison, handcuffs may elicit kinetic movement, or an asylum, a straightjacket might be an inciter. Use good judgment and respect when considering props and always use respect and consider safety for trip hazards when placing them. Items should be placed in well marked locations, or atop powder dusted areas to help monitor movement and document with photos/video.  While it may not be necessary to keep steady video monitoring on item, outside of steady monitoring controls should be in place to make sure human or rodent tampering is alleviated.

Chalk: or surface safe markers, tape or other items that can be used to draw lines around placed props, or common items that claim to move on their own.  Never use permanent markings and always may attention to surfaces to avoid any accidental damage to surfaces.  This can also be effective for tripod and stationary/cctv camera placement. If a camera accidently gets knocked over, or the cords tripped over affecting angle of camera, marked locations can help best recreate original locations . Also, it is not uncommon to have unexplained camera/recorder/array movement which should be documented.

Optional Equipment:

Two-Way radios: Great for staying in communication with your team, however they can introduce false positive voices and EMF fluctuations. Use when necessary for safety and coordination.

“talk to god” microphone: This is a piece of equipment in our arsenal that is considered subjective, but interesting. Along the lines of EVP research and theories that suggest that EVPs may actually be created at the coil of the microphone, not the microphone itself, this piece of equipment is a coil only microphone attached to a sound analyzer. The coil only mic prevents the mic from picking up audible sounds like audible voices or background noises, but can be effected by EMF fluctuations in the environment. The box was named after it’s builder who claimed to hear unexplainable voices and comments when using the equipment for his professional use and subsequently discontinued use. It sat on a shelf for years until MichaelJ came across the owner and adopted it for the right price. It has been modified to allow simultaneous monitoring via headphone or speaker with a second output for recording to a separate voice recorder. While we know EMF can cause false positive noises on this device, most noise is just static. However, voices on this device would have to be engineered by specific EMF patterns or coil only manipulation.  Despite it’s name, this piece does not talk to god(s) and is considered subjective EVP which has eliminated obvious audible false positives. The name is not designed to offend but remains for the builders history with the device.  

Power Inverters and Battery back-ups: Many remote locations can present certain hurdles for recharging and providing constant power to electronic equipment. It is recommended to have power inverters, battery packs and extension cords to overcome areas that have limited access to working outlets.

Scanners or citizen band radio equipment/ "Radio Shack Hacks": Can be used to create “white noise” and possibly allow manipulation of equipment to generate EVP. However, interference and nearby busy roadways can easily produce false positives. Franks Box, radio shack hacks and other subjective radio equipment can be used to try to document or assist intelligent response through subjective equipment. 

“White noise” Generators: White noise generators create a static background noise for EVP recording. Radios can also be used to create static. It is theorized that white noise in an environment can be manipulated by paranormal energies to create EVP.

Travel safe cases: Why invest in all this equipment if you can not keep it safe. A well organized case also allows for easy inventory at the end of an investigation to make sure you have not forgotten expensive equipment on location. Also, you never know when you might drive hours to a location and vibration and load shift can damage your sensitive equipment.

Laptop/PC/Mac/External Drives: Helpful to analyze your data, transfer it among team members for analysis via email and also run DVRs or store data long term.

While it should be noted that this is not a complete list of tools these can be the most popular to see in an investigators toolbox. The goal of our group is to disprove phenomena in an effort to create strict guidelines in order to isolate the few, and far between anomalous data that can not be disproven at this time. There are many other tools available such as static meters, barometric equipment and an assortment of other items to help monitor, compare and when needed, recreate conditions to prove or disprove phenomena. There are also more subjective items which can be entertaining, but have very disputable results in anomalous data collection, such as Frank’s boxes, Word generators, dowsing rods or other divination tools.