Michiana Supernatural Alliance

Ghost Hunting 101:
EMF Meter Pros and Cons


So you all know, I have been an Amateur Radio Operator since 1977. I have held a Commercial Radio License since 1983. I have repaired both broadcast transmitters (TV and radio) as well as two-way radio equipment. Suffice it to say, when it comes to Electro-Magnetic Fields (EMFs) and Electro-Static Fields (ESFs), I know what I am talking about.

Basically, ANY EMF detector is not much more than a VERY, VERY SENSITIVE voltmeter. Amateur radio operators use a simplistic version of this. They call it a field strength meter (or FSM). Now the FSM is primarily geared to the RF (Radio Frequency) Spectrum. This is where the Amateur Radio equipment transmits. A good EMF meter is geared more to the AF (Audio Frequency) Spectrum. That does NOT mean that the EMF meter will respond to sounds. only that it is looking for energy, that (if the energy were running through a stereo) could produce sounds. After all, it is measuring electrical force, not sound pressure.

Now, EVERYTHING that generates, consumes, or trasports energy, emits both an EMF AND an ESF. This includes the electrical wiring inside a building. The ESF does not travel very far (the more power moved/generated/consumed, the larger the ESF). The EMF travels farther. In fact, the EMF is what is received when you listen to a radio station. A good example of an ESF is energy that some people feel when the touch a running flourescent light (please DO NOT TOUCH an running incandescent light as it WILL burn you). Another example of an ESF is when you rub an inflated balloon through your hair. When your hair stands on end, it is because of an ESF.

When I was back in high school I took electronics classes. In those classes we performed an experiment to measure the EMF produced by the human body. In this experiment, we touched the probe of an oscilloscope (the electronic repair and lab version of a hospital's ECG machine) to our hands. The resulting reading was measured (usually in microvolts). When I touched the probe to my hand the reading was off the top of the scale. The "scope" was set to the next higher setting. And, when I touched my hand it was still off the scale. By the time we were able to finally get a usable reading, we discovered that I produced and EMF that was ten times stronger than the strongest reading from the rest of the class. Needless to say, I have a problem when it comes to getting around sensitive voltmeters.

In order to track EMFs, I needed a different approach. Since ESFs have the ability to interact with EMFs. And, when from 2 seperate sources, ESFs have the ability to alter EMFs. AND ANYTHING that produces an EMF also produces an ESF, I decided to look for alterations in the EMFs that are in almost any modern house (namely the EMFs produced by the house wiring).

In the past, I have used a frequency counter to register lightning strikes. I had to learn this trick on my own (it is now being used by TV stations and the National Weather Service to measure the frequency of lightning strikes in a storm). The reading on a frequency counter changes when an strong ESF (i.e., a lighting strike) is near. So, I use a frequency counter that can register the 60-cycle EMFs produced by household wiring. When a counter, of this type, is placed near an outlet, a light or a fusebox, it will register a 60-cycle reading. I tested this out several times before I went on my first investigation to be certain it was working properly. When a spirit is nearby, however, it alters this reading. Sometimes, the frequency will increase, sometimes it will decrease (and sometimes, the power company has a frequency swing in the line power - but that is only VERY seldom). When in the presnce of a strong spirit, the reading will drop to zero. Whenever this happens, I always double check the reading by changing position (in case something is interfering with the reading). Double checking is just a part of good investigative procedure.

EMFs can also be measured in something called Gauss. This is what happens when a compass is passed through an EMF and it causes the needle to change directions off it's proper reading. It was named after the person who discovered this effect.


The Gauss Meter shown here is used to measure EMFs in the lower audio range of 50-60 cycles (also called 50-60 Hertz or Hz). It includes a remote sensor probe that might possibly eliminate some of the effect from a human body's EMF. I do not own one of these meters, so I cannot personally recommend them. I can only state that it would have a better chance of overcoming my problems with EMF meters than most others.

When you look for a meter to detect EMFs, you should do some expirementation to see what the meter does in different circumstances. Try it near flourescent lights, power lines, etc. Also, touch the sensing device to your exposed skin to determine if you get a "false positive" from you body (this point it VERY important as you do not want to claim an EMF reading only to find out it was your body causing it). Make sure that the meter registers in the AF (somtimes called ELF) range. This seams to be where the most accurate detection of spirits is. Those that only measure RF are more prone to picking up any local radio transmitters (i.e., CBs, local broadcast staions, etc). Training on how to use the meter, is IMPERATIVE. Otherwise, you will have no idea what you are reading when you get a reading.

I will re-emphisize this last point. Training on how to use any equipment you take with you is IMPERATIVE! Without training, you are not going to be able to prove anything.




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