Investigation Advice

So my brother called me tonight and says "You wanna go do a ghost investigation?". He says he knows of a place that supposedly has some strange things going on and he wants me and a friend or two to help him investigate in a few days. We don't have a whole lot of equipment. A couple of audio recorders , a digital camcorder and a few digital cameras. No meters or detectors or anything like that.

The reason for this post is to ask for any and all advice from others who have done this type of thing before. I have never done it but I have always wanted to give it a shot. Anyone have any low-tech, inexpensive ideas for detection?

Its gonna be a day or two before we "investigate", but I will post my findings(if any), as soon as I get them.

Any input will be appreciated.

No need to worry about having a bunch of fancy detectors. It sounds like you'll have everything you need (and more than a lot of teams just starting) for your first investigation.

If you want a low-tech alternative to an EMF detector take a compass, preferably one that you are familiar with, and pay attention to it. Magnetic fields passing around the area will influence a compass in much the same way it will influence a detector.

The reason I say be familiar with the compass (if possible) is so that you'll easily recognize slight variations in movement (as small influence = small compass movement = small registration on an EMF detector)

As for other meters they're typically overrated anyway in my experience. Best temperature guage you've got is your skin. Pay attention to the air around you for variances and you'll learn how to pick up on slight changes without having to lug around yet another tool.

Hope that helps...good luck on your investigation.

well you can buy an emf detector for under $30 but if you don't want to spend money, some people suggest using a pendulum to find "hot spots"

Personally I say you rely on your natural senses, you might hear, see, smell and feel things... cheapest way to do it.

Wow. I never thought of a compass. That is an awesome idea. I also just remembered that my brother used to own a home inspection company so he should have a laser thermometer laying around. I plan to go mostly with my gut as far as where and when to take pictures and video/audio.

Thanks for the tips guys. Any more info would be more than welcome.

Check on the local trespassing laws if it isn't on public property.

Thanks for the advice. The building is owned by someone we know, so that won't be a problem.