by Karen Frazier
 
I wind up in a lot of conversations with people about why I am involved in paranormal research. While everyone's answer to this question is different, when I talk to the guests on my radio show who are involved in paranormal research, the answer often centers on searching for an explanation for anomalous experiences in childhood or young adulthood.

Having such an experience can certainly trigger the quest for understanding about the paranormal. It did for me. While the story I...
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by Karen Frazier
 
We get lots of questions about Ouija boards. There's a great deal of fear and mythology surrounding them. Many people feel they are "evil" and should never be used. This idea arises, ironically, from the iconic 70s movie, The Exorcist. In that movie, young Reagan opens herself up to the evil that eventually possesses her when she begins conversing on her Ouija board with Captain Howdy. 

I started researching Ouija boards several years ago. Always the skeptic, I just couldn't i...
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Name: Melinda

What is your role with SSPR? I am currently a member in training or probationary member, which basically translates to SSPR test-driving me for about six months.

How long have you been with the team? How long have you researched the paranormal? I've been with the team for about three months. SSPR is my first paranormal research group, although my husband, John, and I have participated in paranormal research privately a few times in the past year.

What is your profession? Currently,...
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Name: Jenny

What is your role with SSPR? Satellite member

How long have you been with the team? How long have you participated in paranormal research? I think I've been with the team for about a year- time flies when you're having fun. I've been researching the paranormal since 2010.

What are your hobbies? Reading, knitting, crocheting, learning about the paranormal, occasionally baking cookies for the Cookie Monster

Why the paranormal? I saw my first shadow person when I was about nine and that ...
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Name: Rob

What is your role with SSPR? I am a satellite member (not a full-time member but lucky enough to be able to join when needed). 

How long have you been with the team, and how long have you participated in paranormal research? I've been with SSPR for under a year and investigating for about six years.

What is your profession? Hotel, guest peon (Editors' Note: Rob also writes a terrific monthly column for Paranormal Underground Magazine)

What are your hobbies? My kids, hockey, fishing, act...
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Name: Billi

What is your role with SSPR? Co-founder, technical lead (editor's note: Tech Goddess), treasurer

How long have you been with the team? How long have you participated in paranormal research? I joined Tacoma Ghost Hunters in 2006, and co-founded SSPR in 2007.

What is your profession? Quality Assurance Technician

What are your hobbies? Movies, hiking, ghost hunting

Why the paranormal? Is there life after death?

What is your most profound, scary, or funny paranormal experience? While filmin...
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Name: Megan

What is your role with SSPR? I am a member in training.

How long have you been with the team? How long have you actively participated in paranormal research? I have been with the team for about two months. I have never actively participated in paranormal research until I joined the team but have always wanted to.

What is your profession? I am a civilian that works for the Army. I work for outdoor recreation.

What are your hobbies? Scuba diving, horseback riding, quad riding, and hunti...
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Name: Tonya

What is your role with SSPR? Logistics and wherever they want me. I roll with it and don't ask questions!

How long have you been with the team? I think I joined the group in 2007 and took a year off in 2009 to have a baby girl. Then I got right back to it again. I have always felt something, and I saw my first ghost in 1997. When I left the group to have a little one, I missed it too much. I was homesick. I love my SSPR family.

What is your profession? I'm a stay-at-home momma and a ...
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Name: Patty

What is your role with SSPR? Team Lead

How long have you been with the team? I started SSPR with Billi in 2007. 

How long have you been researching the paranormal? I have been actively investigating since the early 90's.

What is your profession? I work for the Department of Defense.

What are your hobbies? Photography, cigars, and crafting.

Why the paranormal? The paranormal found me at the age of 5.

What is your most meaningful paranormal experience? When I was 5, I saw my first ghost.

Wh...
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Over the course of the next few weeks, we'll be introducing you to members of SSPR in their own words. Since I (Karen) just sent out the questionnaire to other team members about ten minutes ago and NO ONE has gotten back to me yet (the nerve!), we'll start with mine.

Name: Karen

What is your role with SSPR? I am an investigator/researcher. I also write the blog and maintain the team’s website. I've also learned things go best on an investigation if I'm not allowed to touch the equipment....

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by Karen Frazier

I've spent a majority of my life studying the afterlife. While paranormal research is probably the most obvious way to do this, it is actually the most recent subject in my ongoing pursuit.

As a child, I grew up with the traditions of the Christian church. I questioned those beliefs from an early age, however, because some things just didn't make a whole lot of sense to me. 

You see, along with an insatiable curiosity about the origins of the human soul, I also absolutely adore ...
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by Karen Frazier

Photo used under Flickr creative commons license (c) Aunt Owwee

When we research the paranormal, we sometimes forget that the devices we carry may be unfamiliar to spirits. I know in my investigations of the Wellington avalanche disaster site when I've used things that appear quite modern (such as laser grids or very bright lights), the spirits have indicated via a ghost box they are a little afraid of those items. This isn't surprising, given the spirits at Wellington are like...
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by Karen Frazier


A Samson Zoom H4n high-definition audio recorder

When I first started investigating the paranormal, I tried a number of audio recording devices. What I quickly discovered was how much the sound quality varied from recorder to recorder. Audio recorders range widely in price and quality, from about $40 to over $200. 

My first audio recorder was a cheap one - I spent around $40 for it. Using that audio recorder, I noticed I captured a lot of whispery voices. So many whispers, in fa...
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by Karen Frazier
 
A simple and inexpensive Radio Shack hack ghost box (Radio Shack 12-469)

Can the dead communicate with us through a field of white noise? That's the theory behind the ghost box, a piece of equipment that seeing more common use with many paranormal researchers.

The concept behind the ghost box is quite simple: a normal transistor radio is modified so it rapidly sweeps the stations of either the AM or FM band instead of remaining on one station. This creates a field of white nois...
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Patty uses a Mel meter to take a baseline reading on an old telephone

One of the pieces of equipment paranormal investigators commonly use is an EMF detector. Contrary to popular belief, EMF meters do not detect ghosts - not even the units that are called "ghost meters."


A K2 EMF detector that uses lights to show changes in EMF fields.
 
What Do They Measure?

Electromagnetism is one of the universe's four basic forces. EMF detectors measure changes in electric and/or magnetic fields.  Depending on...
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