You and someone else--The reason that you should not go alone is obvious.  IT'S DANGEROUS!  I don't suggest that anyone do anything alone in a place that they are unfamiliar with, especially in the dark.  Another reason is for equipment usage, one person will not be able to run all the equipment (unless you are octopus man).  It is also good to have several different mindsets, and if something is seen, wouldn't you rather have more than one person to see it!  The idea is alot like having at least 2 pieces of each equipment, you can "compare".  I f you have more than one investigator see something you can now compare what they each saw, giving you a better idea of whether it was a false positive or something paranormal.

Knowledge of location--This means that you should do some research on your site.  Have there been witness reports of happenings there?  Have you spoken to them?  What is the history of the site?  Any information you can get on a site can help you with your investigations and what to look for when there.  We generally set up our investigations well in advance.  Not only do we have them fill out an extensive pre-investigation questionaire, but we have them continually send us a running activity log.  This allows us to see if there is a pattern or catalyst to the activity.

Proper Clothing--Of course you want to wear outfits that are suitable to the environment you are in.  Try and not to wear clothing that has reflective items on them.  Nothing that will make a lot of sound (like clinking keys and such, these may appear as EVP on recorders and cause FP's).  Also nothing with straps or hanging material that could get in the way of using your video equipment.   

Pen & paper or environmental and investigation logs--This is so you can record information necessary for your reports.   You will want to right down information about the site, perhaps make a map.  It would also be a good idea to ask the home/property owner if they have a floor plan or porperty layout already.  This is also to write down any notes team members feel are necessary.  It is very important to take note of the time while on an investigation, along with feelings or phenomena witnessed.    V.T.P.R has a paranormal paperwork CD that makes this process a breeze!  We currently use the following paperwork:

* Investigation Request Letter

* Protocol for Investigation

* Protocol For Data Review

* Investigation Interview Questionairre

* Confidentiality Agreement

* Release of Information & Evidence

* Waiver of Liability (property owner & investigators)

* Indoor & Outdoor Investigation Logs

* Full Investigation Report

Baby Powder or Talc--This is an optional piece of equipment.  You may also want to use carpet deoderizer, this can easily be cleaned up on site. Alot of researchers use this when items have been known to be moved in the location. Also if there seems to be such sounds has footsteps heard in a certain area or manifestation.  The basic idea is that you put the baby powder or talc around and/or on the objects that have been known to be moved.  This will let you know if it has been moved or touched.  The same concept is for places where footsteps have been heard, or perhaps a manifestation has been seen.  Perhaps, you will find footprints in the powder!  This is a tricky tool though, because it is hard to prove that they are paranormal footsteps and not something made up.  A video camera set up to watch this area would be a good idea!

 Barometer--The idea behind this is that paranormal activity causes changes in the atmosphere around it.  Causing the barometric pressure of the area to go either up or down.  It is also good to know what this condition is at the site, there for being able to compare any changes in this on site.

 Indoor/Outdoor thermometer--This is a great piece of equipment that is not expensive.  You can pick one of these up at almost any store.  This allows you to get the ambient temperature of an area or room.  When you know what the temperature in a room is, it makes it easier to find cold/hot spots, since you now have a base temperature reading.  Why would you want to know this??  You can read about cold/hot spots on our paranormal information page.

Watches--Everyone on the team should have one of these.  Preferably with and illuminated face, since most investigations are done at night.  It is also important for the group to synchronize these watches during pre-investigation set-up.  This is to make record keeping more efficient.  It is hard to write up a report on phenomena when everyone has a different time they are going by.  It wil make your records inaccurate.  This may sound silly but think about it this way, let's say you get a EMF reading at 9:02 that lasted for 10 seconds and someone else says it is 9:05 and you put this in your  report.  Your report would now say that you got a anomoulous reading at 9:02-9:05, which would be inaccurate.  This is the purpose behind sychronized time. 

Compass--This equpment is good so you know what direction you are going in, or what side of the room or area you took readings in/at.  It can also be used like the EMF meter.  It has been known that  paranormal phenomena can alter the accuracy of a compass, so if you are pointing north and the compass needle moves to east and back to north, (or whatever direction) you mave have paranormal phenomena in that area.

Batteries--Lots and lots of extra batteries.  The reason for this seems to be that paranormal phenomena seems to drain and/or absorb the energy stored in batteries.  This is the same concept as a ghost absorbing the ambient heat energy or light energy, even emotional energy that the group gives off.  So be sure to keep extra batteries for your investigation.  It is even  a good idea to not take all of them on site with you.  Leave some in the vehicle you came in, perhaps those will not be drained as the ones you carry with you can be.

Video camera--There are many reasons why a video camera is used during investigations.  Mainly, unlike the still photography from a camera, this will allow you to  capture moving anomolies on film.  You may want to either use regular vhs tape, digital video camera, DVD or even 8 mm has been used.  This is up to you, all have been known to get results.   It is also good too have 2 of these, allowing you to identify false positives on film easier.  It is to have a camera with night shot capabilities.  When using a video camera with a standard light source it will reflect the dust and moisture in the air causing LOTS of false positives.  It is also another audio source for collecting EVP. 

Not only does it allow you to hopefully catch anomolies on film, but it can be quite helpful in identifying noises and other types of phenomena as false positives.  For example:  We had an investigation in which we collected 3 EVPS.  The first EVP we found was while our lead investigator was doing a formal EVP session.  He had noted on the recording that he was placing the recorder in the bedroom, after which we heard a low voice say "Put it where?".  We were excited about the EVP but also cautious. After reviewing it several times we came to the conclusion that it had sounded somewhat like one of our members.  We then went back through our investigation video and found that it was one of our investigators actually saying "cram it where?".  So if it were not for the video, we would not have been able to verify that EVP as being a false positive.   We personally use Sony DVD hand camcorders.  Each camera is set on a tripod in locations noted for activity.  We film in Night Vision Mode and accompany the camera with a stand alone IR light for added illumination for filming.

Tape recorder/Digital recorder--This is a researchers best friend!  Wether you use analog or digital is up to you.  Digital is easier however to upload into a computer for further analysis.  You may want to download an audio program that can filter out and pick out sound from the infrasonic/ultrasonic range.  Whichever way you go be sure to use an external microphone.  Parabolic microphones work very well.  This is so you can cut out the sound of the machines inner mechanisms while recording.  Recorders help you take notes on site, and record all your data without making you stop to write it down.  It is also helpful in letting the investigators say whether they feel they are sensing something.   It is also a wonderful tool for capturing EVP/ITC recordings.  It is a good idea to have all investigators speak into the recorders, so you later have their voice's on tape for comparison to any EVP/ITC.  Be sure to alwasy use a NEW tape that has not been opened.  You may also want to consider using white noise for formal EVP/ITC sessions.  When on site and using this equipment DO NOT WHISPER, this is easily confused for EVP/ITC.

White noise--This is used for EVP ( electronic voice phenomena) also known as ITC (instrumental transcommunication).  Voices from beyond can easily be recorded using a regular cassette tape recorder with an external microphone. The discovery was made in 1959 by Friederich Jurgenson, a Sweedish researcher, and it started a wave of interest in this field. Jurgenson was using a common tape recorder to record bird songs when he discovered mysterious voices in the recordings. Mixed with the backgorund sound, the wind shaking the leaves in the trees, it was possible to hear the conversations of people who were not visible in the place where the recordings were made. After Jurgenson's discovery, many other researchers began to experiment, trying to pick up voices from beyond. The most important of these researchers was Dr. Konstantine Raudive. He died in 1974 but left a number of works aimed at convincing humans that contact between the dead and the living is possible. Dr. Raudive applied the principal of stochastic resonance to his research. The basic idea is that background noise acts as a carrier and can be manipulated by any other signals present in free space. Without background noise, these signals, (voices of the dead), are too weak to be detectable, but in the presence of a noise (white noise) their levels increase beyond the threashold of detection and become clear...sometimes even loud. White noise can also be described as a signal with no definite frequency.

Motion sensors--The general idea behind this is that with a motion sensor it is possible to detect movement in an otherwise empty room.  These may be used to either detect a ghost 's movement or movement of items (like a ball in the middle of the room).  Some researchers use motion sensors, wind chimes or both.  These are a relatively inexpensive piece of equipment.  We at V.T.P.R. use these after we have done several readings of the site.  We decide what areas we consider "active" and place them there.   

 Flash lights--Most investigations are done on sites at night.  Therefore some way of seeing is necessary.  This is not to say that ghosts only come out at night.  They are all around us all the time, but the Earth is at its most calm and quiet at this time.  This of course aides in your research.  The busy road during the day is not busy, the neighbors dog is not barking but asleep and so are the children next door.  This allows for your EVP/ITC recordings to be cleaner, removing much of the background noise that would be there during the day.  We at V.T.P.R. use flash lights with red lenses (you may also use red cellpohane over the lense), for the same reasons we use it on the video camra light.

ID--You should NEVER go on any investigation without proper photo ID.  This is not only professional but a good idea.  If the police or other authority's would happen to show up, it is alwasys a good idea to be able to show who you are and what you are doing there.  It also tends to make the people you are investigating for feel more secure about you being there.  I personally wouldn't want someone without ID to be on my property or in my house!  All V.T.P.R. members are required to have proper photo ID with them while on investigations, along with there membership and investigator photo ID.