Guest writer Dan Scott, an amateur ham radio operator and founder of SanDiegoHaunted.com, offers an informed and practical review of the controversial Frank's Spirit Box. 

An internet slideshow of our popular lecture on The Science Behind Paranormal Investigating.

Why would you want to use a psychic during paranormal investigations? Paranormal Investigating groups from all over the world seem to fall into two camps; those who use psychics and those who don’t. For decades paranormal investigators have battled over the legitimate use of psychics in paranormal investigations. If it is a question of credibility for your group, you have to be cautious about your use of psychics.

The idea of documenting environmental fluctuations at alleged haunted locations dates back to at least the 1930's, when serious paranormal investigators like Harry Price began applying the principals of scientific method to spontaneous paranormal investigations in the field. Price standardized the practice of environmental monitoring during his famous investigation of Borley Rectory , and his methodologies proved so compelling they are still used in the field today.

As a police officer, I see belligerent people picking fights all the time.  I don’t know if it’s what we are as a nation, or what we are as a species, but we seem to love to tick people off.  However, paranormal investigators take it a step further.  We have been known to, on occasion, tick off the dead.  But there is a reason for it.  It’s called provoking.  This article will try to give a basic outline of the “what,” “how,” and “why” of this somewhat controversial paranormal investigative technique.

I remember I was about six when my 16-year- old sister had several of her girlfriends at our home for a slumber party. I was not interested in girls yet so the night was extremely uneventful for me. At least most of the night was uneventful. The only interesting part of that night came late in the evening when I heard loud screaming coming from inside her bedroom. Then her bedroom door flew open with such force that it sucked the air out of the hallway where I was. I saw my sister run out of her darkened room and then accost my mother as she was watching television in the living room. I do not remember what she said, but I remember she was hysterical. All I remember next was our mother, wearing her irritated face, came into the hallway, charged my sister’s room, turned on the lights, and told all the girls that she was taking the “Wee Gee Board” and that everyone had to go to bed. None of the girls protested; they actually looked relieved. This was the moment when my fascination with the Ouija Board began. Just the look on my sister’s face convinced me that there were magical powers in that board. What six-year-old little brother would not want to somehow wield the power of a board that could terrify his annoying older sister almost to the point of tears.

Currently, paranormal investigators use two main classifications of haunting:  Intelligent Haunting, and Residual Haunting.

One of the common problems that any paranormal investigation group eventually encounters is the delicate issue of prescription meds clients invariably depend upon but which they are reluctant to discuss with relative strangers interviewing them about their paranormal experiences.

People often look to classifying EVPs to establish their sound quality, as though they were grades of maple syrup.  However, the truth of the matter is that an EVP classification ultimately marks the degree of risk anyone is taking in believing the evidence to be of paranormal origin.

Class C EVPs are the most common variety, and the ones you will most likely capture, whether you're just starting out or you're a seasoned investigator.

Class B EVPs suffer from an identity crisis, fraught with credibility issues and doubt.  As such, they're easy to misclassify.  In fact, the uncertainty about so many Class B EVPs has raised many a debate as to whether or not another system for classification should be used.

In pronouncing a piece of Class A EVP evidence, one is motivated, not so much by doubt, but rather by a freedom from doubt.  Decisiveness is a rare and precious commodity, like having a Rinsai experience--in which the perfect truth of something is visited upon you in a eureka moment of clarity and elegance.