- Equipment -
Walkie Talkies

What are Walkie Talkies?

For those who don't know, also known as two-way radios. They are used to communicate verbally between two or more parties over remote distances in the same way as mobile phones, but without the expense and delay in waiting for a connection and then an answer. They also have the advantage of producing less electromagnetic disturbances than a mobile phone and reduce the chance of an annoying tune blaring out and scaring everybody in the dark, when your mate calls to give you the latest gossip or to see what you are up to! Mobile phones should be switched off during an investigation and messages checked during break sessions.

Why use them for paranormal research?

Whilst conducting an investigation over a large building or site, it is often necessary to split into small groups to be able to cover the whole of the site in a single night. This has the advantage of being able to simultaneously investigate more than one area at once, increasing the chance of encountering possible paranormal activity. Using Walkie-Talkies enables an investigative group to keep in contact with each other to rule out any naturally created human noise or disturbances; for example if one group heard footsteps in the room below or outside, they could check with the other groups for their current location, to see if they are responsible or if they also heard or saw the disturbance. The other perhaps more important reason for using them on an investigation is security. Both to ensure intruders do not compromise the site; and to enable the rest of the team to respond to a group or individual who might be in distress due to potential paranormal activity (or a case of the frights!) in another area of the site. They are of particular use if someone is conducting a lone vigil in an area, they will be less likely to loose their nerve if they know help is only a click on the button away! The important thing to check with Walkie-Talkies is that they defiantly work over the whole of the site during baseline tests and when dropping off a lone volunteer in a dark and remote spot.

Can Walkie-Talkies be used to prove the existence of ghosts or the paranormal?

Sadly the simple answer is no! However they are still invaluable for security purposes and are a very useful tool to explain strange noises or rule out human interference during an investigation. Not all the items in a 'Ghost Hunters' kit need to be specifically for measuring the paranormal!