patty1019
Moderator
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Tools of the Trade - 2005/02/24 19:21
Hi!
As a person who's experienced ghosts over the course of 46 years I'd like to share some of my observations with you. Call these tools of the trade as in "forwarned is forearmed". Having a childhood in the country as well might help you have insight into what to expect in such places if that's where you intend on going.
Pointers: Be Prepared
1. People with allergies should be very careful when ghosthunting in abandoned buildings and houses. There is a poisonous form of mold present in some such places which have put some into the hospital. As such you may want to wear a mask more sufficient than a plain one. Use one which filters the incoming air through the middle at least. The plain ones, beleive it or not, pull in air from around the edges of the mask.
2. Be aware that in some cemeteries you must not step on the graves. This isn't ettiquette! lol It has to do with the fact that the ground settles over any hole that's dug, whether it's been there for awhile or is new. There is a measure of give to the ground. One day my mother was with a friend visiting a cemetery and the friend stepped on the grave which was from the 1800's. It dropped about 2 ft. straight down. You can imagine the response of that poor woman! Even with concrete vaults over the casket as some have nowadays, there's still a problem with settling dirt.
3. Respect the cemetery rules which state the hours you may be in the graveyard. With vandalism on the rise in such places in recent years it has become necessary for townships to limit or restrict the entering of graveyards. Always ask township trustees who take care of the cemeteries if you wish to enter during night time hours. Being caught in a cemetery after posted hours by law enforcement can result in an arrest. It's called criminal trespassing. As well, entering a property at all that's posted as "no trespassing" is illegal. Not to mention that some people in the country shoot at those trespassers! I grew up in the country, trust me.
4. Remember that during the nightime hours there are wild animals around such places including but not limited to snakes. Old buildings are the perfect hangout for many critters who are hunted during the night. Those who do the hunting also find them useful. Then there are the spiders, rats, mice, swallows, and bats. Be wary of skunks, wild dogs, possums, rats, etc., who regularly suffer epidemics of rabies and distemper. I've been told by mailmen that mace and pepperspray can actually cause a dog to attack you. They now carry doggie treats with them. Snakes, in ohio there are more than a few poisonous snakes so it's best to have a way to communicate if you find yourself in need of help. Boaters have whistles attached to their life jackets, these are heard more readily than the human voice, if that is, you aren't too shocked to yell for help.
5. Take a first aid kit with you which includes a first aid book or easy locate card for help. No one expects to have an emergency but we all need to be prepared in case there is one.
6. In old buildings such as barns and houses there are sometimes places where you should be careful walking. The floorboards may look fine to walk on but take your time being careful crossing any old floors. In barns I cannot stress enough that this is a setting where tools and metal parts were used at one time. It pays to wear shoes or boots with a steel shank in the sole. When going into an attic space be careful of any floorboard integrity as well but if there are none then do not step between the rafters. You could fall through the ceiling of the room below. In some of these old houses the ceilings are 12 tall or more.
7. Equipment...............
Sound activated recorder for note taking.
Paper and pen for when ghosts suck the energy from your batteries.
Flashlights that have millions of candle power come in handy for seeing into dark enclosed spaces. Ordinary flashlights don't have the same range.
Video camera if you want to get that detailed.
35 mm camera, a good one, if you want good quality pics that can be enlarged for clarity of a smaller area.
Spare batteries to be left in your vehicle if ghost activity knocks out the batteries in what you're using.
No candles!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! How many barns and abandoned houses have met their demise through ghosthunters or couple's looking for a quiet place to rendezvous?
Scope out the area and the building during the daytime in order to make a map of the area and floorplan of any building you are contemplating entering. It's much safe when all involved in the excursion have a map and floor plan. Be sure and mark the exits clearly in red with a red dotted line leading back to your vehicle, in case someone's in a hurry. Believe me when i say you don't want to go looking for someone who's lost their way in such a creepy place.
It's important to take a change of clothes with you when rummaging around in old barns, fields, woods, etc. You never know when you might fall in something unexpected or step in something you don't want to foul the car with. Take a garbage bag for any clothes you may have to change out of to keep from fouling the trunk. The change of clothes includes shoes and socks.
WET WIPES!!!!! These are a must for anyone who's going into anyplace that's sat empty for awhile or had animals in it.
Water and a carbohydrate snack. Sometimes we forget how much time we've spent in a place or how tired we've become. The snack is for all the energy you expend and also in case you are suffer a big scare or ghosts are nearby and sap your energy.
Conclusion...............
For the novice ghosthunter just the bare essentials and common sense will suffice. For those more experienced and somewhat more into documentation there are always the gadgets.
Remember to write down any extroidinary experiences as soon as possible. It's always best to do this while the memory is fresh. Include the date, time of any unusual experience, weather conditions, place w/ directions for future reference.
If at all possible have a person with you that's experienced in nightime excursions.
The best ghost hunts are those where everyone involved is prepared for any eventuality or suprise.
patty1019
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RootWeb
Admin
| Posts: 68 | |
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Re:Tools of the Trade - 2005/02/28 14:50
Wow, I'm speechless. You sure know alot about all of this. Thanks for the advice, that's an excellent post!
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patty1019
Moderator
| Posts: 41 | |
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Re:Tools of the Trade - 2005/03/25 14:02
rootweb,
you're welcome. i gleaned most of this from watching that ghosthunter show on sci-fi. they're plumbers so ghosthunting is second nature to them. then there's the site for the evp movie at aaevp.com i think it is. we also get free catalogs for spy gadgets, and small things cops use to do their job.
thanks,
patty1019
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