Real Haunted Houses, Where High-tech Gear Helps Ghost Hunters

Because of my interest in real haunted houses, I'm always on the lookout for news about people who prove or disprove the existence of these haunts. A recent article in the Sarasota Herald-Tribune caught my eye because of its mention of the gear used by a team of ghost hunters.

Like the paranormal investigators at TAPS on the SCI-FI channel's Ghost Hunters, the members of Gulf Coast Paranormal are investigating real haunted houses with the use of high tech gear. Apparently GCP was anxious to explore the 160-year-old Gamble mansion in Ellenton, Florida, in an attempt to explore the presence of ghostly spirits.

The group, headed by Rob Fennessy, is interested in learning whether spirits survive death, and the group uses high tech equipment in their investigations. According to Fennessy, in many of their investigations, their clients simply want to know whether or not their house really is haunted.

Fennessy has been interested in ghosts and haunted houses since childhood due to his personal experiences in the family's Indiana home. There, the attic door would open and close by itself, and ceiling tiles would lift as though someone were looking down on him.

To scientifically explore haunted houses, GCP's equipment includes digital recorders, cameras, and a thermal imager to detect heat. In addition, they carry thermometers, barometers and infrared cameras. Tracking down ghosts the high-tech way can be pricey as the thermal imager alone can cost $20,000.

Although GCP spent the night roaming the old house's corridors and rooms, the team's concensus was that this mansion is not a real haunted house.

Disappointing for the team members, but their next exploration is already scheduled.

You as a Ghost Hunter?

Because of my life-long interest in the paranormal, I've read a lot of ghost books through the years, but very few explore the technical aspects of ghost hunting. For example, I wanted to know how to set up my digital camera to "catch a ghost", and what kind of digital recorder a novice could use to capture sounds from the other side.

I think the popularity of the TAPS television series has gotten more and more people interested in exploring real haunted houses; so I was happy to discover an online ebook that really did address the technical "how to" issues that I find to be of interest. Titled A Ghost in Every House - A Guide to Ghost Hunting, Hauntings, and the Paranormal, the book includes all the info you need to get started in ghost hunting, including how to photograph real haunted houses, how to capture spirit voices, how to put together a practical ghost hunting toolkit, and the steps you should take when investigating haunted houses.

Happy Hunting!

To Learn More About Real Haunted Houses

Haunted Houses in the Movies

Real Haunted Houses in Louisville, Kentucky

Maybe Not Real But Still Scary

One of America's Real Haunted Houses Demolished