See ya 2010! Hello 2011!!!

Been an amazing year... What can I say but I have encountered some pretty crazy things in 2010. To recap, I have heard 6 disembodied voices(one with an attendee of our BCP event), had my hair played with, seen things I can't explain, and much, much more.

I assembled a team of die-hard paranormal investigators that kick serious ass in the field. It blows my mind how solid this team is and the evidence we collect is bizarre. Like I always say, stay positive and it will happen.

My "thank you's" are as follows...

Just wanted to say thank you to everyone for all your support this past year. Especially my family. You have all been amazing!

To the SPR team, you guys are all outstanding investigators. Some of the best in the field of the paranormal. Looking forward to see what the future brings us in 2011. We have a few surprises in the works. Stay tuned for more...

Special thanks goes out to Paul Bradford(GHI), Britt Griffith(GH/GHI), Burlington County Prison, CreepyHollowGear.com, Marisa Bozarth(Curator for BCP), Fort Mifflin, Jason's Woods, GAC members, Eastern State Penitentiary, PhantomLite.com, Ron Smith(ARS Radio), Angela Singh(ARS Radio), GhostStop.com, Dustin Pari(GHI), Shannon Sylvia(GHI), Jc Nazareth, Dave Jones(Para X Radio), John Zaffis(Para X Radio), Scott Gruenwald, Mount Holly Library, Scotty Roberts, Jennifer Baker Hitt(everydayparanormal), Dave Juliano(SJGR), Richard Barconi Jr.(Medium) for 2010 and beyond!

If I didn't list you, don't think I forgot you. I am just tired of typing... :P

... and very special thanks to all of the spirits that we encountered along the way.

SEE YOU ALL IN 2011!!!

My Trip to India

I just got back from my first trip to India a few weeks ago. Still getting over jet-lag and getting things back in order. Man, funny how a 2 week trip like this can knock you off your game.

Anyway, I went to some pretty cool locations. Did a little bit of investigating over there, but nothing came up as conclusive. Either way, extremely awesome locations.

So, why I am writing about this on my paranormal blog? Well, I guess it has to do with adventuring into the unknown. For some people, it takes a lot to travel half way across the globe to a country you barely understand. Let's face it, we all like our comfort zones, but every once in a while, we all need to venture out of the norm.

India is different in many aspects when you compare to life in the United States. Cows in the streets of Mumbai, hustle and bustle of rush hour traffic, Goa's amazing beaches, etc. People kept asking me, "Do you like India?" I would always answer the same way... India is just different. Do I like it? Sure, somethings are great. Do I dislike it? Certain aspects I was not crazy about, but it is just... different from my norm.

Let me leave it as this... Everyone should experience India for themselves. It is has exactly the same things I look for in paranormal investigations. New, undiscovered worlds to explore.

Lately, it seems to me, that 'fear of the unknown' is nothing more than a time waster. My advice to you is to get out and explore your world. Don't wait until it is too late to try new things. Life moves way too fast not to go out and explore what you can.

WE WANT YOU!

That's right paranormal fans, join SPR on a ghost hunt to one of the most haunted locations in the United States on Friday, April 8th, 2011 at the Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia, PA. We are taking only 30 people with us on an investigation of a life time. The evidence we have collected from this location is can be seen back in this blog. Come see for yourself what we experience first hand.

Only $70 per person is required through Paypal to secure your spot. Non-refundable. All proceeds go directly to the Eastern State Penitentiary.
Please email us before making payment to check for availability.

All participants will be required to bring their own equipment if they so wish(flashlight, audio recorder, camera, etc.) and sign a liability waiver.

If you are interested in going on this 5 hour paranormal investigation with one of the most prominent paranormal investigative teams in the tri-state area, send an email: scream21431@comcast.net

Click the image above to see the kick-ass poster!

Top 10 Paranormal Xmas Gift List for 2010

Tis' that time of year again. Time to dust off the xmas decorations and invite the family over for eggnog and turkey(tofu for you veggies out there).

One of the things I like to do this time of year is look at all the top 10 xmas gift lists that are on the internet. It's kind of cool to see all the different opinions on the year's HOT item list. One thing that I did not find was a Top 10 gift list for paranormal investigators. So, this will be my first "Top 10 Paranormal Xmas Gift List" for the blog.

So let's see what I want from Santa, eh?

1) Spy Net Night Vision Infrared Stealth Binoculars - $49 - Amazon.com
To me, this would be amazingly cool to have on investigations. they go up to 50-60ft with the built in IR and uses 4 AA batteries. You could also carry around extra IR to bump it up if you wanted. Nice and cheap IR vision. Sure it's a toy, but for a paranormal investigator, it could be a great tool as well.

2) RT-EVP Recorder - $286.95 - GhostStop.com
This is on my want list, bigtime. Real-time EVP is incredibly beneficial for communicating with spirits.

Features
* Standard Digital Recorder with Auto Playback OFF
* EVP Recorder with Simultaneous Playback ON
* EVP Recorder with White Noise Added
* FM (88.0MHz – 108.0MHz) Frequency Sweep (Spirit Box) with Multi-step Speed control (Microphone OFF)
* Combination EVP and FM Frequency (Hybrid, with Microphone ON)
* FM Stereo Music Player / Recorder

3)Phantom Lite IR - $48.99 - PhantomLites.com
I have one of these babies. Not only does it last for around 10-11 hours or continuous use, but it will brighten up your IR field tremendously. This unit is a must have in my opinion. Blows the Sony IR's away on many levels.

4) Mel Meter EMF/Temp Guage With RED Backlight & Flashlight - $93 - GhostStop.com
Love this item. Not only can you get a temp reading and EMF spike at the same time, but it has a built in red light to keep your night vision. They make other hybrids of this meter as well, but this is the one I recommend.

5) E-Pod-REM EMF Detector - $119 - Paranorbill.com
E-Pod-REM Detects the E-Field that surrounds static electricity. I've seen investigators use this item and it looks to be legit. If you want an extra toy in your arsenal, this could be the one you are looking for.

6) How to Hunt Ghosts(Book) - $12 - Amazon.com
I put this here for people that have no clue on how a ghost manifests itself or what they truly are. This book will also share theories on the best methods for capturing ghosts on film, audio, etc. This gift is cheap and informative.

7) Creepy Hollow IR's - $39 - up - CreepyHollowGear.com
Paul Bradford from GHI(Ghost Hunters International) has a slew of great ghost hunting products to choose from. He is currently filming over seas, but should be back around mid November to take more orders. Keep in mind, Paul builds the IR's himself. I own 2 of his IR's and they are amazing units to use in the field. You can never have enough IR on hand in case you need it.

8) Sony HVR-HD1000U MiniDV 1080i High Definition Camcorder with 10x Optical Zoom - $1500 - Amazon.com
Am I crazy you ask??? Damn straight I am. This bad boy will take paranormal investigators to the next level. Toss some extra IR's on this puppy and you can do no wrong. Not only does it have Super Night shot IR(0 lux) built in, it is the best choice on the market as an entry level professional camcorder.

9) St. Benedict Medal - $2 - aquinasandmore.com
Planning on doing investigations in places that could have demonic entities? Spend the $2 on this item and have it blessed. This will be the best money you can spend on paranormal investigative equipment, no doubt.

10) Investigation with Scream Paranormal Research - $50 - up - Send email to: scream21431@comcast.net
Why not give the gift of a paranormal investigation with an established research team? SPR offers investigations about every other month or so throughout the NY, PA, and NJ tri-state area. We have some big investigations coming up that I know would make up and coming ghost hunters extremely happy. Keep in mind, all fees go to the haunted locations. SPR is non-profit.

Well, that's my xmas list. Did I forget something that you think I should have put on the list? Let me know.

WE WANT YOU!

That's right paranormal fans, we want you to join us on a ghost hunt of a lifetime scheduled for January 2011 at the Burlington County Prison Museum in Mount Holly, NJ. We are taking 5 people with us on an investigation into one of the most haunted locations in the United States. The evidence we have collected form this location is truly amazing. Come see for yourself what we experience first hand.

Payment of $50 per person is required through Paypal to secure your spot. Non-refundable. All proceeds go directly to the Burlington County Prison Museum.

Please email us before making payment to check for availability.

All participants will be required to bring their own equipment if they so wish(flashlight, audio recorder, camera, etc.) and sign a liability waiver.

If you are interested in going on this 4+ hour paranormal investigation with one of the most prominent investigative team in the tri-state area, send us an email: scream21431@comcast.net

For those that signed up for the Dec. 10th investigation, details to follow soon.

Happy Halloween!

Ahhh.. Another Halloween has come. Time for all the children to go out door to door and 'trick or treat' for hours on end. Costume parties, bobbing for apples, spiked cider, etc. Good times, good times...

This leads me to my favorite part of Halloween. Dusting off the old horror movie collection to break out some classics. Which movies am I referring to? Here is my MUST watch list to view around Halloween:

1) Halloween - As a child, this movie scared the ever living crap out of me. After watching this film, I did not sleep at all that night. To this day, suburban streets freak me out when I see leaves gusting across them. When I witness this, I find myself also scanning the bushes looking for that white Capt. Kirk mask.

2) The Exorcist - Nothing more needs to be said about this classic. It still holds up to and surpasses today's standards of horror. Countless clones have tried to imitate this classic with no success.

3) JAWS - #1 reason I do not go in the ocean. Speilberg was at the top of his game with this one. Even though the shark looks a tad bit out-of-date, the movie has the best onliners and scare jumps. Pulling that shark tooth out of Ben Gardner's boat the size of a shot glass is outstanding. John Williams music score is untouchable as well.

So, microwave some popcorn, sit back and fire up a classic horror movie. Tis the season for being spooky!

A.R.S Radio w/ Scream Paranormal Research - Friday, Oct. 22nd - LIVE! from the Haunted Prison

A.R.S Radio proudly welcomes Scream Paranormal Research to the show this Friday night LIVE from the Haunted Prison event in Mount Holly, NJ. Tune in to hear first hand accounts of spirit activity from the Scream Paranormal team members and much, much more. Our call lines will be open for questions by dialing # 347-826-7311.

"A.R.S. Radio ... where we kick paranormal in the ARSSS!!!"

Click the link to tune in online and listen LIVE this Friday night at 9pm EST: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/arsradio

Scream Paranormal Research - "Meet and Greet" - Oct. 22nd

Back by popular demand! Many people have been requesting for us to return to Haunted Prison, so we made every effort to come back as quickly as possible. You'll be hard pressed to find a better 'haunt' this season.

We will be setting up another table at Burlington County Prison Museum in Mount Holly, NJ on Friday, Oct. 22nd to do a "meet and greet" with the public. The Scream Team will be presenting EVP and video evidence that we have collected from our investigations at the prison between the hours of 6pm - 10pm.

BONUS: Receive a FREE pass to return and visit the Burlington County Prison Museum during regular operating hours with every paid admission.

Held on site on one of America's Most Terrifying Locations according to the Travel Channel. Don't forget to Tune in to SoJo 104.9FM for your chance to win tickets each day M-F during the month of October.

FAIR WARNING! - Get there early, this place is packing them in quickly!

Get your tickets HERE before they sell out!

Scream Team "Meet and Greet" - Jason's Woods

That's right. The "Scream Team" is heading out into the dark woods this Saturday, Oct. 16th at 7pm to encounter one of horror's most scariest monstrosities of all time... Jason. Along with Jason, will be some of the scariest creatures ever witnessed by human eyes.

Come join us at Jason's Woods for a freak-fest beyond belief. 25 years running. We will be sharing investigative techniques, evidence we have collected, and much more.

Jason's Woods
Lancaster, PA
Phone: 717.872.5768
Fax: 717.872.1759
Website: http://www.jasonswoods.com/

My Toy Box

People have a tendency to ask me varied questions about paranormal investigations quite a bit now. One of the questions I get asked most often is, "What is the best equipment for the job?" or "What equipment do you suggest for someone new to the field?".

It varies from investigation to investigation. There are a few mandatory pieces I use at every investigation. Digital camera, audio recorder and a flashlight are essential. Other pieces like an EMF detector and video camera are pluses. The main thing to always keep in mind is to learn how to use your equipment effectively.

What do I use? Take a look:

From left to right/top to bottom:

Light Bracket
Phantom Lite IR
Creepy Hollow Flood IR
First Aid kit
Sony HDR-SR11 Video Cam
Creepy Hollow Spot IR ver. 1
IR Temp Gauge
IR LED Motion Sensors (x 2)
12 Hour Battery(video)
2 Hour Battery(video)
ZOOM H2 Digital Audio Recorder
LED Flashlight
K-II Meter
MEL Meter Pro

I have many other toys as well. They are mainly in my carry bag(glow sticks, Sony Cybershot digital camera, tons of batteries, etc.) Sometimes I bring along a tripod and record video on a static video cam.

To boost my EVP'S that I collect, I use Sony Soundforge on my PC laptop. This allows me to take the 'hiss' out and boost(Normalize) the EVP so it can be heard, loud and clear.

Keep in mind, being a paranormal investigator is an expensive hobby. I first started investigating with only a tape recorder and a flashlight. I built up my equipment over the years and continue to do so. I have a huge list of equipment that I want to get on a constant basis. Now, if I can just win the lottery to pay for them... *sigh*

Scream Paranormal Research - "Meet and Greet" x2

 Tis' the season to be SCARED! So what are your plans for this Halloween season?

Be sure to check out these events where my team(SPR) and I will be out in full force meeting the public and discussing investigative techniques, sharing evidence, and much more:

We will be setting up a table at Burlington County Prison Museum in Mount Holly, NJ on Friday, Oct. 8th at 6pm to do a "meet and greet" with the public. The Scream Team will be presenting EVP and video evidence that we have collected from our investigations at the prison between the hours of 6pm - 10pm.

BONUS: Receive a FREE pass to return and visit the Burlington County Prison Museum during regular operating hours with every paid admission.

Held  on site on one of America's Most Terrifying Locations according to the  Travel Channel.  Don't forget to Tune in to SoJo 104.9FM for your chance  to win tickets each day M-F during the month of October.

Get your tickets HERE before they sell out!

Prison Haunt
Mount Holly, NJ
Website: http://www.prisonhaunt.com/

And...

That's right. The "Scream Team" is heading out into the dark woods on Saturday, Oct. 16th at 7pm to encounter one of horror's most scariest monstrosities of all time... Jason.

Come join us at Jason's Woods for a freak-fest beyond belief. 25 years running. We will be sharing investigative techniques, evidence we have collected, and much more.



Jason's Woods
Lancaster, PA
Phone: 717.872.5768
Fax: 717.872.1759
Website: http://www.jasonswoods.com/

Scream Paranormal Research

Well, after long debating myself on how to approach my future in paranormal research, I have decided to start a paranormal research team. I have been out with some really great investigators over the past few months and we mesh very well together. We have all agreed this is the next evolutionary step for us.

At first I had thought of joining one of the larger paranormal teams in the tri-state area, only to find out it was not for me. Most of those teams are pretty set in their ways. God bless them all. However, I don't see how I could fit into a situation that may limit my expectations. I have a "go-getter" type personality when it comes to the paranormal. I like to have a "say" in what takes place and how to handle certain situations. Hence, Scream Paranormal Research.

We currently have 6 investigators on board and about 3 'fillers' for bigger locations at the moment. The core team consists of some highly experienced individuals with the desire to find the answers to questions most people have on their mind: Do ghosts really exist?

We will be working hard for the next few weeks gather information and setting up the team website/blog. At this time, Scream Paranormal Research(SPR) will be a non-profit organization and insured.

We are currently looking to bring on a few experienced investigators. If you are interested and have experience in paranormal research, we want to hear from you.

Email me your name, phone number and experience here for consideration.

If you are having experiences in your home or business and are looking for answers, please email us here.

So, what will happen to screamparanormal.blogspot.com? No changes. I will still be doing equipment reviews, evidence posting, etc. The new Scream Paranormal Research website will have information about the team, our equipment, contact information, collected evidence(client approved), and much more.

Very exciting times coming my way. Stay tuned for more as I get to it.

Pennhurst State School

This is Pennhurst State School. Located in Spring City, PA, it is set back away from the town. Hidden from the public. Set way back in the woods.

The location was a bit hard to find. It is located on back roads just outside of the small historic town of Spring City, PA. Venturing out there at night is challenging.

Pennhurst is an amazing place. Words can't accurately describe Pennhurst. It needs to be seen face to face in order to fully understand it's awesomeness. Rusted playground slide in the middle of the courtyard, broken windows, 6 mile underground tunnel system, etc.

All of the buildings were boarded up and shut tight. In order to get into a building, we needed to use a power screwdriver. Then, once inside, you needed your power screwdriver again to seal yourself in. Otherwise, you face possible site contamination from highschoolers that try and make there way on the property at night.


The underground tunnel system is about 6 miles long. I walked through most of it and let me tell you, it is a creepy location. Pitch black. Not many light sources can be found down there due to the small boarded up windows.


Debris littered the floor in every building. Old wheel chairs, signs, dirt/rubble, etc. It looks like a place right out of a horror movie. And rightfully so. This place housed some very disturbed patients over the years.

Most of the debri is gone now. They cleaned most of it up during the renovation. It is much easier to navigate the halls and rooms of this facility after the clean-up.

This is the coat rack that hit Zack in the Ghost Adventures Pennhurst episode.

Underground patient tunnel system.

I have been to Pennhurst State School 3 times in total. Twice at night to conduct full 9 hour paranormal investigations. It is an amazing place to visit. I have been in and investigated most buildings at the site. A few named Quaker, Mayflower, Rockwell, Philadelphia, Dietary, the morgue, etc.

When they open Pennhurst to other teams, I highly recommend booking a spot to investigate. The owners are great guys and will help you in anyway they can to accommodate you. Keep your eyes open for when they open it to the public teams for investigations.

Fort Mifflin August 2010 Evidence Review

Fort Mifflin. “Fort That Saved America.” Great public place for an investigation. With the TAPS team and 100+ other investigators, not so much. I knew going into it that there would be a lot of evdience contamination, so I am the only one to blame for this. I believe that the TAPS events are meant for entertainment purposes, not true investigations.

Was the event fun? Absolutely! Loved every minute of it. Met some great people that day/night. Para Team, etc. Having fellow paranormal investigator Dan Mallo around made the night investigation run smooth.

Meet and Greet:
Dustin and Kris were very positive and upbeat as always. Bruce Tango was awesome as well. He was nice enough to take a photo with me. We even talked about Burlington County Prison for a bit. Steve and Dave looked a bit tired during the meet and greet. I believe I overheard someone say they had a late night the night before. It seemed like they were struggling with remaining positive and kind of kept to themselves. I felt like I was annoying them by asking them for a photo. Was a bit disheartening actually. The first TAPS event I went to with Kris, Amy, Britt, Jason and Grant was a bit more fun.

On the other end of things, I know it is hard to keep a smile on for the public. When I toured in a band around the country night after night, it was tiring. Constant traveling is not easy. Luckily, I understand this. But thinking of the other fans that do not understand this, makes me wonder how they perceived the meet and greet.

Investigation:
They divided us into 5 groups and we proceeded onto the hotspots of Fort Mifflin. It seemed as though Dave and Steve came back to life during this time. However, I was still a bit nervous about approaching them after the meet and greet.

We got into Elizabeth Pratt's room. A few cold spots were quickly debunked by Dan as being the air vents blowing A/C into the room. Good job Dan. With people coming in and out, it was near impossible to get anything worthy. The best experience/evidence we collected was by the bombardment room with Dave Tango's group. Dan and I headed out there immediately after Dave told us the locations we could investigate. Video evidence to follow.

As always, use isolation headphones when reviewing this evidence below.

Video:

Never had this happen before with my camcorder. My camcorder shutdown completely. The funny thing about this happening was Dan's camcorder shuts down about 1 minute after mine did in an adajecent room. We also had my IR motion sensors going off. Could have been due to bugs though. Not sure.

Here is Dan in the same room by himself and catching a whisper of some sort on my video audio.

A group in the same bomdardment area doing a question/answer session with the K-II meter. All cell phones were off during this session. I performed a K-II sweep of the entire room before we started investigating and got no K-II hits what-so-ever.

I like this video. It's not much, but I like it. This was in casemate 11 with Dustin Pari(GHI, GH). There was only 5 allowed in there at a time. The video is interesting in many ways. I heard a whisper. Dustin responded that it was him. You can hear Dustin talking, but there was a whisper as well. I was in the same spot Grant was when he saw the face in the Fort Mifflin episode of GH. Listen carefully at the 10 and 12 second marks.

Photos:

Very nice hotel room. This is the Hilton by the Philly Airport.

Bruce and I in the lobby of the hotel.

Kris and Dustin(a.k.a The Paranormal Rockstar)

Dave and Steve

Me and the new Phantom Lite IR being put through it's paces.

Steve saying something 'witty' as always.

Burlington County Evidence Review

Wow... I just love Burlington County Prison Museum. Why? Because it can turn a hard-core skeptic into a believer in under 4 hours of being there. The place never disappoints me. Going with the right group of people helps in many ways.

This brings me to a thought I had on getting good evidence... The people you are investigating with will reflect on the kind of reactions you get in a haunted location. The more positive the team of investigators are, the better reactions you get from spirits. So, always be positive when you go out. That is my opinion and it works for me.

Our guide for the night(Bill) shared some information with us as well. He said that someone had seen a confederate soldier walk through a doorway the week before. Man... what I would have paid to see that happen. Needless to say, Bill let us have the run of the place and kept out of our way the enitre night.

Video:

First off, let me say that this video blows my mind on many levels. We had just ended the investigation that night and turned the lights back on. While I was packing up equipment in the basement area, I heard a "Noooooooooo" or "Mooooooooooooveee" of some sort. This happens at the 5-6 second mark of the video. Loud enough to carry down the hall to the video camera.

Now, what makes this so special? Well, I heard the voice directly behind and to the right side of me. There was NOBODY standing behind me at all. The team was standing in front of me by the recording video camera. This has been the second time this has happened to me while investigating. The last time I heard a disembodied voice like that was at Eastern State with a "Jim Healy" talking in my ear(that time, it was the left side though)

To me, this is real-deal stuff. I heard it. I know what I heard. I know where it was. It is a personal experience backed up with a video audio recording. I love it when this happens.

On this video, you can clearly hear a whistle. It is almost like a "You who!" or "Over here!" kind of call. The best part about this is that the team was all going up the same staircase when it happened. One of the other investigators pointed this audio out on an EVP she had gotten as well. Good job Cathy!

Photos:

EVP's:

As always, try to use isolation headphones while listening to these EVP's to hear them clearly.

First and second EVP's are amazing to me. Our investigator Cathy caught the first one while on the first floor of the museum by the warden's desk. Sounds like a spirit saying "Terry", then it sounds like a response, "Her face looks soft". Nobody on our team is named "Terry" or similar.

Second EVP happens at the 2 second mark. Sounds like a spirit saying, "Terry" again. This happened at the end of the night when we stated we were packing up for the night.
If you saw the video above, you will remember the disembodied voice saying, "Noooo" or "Moooove" which happened a few minutes after this second EVP took place.

First:
http://tiny.cc/b5lzj

Second:
http://tiny.cc/5ikwj

Third EVP is of some spirit whispering "Craig" or "Chris". Trying to get our attention or relaying our names to another a spirit in the room. The EVP happens right away at the 0 second mark.

http://tiny.cc/xxdx1

Fourth EVP sounds like "You are getting very close." Very cool EVP.

http://tiny.cc/qz0yn

Fifth EVP is of footsteps we heard. You can hear footsteps at the 3 -4 second mark.

http://tiny.cc/7r5dv

Sixth EVP is a spirit asking, "Who are you?" at the 7 second mark. You can also hear the spirit saying something at the 2 seond mark. This was in the warden's house which is currently being renovated.

http://tiny.cc/gq9k5

Interested in learning more about BCP or visiting? Let me know.

Also, I have some exciting news to share soon. I have been working towards something big and it is finally coming to light. Stay tuned....

New Gear - Phantom Lite IR

Like I mentioned in a previous post, the kind folks over at Phantom Lite sent me a Phantom IR to test in the field and review. Loving new toys as much as I do, I've been looking forward to doing this review for sometime now.

I decided to take the Phantom IR with me to the Fort Mifflin/TAPS investigation on August 14th and Burlington County Prison on August 20th. I figured these would be a great place to put it through the paces considering most of the casemates in the fort are pitch black and BCP has long hallways. In my opinion, good IR illumination at these investigation hotspots is key.

Quality:
The Phantom IR comes with 25 LED's and has a pretty sturdy case to house them in. The case is made out of plastic which makes it light to carry around(When you are carrying around a 12 hour battery on your cam, you don't want extra weight.) The power switch is a standard on/off, nothing really special. You would need to buy a hot shoe adapter if you want to attach this baby to most light brackets though. It does however come with a tripod connector on the bottom for you to mount to most accessories associated with cameras or camcorders. The Phantom Lite website also sells special brackets as well.

For me, the best part about the casing is the battery compartment. It is similar to a radio/remote control type. It very is a secure compartment. I like this feature.

NOTE: Phantom Lite will be offering hot shoe adapters for their illuminators very soon. They were not yet available at the time of this review.

NOTE EDIT: Hot shoe adapters are readily now available on the Phantom Lite website. Click here to order one.

Distance:
The Phantom Lite website claims that the unit can reach a distance of 50ft. I feel as though it hit around 45ft respectfully. Those 25 LED's do show up rather nicely down a hallway if you position it on an angle towards one of the walls.

Small rooms are a breeze with this IR. It works like a flood light that lights up the entire room in infrared. Very clear and bright.

Battery Life:
The Phantom Lite website claims that the unit can last up to 12 hours. The Fort Mifflin investigation itself was from 9pm till 2am. At Burlington County Prison, I had it on for 4 hours. I let the battery run out after that and got about another 1.5 hours. So, total was around 11 hours on a single 9 volt. For the record, I used an Energizer battery. Pretty impressive battery life.

Price:
At $44.99 (+ $5.95 for flat rate shipping) this unit is fairly priced. Compare it to other units like the Sony HVL-HRM and you will see the huge difference in battery life, quality, distance, and price.

Conclusion:
Overall I would have to say that the Phantom Lite IR is a great toy to add to your arsenal of investigative equipment. It does the job rather well and is a solid illuminator to light up the IR spectrum. I will be using this IR on many investigations in the near future. Consider me sold on the Phantom Lite IR.

Interested in getting your hands on one of these bad boys? ORDER HERE

What's going on?

Wow.. What a week. Just had another birthday and finished 2 awesome investigations as well(Fort Mifflin TAPS event and Burlington County Prison)

 

I have been incredibly busy at my day job as well. It feels as though I've been playing the game of "catch-up" with no end in sight. Crazy days...

 

Things I am working towards completing at this time:

 

1. PHANTOM IR Equipment Review: I used the PHANTOM Lite IR these past 2 investigations and I am putting together a detailed review very soon.
2. Fort Mifflin Evidence Review: I have some decent stuff so far, need to complete the review though.
3. Burlington County Prison Evidence Review: Again, got an amazing response at the end of the night while packing up equipment. It was an amazing personal experience. I will detail up the night best I can soon.
4. 10 Questions with Britt Griffith from Ghost Hunters/Ghost Hunters International: Had conversation on the phone with Britt about 1 week ago. Once I get things approved, I will get it posted.

Well, as you can see, I have alot on my plate at the moment. I plan on getting things rolling again shortly. I also have plenty of other things in the works as well. More on that as I get to it though.

 

As always, stay tuned for more soon...

Fort Mifflin - TAPS event - August 14th

Well, charging some of my batteries and replacing others. Have to do a gear check before I leave tomorrow at around 4pm.

I decided to get a hotel room for the event. Why? Because it has been a rough week. I think I may have gotten about 10 hours total over the past 3 nights. Not good. Even though it's about 2 hours from my house, I just do not feel like watching the sun come up as I am pulling up to my house this time around.

I will also be testing the Phantom Lite IR that they sent me about a week ago. I am going to put that baby through it's paces. I have other equipment I am bringing that is new as well. I even needed to add a smaller bag to my arsenal to carry the glow sticks(standard green) and Phantom IR.

Last time I was there, I got some great EVP's. I am hoping this time I get even better evidence. Casemate 5 has my eye this time around. People are known to feel very uncomfortable in there. Last time I went, I felt a little uneasy in there also. I am wondering if it is the sound dampening effect that place produces though.

I really hope we get to go into Elizabeth Pratt's(aka Screaming Woman) room this time. Last time I went, it was sealed off. The general aspects of the story goes like this: Her daughter wanted to marry an enlisted man, mother denied her, daughter died of typhoid fever, mother commits suicide by hanging herself from her balcony over the grief and guilt. Sobs are known to be heard in her room I believe.

Oh yeah, almost forgot, getting pictures with Dustin, Kris, Dave, and Steve of the TAPS team will be awesome as well.

10 Questions with Paul Bradford of Ghost Hunters International/Creepy Hollow

Paul Bradford - Paranormal Investigator for one of TV’s hottest paranormal shows. Some of you may not know that Paul is also an entrepreneur or sorts. Paul owns a company by the name of Creepy Hollow that sells some of the best paranormal equipment money can buy. Paul designs and builds some of today's most advanced and realiable paranormal research gear to date.

(Go back in my blog posts to read a few Creepy Hollow equipment reviews as well)

I have only known Paul outside of the SyFy TV show for a few short months as of this post. However, I feel as though he is one the most down to earth guys in paranormal you will ever meet. In my opinion, a definite ‘hero’ of the paranormal world.

I asked Paul 10 questions from various sources. Have at them:


How long have you been investigating the paranormal?

Officially about 4 years, but I’ve had a keen interest in the unknown for many, many years. I’ve always been into the Sci-Fi type of thing and as such that fueled my interest in the Paranormal.

How were you approached to join the GHI(Ghost Hunters International) team?

I received a phone call one day from someone claiming to be part of a TV production company. They asked if I’d be interested in joining a show based on looking for paranormal activity. They didn’t disclose any details on the show and I assumed it was a pilot or something. After my telephone interview, I got another call saying I’d got the job and had I heard of the show Ghost hunters International….. the rest is history.

Where has been your all-time favorite location for an investigation?

I’d have to say Australia was certainly one of my favorites. We did some of the largest locations I’ve ever seen and the history from these places was horrific. Makes for a great investigation. Other than that, England was most memorable because I was able to visit my folks (I even had some laundry for my mum)

What do you feel as though is your best paranormal experience to date?

There have been a number of really weird things happen. Chasing sounds and noises to no prevail, being touched on the back of the head to capturing some of the best photographic evidence I’ve ever seen. Being able to investigate the most haunted places in the world has its advantages.

Do you ever great ‘freaked out’ during an investigation?

No, I don’t. I’ve never ran away from anything. I’ve ran towards stuff though. I’m always the first to hunt something down. If I hear something or see something, I go after it.

What is your most prized piece of investigative equipment?

I get this question a lot, and to be honest, I don’t have one single favorite piece of gear. Simply because I’m a techie, I love it all. My Camera is something I never leave behind. My Mel Meters, audio recorders, laser, e-pods, POV camera all have their place and time. I love all my tech equally.

Have you ever had an issue with trying to communicate with spirits that spoke a foreign language?

Not really. My first investigation with GHI was in a Spanish speaking country. I know maybe 3 or 4 sentences that I can use for EVP sessions (I say know, I mean more speak very badly), and many of the countries we visit either speak English or Spanish. I’ve run into occasions where a little German is probably worth trying, but other than that, depending on the country we go to , I do try to learn a couple of phrases. For example, we just investigate Norway and so I learned one or two questions that would hopefully help. Strange thing though, I’ve had times where I’ve asked a question in German and got an answer in English or I’ve ask a question in English and got a response in the native tongue.

What is the most valuable piece of information you could pass off to people looking to get into the field of investigating the paranormal?

Know how to use your equipment. I see so many people at times running round with their EMF meters, snapping photos and waving around their audio recorders and a lot of the time. They don’t really know how to use the equipment other than on, off or record. They don’t know what these readings mean and what are natural readings. Read books, do research and know what you’re talking about.

Do you have any new products coming out on the Creepy Hollow website in the next few months that people should look forward to?

I’m always adding something new to the site. I get approached by some very knowledgeable and talented inventors who don’t have an outlet for their gear. Creepy Hollow is one of those outlets that has experimental gear. I guess the best thing I can say keep an eye on the site, as there is new stuff always being added.

What can fans expect to see from you in the upcoming year?

I have Fans? Cool. Well, in all honesty, I don’t know. I’m preparing to head out again with GHI. As to where, I’m not sure yet. But you can be sure that there will be lasers, lights and full spectrum photography.


Thanks to Paul for jumping in there and presenting us with insight into his paranormal world. We will be watching SyFy channels Ghost Hunters International on Wednesday nights as well as checking the Creepy Hollow website for new investigative gear on a regular basis.

Seeing the Dead

I am sure most of you have seen the movie, "The Sixth Sense" with Bruce Willis, right? The little boy named Cole and his memorable quote, "I see dead people..."

My blog topic today is one of much controversy:

Can certain people with special abilities actually see spirits amongst the living?

The reason why I present this topic is because I was speaking with someone I know rather well the other day and our conversation turned to the paranormal.

This girl I know told me that a longtime friend of hers can actually see dead people. Her claim is they are here amongst the living, constantly. She said that the most unsettling part about seeing the dead, is when they notice that she can see them. If the spirits notice that she can see them, they follow her and won't leave her alone. If this should happen, she ignores them. She claims that eventually they give up and disappear.

This all started for her when she was a little girl. From what I understand, she became very ill as a child. Soon after her recovery, she started seeing spirits on a regular basis.

Sounds like that movie or TV show, eh?

Well, this person I am referring to is a real person living in Hong Kong. Not an actress on a TV show or in a movie. Is her story true? Is she a sensitive or psychic? Maybe a tinge of schizophrenia? Who knows... To me, the paranormal is a leap of faith for the most part.

Now, some of you may believe her story, some of you may not. Some of you may even be a bit upset at the fact that she dismisses her unusual gift and doesn't assist spirits in crossing over to the other side. Heck, some of you(like myself) wants to fly to Hong Kong and try to debunk her story.

All I can think of is how valuable this person would be to a paranormal team if her story were true. I know, I know... a bit selfish and unfair. It would almost be like fishing in a pond with dynamite.

Exciting and New...

I have been tossing around the idea of doing paranormal celeb blog interviews for sometime now. What better way to learn about paranormal investigative techniques than asking experts in the field, right?

Well, that time has come.

I will be composing compelling interview questions to be answered by paranormal TV celebs, as well as local paranormal community celebs. I plan on making this an ongoing feature of the blog. If you have pressing questions that you would like answered from a certain paranormal celeb, please send me an email by clicking HERE.

I also want to start doing interviews with propreitors of some of the most haunted locations in the world. I plan on getting first hand accounts directly from the people who have experienced the paranormal events.

I am also going to be continuing on with my equipment reviews. To me, having the right equipment is a major part of conducting great paranormal investigations(learning how to use it is another whole other animal).

As always, stay tuned for more as I get into it. Things are about to get very interesting...

UFO Shuts Down China's Xiaoshan Airport

Once in a while I find an article or video about UFO phenomenon that I feel compelled to look into a bit more. One example is the recent UFO incident over China's Xiaoshan airport.

Here is a video from ABC news:



Some people have speculated that the photos are time-lapsed photography of an airplane. Others have stated that it may have been a missile test.

Well, that's all fine and dandy, but what about the airport shutting down because of an anomaly hovering around on their expensive and highly accurate airport radar system? Time-lapsed photos can't dismiss the fact that they shut the airport down before the object vanished from the radar system. After the object vanished they kept the airport locked down for another 4 hours. 4 hours?!?! Sounds a bit extreme, yes?

Missile test, eh? You mean to tell me that nobody could call the airport on the phone to say, "Oh, by the way, we are sending a freakin' missile your way. Keep the skies clear please so we don't kill an airplane load of people on accident." Seriously?!?!? Is that the best they could come up with???

A witness from the scene had said, "The thing suddenly ran westwards fast, like it was escaping from something."

With all the photos taken by multiple sources around the city, the airport shutting down for over 4 hours, and multiple witnesses, I would have to say it sounds pretty damn convincing that something strange was witnessed that night.

The only question left in my mind is, what was it? Military? Alien?

While researching the recent activity over China's Xiaoshan airport, I also uncovered this video:



It looks as though China is getting alot of the UFO activity lately. Interesting... Keep watching the skies.


Sidenote:

The kind folks over at Phantom Lite are sending me a Phantom Light Infrared to test in the field and review. I will be using this alongside my Creepy Hollow IR's at the Fort Mifflin and Burlington County Prison investigations. I will also be doing a full review covering many aspects of the IR(e.g. price, battery life, distance, quality, etc.) Stay tuned for more on this soon.

Up & Coming Investigations

I have 2 amazing investigations coming up this August:

1. Fort Mifflin with members of the Ghost Hunters TAPS team on August 14th. Click here for more information.


2. Burlington County Prison on August 20th.

I have been to Fort Mifflin a few times in the past. The hauntings at Fort Mifflin are legendary. Elizabeth Pratt(aka "The Screaming Lady"), Jacob the Blacksmith, 150+ deaths, Casemate 5 & 11, etc. Almost everyone I have known that has investigated Fort Mifflin has reported some sort of activity.

Here is one of my EVP's I caught from Fort Mifflin:

EVP:
Blacksmith Shop

Click here to listen.

What can I say about Burlington County Prison? I believe this location to be one of the most haunted locations I have ever come across. From personal experiences, doors opening, things being moved around, great EVP's, apparitions, etc. I will be going back to this location on a regular basis.

Here is my favorite EVP from BCP:

I was standing in the Warden's house at the bottom of a staircase. Nobody was standing next to me at the time. I tagged the audio by saying I heard a noise on the staircase.

EVP:
1 second in ???: "I came from up there."
Me: "It almost sounded like somebody was creakin' on the stairs right here."

Click here to listen.

Both locations have some great activity. This is shaping up to be any exciting month.

I am also looking for investigation hotspots for September. Are there any haunted locations that you think I should check out?

New Gear - IR Glowsticks

If you have been reading this blog lately, you'll know I am trying to improve my IR capabilities in the field. The more controlled IR(Infrared) light I have, the better my HD video will be.

I had an idea the other day... I thought to myself, would standard green glow sticks help in illuminating a hallway? Sure. Why not, right? Well, I went online, scouring the internet for the cheapest and largest quantity I could get my hands on.

Then, I found them....

IR(Infrared) glow sticks.

Bingo. Exactly what I needed.

I bought 25 - 6 inch long IR glow sticks. They are listed as .74 cents a piece if you order 25 or more. Shipping is around $10 for UPS Ground. Expiration date is like 4 years. Used mainly by law enforcement and the military. Seems absolutely perfect for paranormal investigations.

I plan on using these alongside my 2 Creepy Hollow IR's and Sony SR-11 HD camcorder on the next investigation and beyond.

Now, my reason for using these are as follows:

1. They last around 6+ hours. Same amount of time as a 9 volt battery on my IR floodlight, but cheaper.
2. They can be placed anywhere you can hang/drop them.
3. They will not interfere with your night vision during an investigation. We can not see IR without night vision.

2 second review:

They suck. Don't waste your money. They barely light up in the IR spectrum. They should be used as a marker tool if anything. I am probably going to return them and get some standard green glow sticks. I was going to publish a video to show how they worked, but it is not even worth the effort.

Anywho, the owner(Jim) just offered to take them back hassle free. I told him to just send me the green standards. They are a bit cheaper, which is a bonus. I will have them by Friday.

Lesson learned: If you are planning to light up the IR spectrum, use an illuminator.

On a positive note, I have 1 confirmed investigation, and 1 "maybe" coming up in August. Stay tuned for more...

New Gear - Creepy Hollow IR Floodlight

Last couple of investigations I have been running a static night vision camcorder. Leave it on a tripod and I am good to go. I feel this makes it much easier to review evidence and may increase the chance of getting activity.

Why do I say this? Well, the more I go over others investigation experiences/advice, the more I see that sometimes spirits may not want to be seen. They were once human as we are. Ask yourself this, would you want someone coming into your home asking you questions without permission? I thought not... That is why I leave this static cam in an area in which there is little to no investigation contamination.

Anyway, I have been trying to capture anomalies down long hallways. This does not work well with just 1 IR. So I needed a better option. So off to Creepy Hollow owner/engineer Paul Bradford I went.

Paul Bradford is a great guy on many levels. He is a pro investigator with GHI(Ghost Hunters International TV series), an equipment expert, and extremely helpful in hunting techniques. There have been many occasions in which Paul has helped me with questions that I could not find answers to. Not only is the gear he designs high quality and reliable, but the price is right as well.

Here is the IR Floodlight I just bought from Paul at Creepy Hollow:

If you want to use an IR like this with your night vision camcorder or camera(I use a Sony SR-11 with 0 lux night vision), you may need to pick up a video bracket to attach the IR if needed.

Please keep in mind, you can only use IR's with a camera or camcorder that has night vision. Low lux.

Oh yeah, I also put together an ad for Creepy Hollow. Check it out:

My 2 second review of the Creepy Hollow IR Floodlight:

This is a great addition to my IR ver. 1 from Creepy Hollow. The ver. 1 is a spotlight, while this new IR is of course a floodlight. When I use them both together with my 0 lux Sony SR-11, every single detail comes out in a room at every angle. This is an amazing and powerful combination. I have yet to see better illumination.
Thanks again Paul. Aces... simply aces.

If you are interested in getting some great gear at a reasonable price, check out Creepy Hollow.

Poltergeist.. Or not to Poltergeist...

I ran across this video on YouTube the other day and found it rather interesting. The guy who post this claims he has a poltergeist living in his house. Whenever he leaves his house, he returns to find things trashed and moved around. So, being as smart as he is, he set up a static camcorder to capture the evidence on video. It is interesting that the guy got about 1 million views so far.

So, let's review the video:



First off, the video looks pretty convincing. Spoons being ripped out of the drawer, cabinets opening, stove door going crazy, interesting stuff... However, because this footage is so good, it makes me question the authenticity of it. Could this video be faked? Of course. The technology today is so advanced, that anything can be faked with the right software and know-how. It seems like alot of activity happening all at once.

Second point, if I wasn't there to debunk it, I have to doubt it. Heck, even if I was there at the time of the filming, I would still doubt it. If I was able to go through the drawers and cabinets to dismiss the use of hydraulics or wires immediately after the video was made, this would help me in believing this is real.

When I present evidence on this site, I try and document what I find to be interesting or truthful. I try and put up helpful, creditable information. I guess the point I am trying to make here is this: you believe what you want to believe. I will only lead the horse to water, I can never make him drink.

Burlington County Prison - July 9th, 2010 - Evidence Review

Burlington County Prison. A place of mystery and intrigue. I always try and consider myself a skeptic first, believer second. After the investigation at Burlington County Prison, I am finding it hard to remain a skeptic.

Burlington County Prison was opened in 1811, and shut down in 1965. It is the oldest running operating prison in the United States. 8 inmates were hung on the prison grounds during this time. Including an inmate named Joel Clough, who is said to haunt the prison.

During our investigation, we were witness to an amazing event. It was witnessed by the 5 investigators that were present at the time. The next set of photos should help explain what had transpired.

During the investigation(and ALL investigations I perform), I try to document as much as possible. This way, if something 'unexplained' should happen, I can review my collected evidence. This door in the picture above is a great example.

When we entered the basement at around 8:30pm, we took photos of every room. Then proceeded to the 'kitchen' to conduct an EVP session. The EVP session lasted about 40 minutes. At the end of the session I said, "Ok. We are going to head outside now for some fresh air. Come with us if you care to join us."

Upon exiting the kitchen, heading towards the staircase to the 1st floor to head outside, we noticed a basement door was ajar. We all looked at each other asking if anyone had opened the door at anytime during the investigation. Even though we asked these questions, we collectively knew that nobody on our team had opened the door. Even the caretaker(Marissa) said she had been no where near the location in question.

Funny thing is, this door leads to the courtyard outside.

We tried to debunk the door. The door itself is heavy and has stiff hinges. It does not swing open easily. It takes a great amount of force to open that door. Could it have been the wind that blew it open? Impossible. There was zero wind and the door is way too heavy.

We tried everything we could to debunk this door. I even spoke with a curator about the door the following Monday. He said he has never heard of that happening, nor would he think it would happen because the door is so tight.

Did a helpful spirit open the door for us? The investigative team and I sure think so.


Next up, I want to share with you some video from a static night vision camcorder I setup on the second floor in the hallway. I wanted to try and capture a full body apparition wandering the hallway if possible. Even though I did not get the apparition I was hoping for, I did get 3 amazing EVP videos to share.

Also, keep in mind there is a squeaky fan running during the recording, but it is easy to pick out. Use good headphones if you have them.

First video caught an EVP 13 minutes after placement on the second floor. I can't make out what is being said, but I can tell you that this was not heard on any where else on the 4 hours of recordings. Nobody was anywhere near the recording at the time of the recording. EVP can be heard at the 22 second mark.

Second video is very interesting. At the 1 second mark you can hear a cell door latch being used. Again, nobody was on the floor at the time. Soon after, you can hear me and another investigator at the end of the hall discussing the 'lock' noise she had heard up on that floor.

This third video convinced me of one thing... provoking can back fire on you. We were trying to provoke Joel Clough to show himself or touch us. However, in the recording, it sounds like a scared spirit of a girl. This is what I think was said:

Me: "Something you want to say?"
7 seconds in ???: "No."
Me: "Do you not want us here?"
10 seconds in ???: "Uhm Hmm."

Lesson learned. Even though we were directing our provoking at Joel Clough, it seems as though we may have upset another spirit in the process. From now on, I plan on provoking only if I know I have to or there is a confirmed malicious spirit at the location.


Next, are a few photos found of interest during the investigation.

Now, normally I dismiss 'orbs' as being dust, pollen, or bugs. Sure, most of the time they are. But I wanted to post these photos for those that believe in 'orbs'. These are some amazing shots that need to be shared. Believe what you want, dismiss what you don't. Thanks goes out to Cathy and Craig for sharing these photos.

This next photo looks a bit like ectoplasm mist of some sort.

This is our caretaker for the night, Marisa Bozarth - Museum Curator. She was very helpful and courteous. I believe she was also on the 4th season, 2nd episode of Ghost Hunters - Two to Tango.

This is the 'dungeon' where Joel Clough was punished for trying to escape the prison sometime before his execution.


EVP's

What can I say about this place and EVP's? Let me put it this way, I only picked 6 right now for the blog. Why? Because we must have gotten about 30+ solid EVP's. I chose what I thought were the most interseting out of the bunch.

For best results, use headphones. Isolation headphones work best.


The first EVP that we received sounds like "I came from up there". I was standing in the Warden's house at the bottom of a staircase. Nobody was standing next to me at the time. I tagged the audio by saying I heard a noise on the staircase.

EVP:
1 second in ???: "I came from up there."
Me: "It almost sounded like somebody was creakin' on the stairs right here."

Click here to listen.

The second EVP that we received sounds like "yeah" or "no". I was standing in a row of cells on the second floor. Nobody was in the hallway at the time. The team was in and around the 'dungeon' area. I was walking from cell to cell looking for activity. I think I found it.

EVP:
Me: "Is there anybody down here."
3 seconds in ???: "No."

Click here to listen.

The third EVP that we received sounds like "inmate". We were conducting an EVP session in kitchen in the basement area.

EVP:
Sue(Investigator): "Anybody else hear that?"
Craig(Investigator): "I heard 'inmate'."
2 seconds in ???: "Inmate."

Click here to listen.

The forth EVP that we received sounds like "Hello". We were conducting an EVP session in the Warden's house. Here is the response.

EVP:
Cathy(Investigator): "Do you have anything to say? Now's your chance. We can hear you."
5 seconds in ???: "Hello."

Click here to listen.

The fifth EVP is a bit different. We were conducting an EVP session in the kitchen area of the basement. Something threw a pebble at us.

Click here to listen.

The sixth EVP that we received sounds like a little girl. We provoked minutes before this EVP was caught. I think we may have scared this spirit by doing so. This is from my audio recorder, but is the same EVP caught on the night vision camcorder audio.

EVP:
Me: "Something you want to say?"
7 seconds in ???: "No."
Me: "Do you not want us here?"
10 seconds in ???: "Uhm Hmm."

Click here to listen.

Another personal experience I had was I thought my hair was being played with. I even made note of it on audio. While reviewing the audio evidence, another investigator had his hair touched also. The audio picked up an low EVP that sounds like 'snip snip, snip snip'. Like someone imitating a haircut. When I spoke to one of the curators the following Monday, he told me that there once was an investigator in the basement that had his hair pulled and he ran out of the building.

My overall opinion of Burlington County Prison? I absolutely love it. I plan on going back soon to get more evidence. It is local to me and has caught my attention, bigtime.