TOP APPS FOR GHOST HUNTING 2018 AND THE ONES TO AVOID

Grab your phone and let's go Ghost Hunting!!!  "There's an app for that" right?  In today's world, the world of being "mobile and convenient" it's no wonder there is a flood of "ghost apps" on the market to make your ghost hunting experience inexpensive and convenient.  At the one low price of $.99-$9.99 you can have a piece of ghost hunting equipment with you at all times right.  Oh, and even better news, many are FREE!!!!  Do I think that ghost hunting apps work?  Well,  for now I guess let's just say "anything is possible".  If a ghost can throw a glass across the room, and communicate through a radio and other electronic devices then why couldn't they manipulate our phones???  It's an electronic device, right?  We are still very much in the "development stages" of seeing what we can actually use to communicate with and what is just nothing more than amusement.

Now, are  you looking for something just to have a little fun with and maybe scary your friends or are you wanting an app that might actually come in handy while ghost hunting?  There are ton and tons of apps strictly for entertainment purposes only (although almost all the apps say that). You can scare the crap out of your friends with these apps.  Then, there's the apps that might actually work.  I am constantly playing with apps and testing them to see which ones work and with ones don't.

So, here are some of the apps that I have experimented with and found them to be useful and sometimes....just DOWN RIGHT SCARY!!!  Then there are the ones that I wished I hadn't spent my $.99 on.  Download them for yourself and see what you think....  

GHOST HUNTER M2

This is probably my favorite app.  Although The Portal made for an Android phone(that I don't have) definitely gives the M2 a run for it's money. First, if you give this app a try, when you first turn it on, you have to "overlook" the "cheesy" scary music. LOL. It's a little much, but the app itself I think could come in handy. I have found the M2 to be "spot on" in some locations when investigating and communicating words "related" to the location or during our EVP session.  It is very easy to use and has different screens for you to watch as well as keeping a log of all the EVP's you collect so you can go back later and review your evidence. The VERY FIRST TIME I turned on the M2, it said "Rebecca" which is my name....Becky is short for Rebecca.  Are you kidding me!!!!! 

Now, this app has a ton of options to use.  To be honest, way more than I need.  For me,  the simpler the better.  I don't have to time read and analyze all different kinds of data.   So, let me make it easy for you.  These options are the ones I use.  The very first button or option, the Dashboard, I think for a beginner or if you just want to do a quick EVP session has everything you need on one screen.  It has a sweep that lights up different colors when a spirit is close.  Then it has a EVP window that shows words as well as you hearing it with audio.  Then on the same screen it has EMF, Audio, Geo and Bar to use as well.

Ghost Hunter M2 was developed by professional engineers, and is said to be the most advanced paranormal investigation toolkit in all known and unknown universes. Ghost Hunter M2 features an EMF instrument measuring magnetic fluctuations with the magnetometer of your Apple device, an Audio Detection Instrument and a Fast Fourier Transform Visualizer analyzing complex audio signals (meaning other-worldly shrieks sending shivers down your spine), a Geoscope magnifying terrainial and sub-terrainial fluctuations so that you can spot zombies trying to sneak attack you by bursting out of their grave, a Spatial Displacement Instrument analyzing the data flowing in from the assortment of the app’s electro-mechanical sensors, a Twilight Instrument turning your Apple device’s camera into an all-seeing eye, an EVP (Electronic Voice Phenomena) Instrument delivering bone-chilling spirit voices in both audio and visual format, a Luxscope capable of measuring the most minute changes in the environment’s illuminance, and a Barometer. It very much seems like we’ve kicked things off at the top of the heap, because Ghost Hunter M2 is the undisputed non plus ultra of paranormal investigation toolkits, all the while costing only 99 cents.

The Portal

Ok.  I LOVE THIS APP!!!  I am so disappointed that it is not available on the iPhone.  You can get it if you have an Android phone.  I have been on investigations that this app was used, and I have to tell you...I WAS IMPRESSED!!!  We went to The Myrtles Plantation last summer and the voices coming through even had a "Southern accent" it was so cool!!!  

Steve Huff of Huff Paranormal was looking to experiment with vocal tones from various age & gender people.
This Portal app will sweep randomly between single file banks at a random sweep rate between 100ms & 2000ms that changes every 2 seconds to keep every session unique.
Bank content:
Young male & female
Middle aged male & female
Elderly male & female
& whispers to see if they can choose a voice tone to give us intelligent responses to questions asked.

During your sessions look for intelligent replies to questions asked & always keep the audio reversed for better validation of audio manipulation.

Ghost Radar: Legacy

This is also a really good  little app.  There is one thing that is really annoying and that's all the advertisements!  There's a lot!!!  Again, very easy to use and it also stores your EVP's which is always a plus.  It has a good clear "voice" that announces the words.  And of course, a radio with colored dots to detect where a spirit is.

Ghost Radar: Legacy is a spruced up, refined version of Ghost Radar: Classic, a straightforward paranormal app with a simple, functional design. Ghost Radar: Legacy does what its predecessor did: it detects paranormal activity by gathering and analyzing a wide range of data – though it performs its manifold functions at a much higher level, with greater efficiency and precision, and with more style thanks to the fully revamped interface. Ghost Radar: Legacy is capable of translating energy into graphics, words, numeric values, and radar indicators, ensuring that no nearby spirit will slip away unseen. Based on the reviews we’ve read on the AppStore, being daring and curious might uncover bone-chilling secrets – but those secrets are the exact sources of the ecstatic terror each and every paranormal investigator is yearning for. Or maybe most of those reviews are nothing more than clever marketing tricks, who knows. When it comes to ghosts, the answer is never clear.

Demon Detector

If you look at the reviews for this people seem to like it.  Sorry, I'm just not one of those people.  I was NOT impressed.  I tried it several times and not much happened.  But you never know... Sorry, I just don't think it is the "real deal".  But you decide for yourself.

Demon Detector differentiates itself from the rest of the field mostly with its name – when you hear demon, you associate it with something much more malevolent and beastly than your average run-of-the-mill ghost. Demon Detector makes use of the sensors built into your Apple device, translating signs of paranormal activity into easy-to-read text, while also displaying electromagnetic anomalies. Demon Detector might be similar to both Ghost Hunger: M2 and Ghost Radar: Legacy, but boasts an undeniably catchy name, and the more investigation tools you use, the better your chances of finding what you’re looking for will be. Keep in mind, though, that finding what you’re looking for is always a perilous proposition, especially when in the frightening case of spirits and demons…

GHOST RADIO

This app is probably the app that has scared me the most!!!  It has either a creepy lady's voice or man's voice that comes across and announces the generated word very slowly.  I caution you with this one...it seems that when I have tested this it seems to "attract" the more evil or demonic spirits.  At one point a friend and I were using it and it got so crazy and so actuate that we had to turn it off. I have taken this off and put it back on....then taken it off and put it back on.....I just can't resist.  This app totally CREEPS ME OUT!!!! The words are generated through like "white noise" and the words are pronounced in "phonic style".  Like....MUR...…..DER...…!  The times I have used it, the words coming through SEEM to relate to whatever situation I am talking about.  So, give this one a try but PROCEED WITH CAUTION!!! 

Electronic Voice Phenomena (EVP) is the collective name for the sounds sometimes detected on electronic recordings and reminiscent of human speech. These sounds are usually found in recordings with noise or poor radio reception, and is considered by many to be the voices of paranormal beings such as ghosts, spirits, demons and other energy based entities. EVP is a form of Instrumental Trans-Communication (ITC), a term coined by professor Ernst Senkowski in the 1970s.

This app has taken the traditional ghost box to the next level, and also incorporates an EMF (Electromagnetic Field) scanner. As with traditional ghost boxes, chaotic noise seems to be both inviting and sensitive to paranormal manipulation. The app generates audible speech by detecting meaningful phrases and words together with properties such as gender, age and current mood of the communicating entity. We continuously improve the app, based on user feedback, and use it during our own paranormal investigations as well.

CONTACT PARANORMAL

This little app is really fun.  It comes up and "writes" creepy words.  The only problem, there is no beep or anything that notifies you that a word is about to be written and it only stays up a couple seconds.  My suggestion....screenshot the words as soon as they appear.  That's what I do anyway.  Then you can review them later.  Do I think it really helps on investigation?  I think it is probably more for fun.

This app uses sensors and analytical information to create an interactive paranormal experience.  A small radio screen detects spirits and at the bottom words are generated and spelled out.

GHOST DETECT PRO

This is another fun one.  It has a funny little beep when a spirit is detected and a clear voice when it captures EVP's.  Here's the "fun" apart of this app.  At random times a voice will come on and say "GHOST DETECTED.  PREPARING FOR PHOTO".  You have to allow it to use your camera and have access to your photos so be sure to do that.  But it will take a photo with CRAZY little things on it.  Do I think it is a REAL PHOTO OF A GHOST?  No.  But it sure makes it fun!!!!

• ALL the sensors on one page

• Radar that actually tracks anomalies

• Very accurate EMF (Electro Magnetic Field) detector

• Super sensitive microphone - hears every little noise

• Records audio for EVP sessions

• EVP that speaks to you, with five different voices available

• Detects vibrations and movement

• Alerts for every sensor

• Draws all this to a very accurate graph

• Quantum Flux detector

• Takes photos and detects anomalies in 

My actual photo.

The Ghost Detector is also one of those that people seem to like.  But don't waste your money.  It might be fun, but that is ALL it is.  

So, let's talk about the apps like The Ghost Detector that show you following a ghost through a location and then you take a photo of it.  Look, these are all fake!  It is VERY EASY TO DEBUNK!!!  All you have to do is put your hand in front of yours camera and  where it is showing a ghost.  If you are really SEEING a spirit your hand would BLOCK out the spirit, right?  But if you put your hand in front of the phone camera and the "ghostly image" is STILL THERE....then there ya go....DEBUNKED!!!!!!

Bottom line ya'll there's apps for everything these days but when you are TRUELY interested in researching the paranormal,  you may have to invest a little more time and money to get TRUE results.  But in the meantime, have fun....experiment with the different apps because you NEVER KNOW when a real ghost might just show up.

THE RANCHMAN'S IN PONDER TEXAS-WHERE TIME STANDS STILL-HAUNTED....TO BE DETERMINED...

The Ranchman in Ponder, Texas

This is not my "normal" post about ghosts or ghost hunting but sometimes I just feel compelled to write about something "different" and this week I'm doing just that.

Sometimes when I am out looking for haunted locations I run across some place that has nothing to do with "ghost hunting" but has everything to do with an amazing experience and The Ranchman's Steakhouse in Ponder, Texas is just one of those places!!!  Is it haunted?  I don't know, but hopefully someday I will get to find out. :)  I can tell you this...as I sat in this place today having lunch for the first time, I could feel such energy around me, almost as if the spirits were saying "tell our story" or "you have to write about this place" so guess what?  That is exactly what I am going to do. :)

So lets talk about what makes this place so amazing!  First, Ponder, Texas is a small little country town and seems to take great pride in keeping its roots connected to the "Wild West" so to speak.  The store fronts look like an old western town where you would see "dusty old cowboys" riding down the street looking for water for their horses and a cold beer and bath for themselves.  Or maybe in a later time, the farmers and ranchers driving their "barely running" trucks into town to sell their crops or pick up a thing or two from the general store and who knew every person in town by their first name.

The Ranchman's structure was built in 1903 as a restaurant.  Soon, a barbershop was added where their grill is now.  Later, during the Great Depression, another family opened it as a hardware/general store.

Ponder was a thriving town in the 1930's with two grocery stores, a cotton gin, hotel, two gas stations and 1200 residents.  Cotton, wheat, peanuts and oats were the main agricultural products.  A wide center street was the norm in small farming towns to store excess grain until the next train.  Locals still park in the center of the street in Ponder today.  How do I know all this?  Well, not only can you have an awesome homecooked meal you can read The Ranchman's Gazette newspaper, which by chance, is also your Menu!  I loved this!!!!!!!!!

The inside of the restaurant has "picnic style" tables, so just like "back in the day", you are sitting very close to your neighbor.  The interior is all wood, with a cute little sit down bar right when you first walk in.  You can also see the kitchen in the background from the bar.  From the minute you open the door, your mind goes to a different place.....a place that has no electronics, no "business suites"(although I am sure people do come in suites sometimes).  All you notice is most of the people look like locals and are enjoying their lunch with a smile on their face "solving the worlds problems".

Now, Grace "Pete" Jackson opened Ranchman's for business on Thanksgiving Day, 1948.  She had so many customers at the lunch counter in her grocery store next door that she decided it would be a good idea to open a restaurant.  Pete pasted away at the young age of 94.  "The restaurant is a monument to her stamina", Dave said.  Dave Ross, who bought the Ranchman's in 1992, began cooking at the café in 1973 as the weekend grill cook, butcher and baker, while attending the University of North Texas.  During this time, he helped Pete with the 50-seat addition in the back.

Ok.....are you ready for this??????  For some reason THE MINUTE I walked in this place I felt an automatic "connection".  Was it the place itself???????????  Was it the "spirits" that may not have shown their presence yet but where letting me know they were there?????????  What was it?????  Well you know how I am about SIGNS.....

So, as I am sitting there looking around at all the pictures on the walls of FAMOUS people that have actually eaten at The Ranchman's, I was also just glancing through the Ranchman's Menu/Gazette that has several "cool" facts and stories in it.  But there was one in  particular that caught my attention.  Are you ready???  There is an article about a shot out and Sam Bass that happened...…..WHERE???...Where else...but The Old Alton Bridge!!!  That's right the bridge that I give tours at!!!  I was aware of the things about Sam Bass and how he had a "hide out" near the bridge but I just thought it was awesome that they had a really nice article about the bridge in it.  Coincidence?  Is that why I felt SUCH A CONNECTION and interest in this amazing place before I ever sat down? Was I being drawn here because of the spirits and their connection to the bridge?



And what would a town be without a little scandal. LOL

Here's the deal.  There may not be any connection at all and what I felt was just the nostalgia of The Ranchman and it's connection to the past, or maybe..... just maybe , there's a reason I don't yet know, but whatever it was....I enjoyed my lunch very much and a moment in time that seemed to stand still.  :)  Now, if you will excuse me, I have to go finish my homemade chocolate pie.

WHAT'S IN YOUR BACKYARD???

Looking for Ghost Hunting locations?  Sometimes we are wanting to do something so badly that we OVERLOOK what's in your own backyard.  And ghost hunting is no different.  I have traveled all over world in search of some of the most haunted places, and come to find out one of the most haunted places I have ever been is right "in my own backyard"......Goatman's Bridge.

This past Saturday I went to support my good friend Tui Snider who was speaking at the Dallas Public Library.  Tui is an amazing author with several #1 Books on Amazon.  She was talking about her new book 100 Things To Do In Dallas Fort Worth Before You Die Tui Snider  which I might add is a #1 New Release on Amazon.  In her book she names several places for you to visit around the Dallas, Fort Worth area, and some of which are haunted!  She also tells you about other things like restaurants, museums, shopping, history and sport hot spots.  Listening to Tui got me to thinking....everyone needs to take a close look around their area, it just might surprise them with what they find!  And before I forget, I want to give a shout-out to Donna and Denise who was at Tui's lecture who had came on one of our Overnight Special Events at Goatman's Bridge.  It was great to you guys again.  Have fun on the Queen Mary!  Sorry, got off track. LOL

For instance, Tui named several places around Dallas, Fort Worth that are haunted and I have not heard of them!  Places like The DeGolyer Mansion at the Dallas Arboretum and The Lizard Lounge.  You can bet I will be checking those out!!!

Me and Tui

Tui Snider

One of the fun things we got to do after Tui's lecture was go to the VERY HAUNTED  The Sons of Hermann Hall.  I had been wanting to check it out for a couple years now.  First, I just want to say that the two guys that showed us around were awesome!  They were soooo nice and told us we could just go wherever we liked.  I'm sorry, I didn't catch their names but I do know one was on The Board.  They told us about the eerie feelings they get late at night when closing up and that some people have seen a spirit of a lady.  Also, some well-dressed ghostly concertgoer's have been spotted.

Donna and Denise

Tui and Larry(Tui's husband)

Larry told us to put our best foot forward.  You can see we're not used to that. LOL

Wait! I have a "best foot"???

One of the guys that showed us around.

Now, The Sons of Hermann has a lot of local musicians come in and play as well as a night of dancing.  And not just any "dancing" it's SWING DANCING!!!  How fun is that???  This place did not feel negative in anyway to me, as a matter of fact, just the opposite.  It was a very relaxed, easy feeling, sounds weird but really....almost a "happy" feeling.  Which doesn't surprise me given how friendly the staff is and being so open to having the public come in and play music.  Heck, if I were a ghost I would want to hang out here!

Anyway, ghost hunting is awesome know matter where you are, but be sure not overlook what's right in front of you.  So, get out there and HUNT!!!!!

, 

ASHMORE ESTATES-CAN YOU SAY "CREEPY"????

A couple of weeks ago I went on a private event with Gregg and Dana Newkirks and all the "weirdo's" that are members of  The Traveling Museum of the Paranormal  & Occult.  John Tenney was also there to have a séance with us.

Well, first let me tell you about Ashmore Estates and then I will tell you about MY experience there.
1857-1915

From 1857 until 1869, the Coles County Poor Farm was located in Charleston Township near the small town of Loxa, Illinois. In 1870, the county purchased 260 acres from A. N. Graham in Section 35 of Ashmore Township for a new farm, which sat astride the Indianapolis & St. Louis Railroad. This small timber and brick building, constructed by H. B. Truman, was the first to sit on that property. It was 38x58 feet and two stories tall, with an attached kitchen.

Many residents, or "inmates" as they were called, died at the farm, and the county maintained a small cemetery somewhere north of the grounds. In 1879, Joshua Ricketts, superintendent of the county farm at the time, had recorded 32 deaths out of the roughly 250 inmates who had stayed at the farm between 1870 and 1879. Another pauper cemetery, established a few years later, still exists south of Route 16 and now contains the graves of between sixty to one hundred persons.

The Board of State Commissioners of Public Charities visited the poor farm in 1902. As for the condition of the mentally ill at the farm, they wrote: "There is no special provision for the insane ... None are locked up or in restraint." By 1911, the Auxiliary Committee of the State Board of Charities condemned the almshouse for its "vermin infected walls," "rough floors," "small windows," and improper ventilation. It was reported that "flies swarmed everywhere" and "were especially noticeable on the poor food prepared for dinner." In January 1915, the Almshouse Committee received bids for the construction of a new "fireproof" building at the location.

  

1916-1986

The building contract for the new almshouse was granted to J.W. Montgomery in March for $20,389, and the cornerstone was ceremoniously laid on May 17, 1916. A full time caretaker and his family took turns living in the almshouse and a white farmhouse that formerly sat on the property.

Coles County sold the almshouse to Ashmore Estates, Inc. in February 1959. That corporation opened the building as a private psychiatric hospital by the same name. In October 1964, after only five years in operation, the psychiatric hospital closed down because of debt. The institution reopened in 1965, but changed its focus from a private facility to one that accepted patients from state mental institutions. By 1968, the shelter care facility housed forty-nine residents, including ten afflicted with epilepsy.

Paul Swinford and Galen Martinie purchased the institution in July 1976. Swinford and Martinie invested over $200,000 in the construction of a modern addition onto the old building. Construction began in 1977, but was not finished until the 1980s. Once the addition to Ashmore Estates had been completed and the rest of the building was brought up to code, the institution's future appeared brighter.

In February 1986, Paul Swinford entered into a limited partnership with a Peoria-based company known as Convalescent Management Associates, Inc. to help manage the institution's finances. The departments of Public Aid and Public Health dragged their feet over the issuance of proper licenses and certificates for nearly a year, leading Swinford to file for permission from the Illinois Health Facility Planning Board to close the facility. At that time, Ashmore Estates' financial losses exceeded $1.5 million. By the end of April, all of the residents had been transferred to area homes, and Ashmore Estates closed its doors.

1987 to the present

In 1998, a resident of Sullivan named Arthur Colclasure paid $12,500 for the property and announced that he planned to renovate the building and turn it into his home. However, continuous vandalism prevented him from ever realizing his plans.

In August 2006, Scott Kelley purchased Ashmore Estates from Arthur Colclasure and began renovating. To finance the project, the Kelleys offered flashlight tours of the interior. To discourage trespassers, they erected signs and moved onto the property. Their haunted house opened on October 13, 2006. In the off-season, Scott offered overnight stays in the building.

In January 2013, Ashmore Estates was hit by a fierce storm, with wind speeds reaching 80 to 100 mph. Ashmore Estates suffered heavy damage; its roof was blown off and the support gables were destroyed. Shortly thereafter, new owners took over the property and made plans to restore the building to its former glory.

On May 3rd of 2014, Ashmore Estates came under new ownership and is now owned by Robbin & Norma Terry.  During their first few weeks of ownership there were huge strides made to cleanup and restore Ashmore Estates.  After less than two years of owning the property some HUGE improvements have been made.  The building has gone from people saying they would never go back to booking each year and in some cases coming back more than once in the same year.  If you have not experienced Ashmore Estates under the new ownership you owe it to yourself to do that. 

So, with all that said, here is what I thought about Ashmore.  First, when you are driving up to it, it sits up on small hill all by itself.  As you pull in the driveway, you can't help but feel that THIS PLACE HAS A STORY TO TELL!!!!  Such a cool place!!!

We all gathered outside on one end of the building waiting to go in.  There were 30 of us and we were all sooooo excited to get inside and see what was in store for us!!!  It was just starting to get dark and in we go....

Now, for those of you who don't know who Greg and Dana Newkirk.... they are the world renown owners of The Traveling Museum of the Paranormal & Occult that is home to TONS of HAUNTED OBJECTS!!!  And especially everyone's favorite Billy the Idol.  

John Tenney and everyone.

So the way Gregg and Dana arranged everything was the Past was on the first floor, the Present was on the second and the third floor was the Future.  We started out with John Tenney on the first floor and started doing an EVP Session.  We all sat around a table and John would start out by asking a very simple question like "Do you have a message for us"?  Then we would go around in a circle and each one of us would ask the same question...."Do you have a message for us"?  We would wait a minute or two then the next person would go.  Then we would stop the recorder and listen for an EVP.  

We received several EVP's but one of my favorites was we were going around the table one by one asking a question like "Would you like to talk to me"? As we all asked the same question, it was easy to figure out which voice belonged to which person at the table.  So upon playback you could hear each one of us asking "Would you like to talk to me"? and then the next person would go and all of the sudden........WAIT FOR IT............WAIT FOR IT........(LOL)........we heard a unknown voice ask "Would you like to talk to me"!!!!!!!!!!  That's right!!!!! The spirit was doing just what we were doing!!!!!!!!!!  I guess he figured he should just do the same thing!!!! LOL  We thought this was awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!  BTW  I thought John was sooooo nice and enjoyed visiting with him very much.  If you get a chance to do something with John, you should.

First Floor

 Next, we went to the second floor for our experiment of the Present.  Now, forgive me, I forgot who the two guys were that were doing an experiment.  They were trying to communicate with the spirits but each of them were using some kind of different equipment that picked up different frequencies. I have to be honest here, I was really lost on this one.  They both were talking at the exact same time but I'm not sure what they were suppose to prove.  hhhhuuuummmm

Second Floor experiment

Second Floor

Second Floor

Second Floor

And on to the third floor....the Present.  This was one of my favorite parts of the night.  Gregg and Dana had their new reveal of the Traveling Museums Tent and also they had an experiment set up where they picked someone that would put on this crazy looking head gear that had wires hanging out of it everywhere. Now, they said it would take the person into their state of mind that would be very relaxed and they would be very open to communicating with the spirits there.  We were able to watch her brain waves on a big screen to see what would happen when she was communicating with a spirit.  This was pretty cool.

Just plain CREEPY!!!!

Experiment on the third floor.

Billy the Idol(middle) and "friends".

Yep.  Just what everyone needs...a haunted chicken foot!

 Now, I had an amazing time at Ashmore Estates and I can tell you I will be going back to do an investigation with just my team.  There wasn't a lot of free time at this event.  But how do I feel about Ashmore??????  It diffidently has the CREEP FACTOR and for some reason I feel like the "children" that once called this place home still would like very much to come out and PLAY!!!!!!!

 Below are just some of the photos I took of Ashmore.  Be sure to check out the one that I have circled in green.

The boiler room.

What is this?????

The very next shot and there is nothing above Ashmore.

The above photo just blown up.

Let's go!!!!

Out back of Ashmore.

Two of the nicest people ever!