Paranormal investigators are always in search of new equipment to assist them with capturing evidence of the paranormal. Advances in audio equipment are always appreciated.

Electronic voice phenomena or EVP is a term used to describe unexpected sounds or voices that often show up on replay of recording media during paranormal investigations. Some attribute such sounds to the disembodied voices of spiritual energy. To those who embrace the ideology of life after death, such spiritual communication can be validation that at least a portion of the human personality survives physical death.

EVP is most often captured through the use of digital voice recorders or the more old fashioned analogue recorders. Most video equipment utilized in ghost hunting also has an audio component that is capable of picking up ghostly voices along with the video. Until recently, these recording devices were the mainstay for catching EVP.

While studying instrumental transcommunication in 2002, Frank Sumption theorized that ghost voices could be picked up through fragmented radio transmissions and white noise. He built a device known as Frank’s Box designed to do just that. Sumption has built several models of his ghost box and others have followed suit.

The device; generally referred to as the ghost box, scans AM/FM and low band frequencies, thus creating a noise matrix that spirits, ghosts, and possibly other energies can modulate. There is constant sweeping through the bands to provide such a matrix.

My experience with the ghost box is fairly limited. My team, Synergy Paranormal Investigations, Harvard, NE., has only utilized this technology a few times in recent investigations. In theory, the concept is valid but I was not initially impressed with the results. During the scanning of the frequencies there is often portions of words or sentences spit out from nearby radio stations and I was doubtful whether or not anyone could ascertain whether or not potential EVP was actually just snippets from some broadcast in the area.

However, I have heard at least two very clear EVP from the ghost box that seem markedly different from the broadcast voices. In fact, they come from another place altogether with startling clarity in direct response to specific questions. I find this extremely intriguing and plan to continue to experiment with this piece of equipment for awhile yet before making any decisions about its value in paranormal research.

One aspect of the ghost box that I find especially helpful is the fact that EVP can be heard in real time as opposed to listening to hours of audio from a digital recorder to determine whether any evidence was picked up. EVP is not often heard at the time of the recording. Sounds or voices emitted by spiritual energy are thought to be sent in frequencies not detectable by the human ear. Therefore, investigators must wade through the recordings later. This can be a daunting task after a lengthy investigation.

Real Time EVP recorders are available but they are much more expensive than the ghost box. It is possible to make a few minor adjustments to simple transistor radios to make your own ghost boxes for less than $25.00. They are available at any department store.

If ghost box technology turns out to be a valid tool in the ghost hunting arsenal I think I will become a big fan. At this point, I am still on the fence, however.

Kris Sedersten is a Nursing Home Administrator and RN Consultant in her home town of Harvard, Ne. where she lives with her husband, Paul. They enjoy spending time with family, especially their three daughters and eight grandchildren. Kris loves dogs, horses, cats and walking. Kris has a passion for all things paranormal. In her spare time, she leads a paranormal research team, Synergy Paranormal Investigations, and works as a producer on Nebraska’s longest running paranormal radio program, Exploring Unexplained Phenomena, with host Scott Colborn. She enjoys writing paranormal fiction and sharing her faith in unconventional forums. Combining her passions has led to a series of books she is working on titled, The Mojo Series. I f you’ve got Mojo, stayed tuned for upcoming releases.