If you’ve always wanted to know if there’s a presence nearby or if a spirit is trying to send you a message, you may want to build a ghost box. A spirit box is an equipment that will allow you to verbally communicate with ghosts.
So, how do you make a homemade spirit box? You need the basic materials: a radio, a screwdriver, a wire cutter, external speakers, and a digital recorder.
Most ghost hunters believe that spirits can use white noise to create words. A ghost box scans radio frequencies and relays them back to you.
DIY Spirit Box
The first step is to acquire a radio. A wide variety of radios would work; but for this ghost box creation, we’ll use the two best receivers: 12-820 armband radio and radio 12-587 or the Sangean DT-200VX radio.
You can either look for and at your old radios at home if you have some or buy a new one. We have some suggestions below.
If you have a 12-820 armband radio:
- Loosen the four screws of this radio’s back.
- Once there, you’ll see two bundles of gray wires. There’s a red wire on the right side of each packet.
- Rifle through the bundle of wires to your left, then cut the third gray wire on the left side of the red wire. This is the mute wire and without it, your armband radio will sweep when the up or down arrows are pressed.
- Rearrange the wires so you can close the radio and reattach the screws.
- Plug amplified speakers into your radio’s earphone jack.
- Use a recorder to allow you to review and interpret the frequencies as needed.
If you chose radio 12-587 or Sangean DT-200X:
- There would be three screws on its back. Loosen them.
- Detach the circuit boards.
- Bend one of the pins mounting the board.
- Reassemble the radio.
- Connect the speakers to it and prepare your digital recorder.
Other usable radios are:
- Radio 12-470 – It’s the most receptive radio for spirit box creation. However, it’s now old and hard to find in stores.
- Radio 12-469 – It’s another old model radio, but it’s the easiest to hack into a ghost box. However, it gives a loud click if you use its white version.
- Radio Shack 20-125 – Undoing the MU circuit converts this into a reliable spirit box with precise responses.
- Radio Shack 12-586 – Undoing the MU circuit coverts it, too; but this radio is unreliable. It sometimes stops scanning.
How Spirit Boxes Work
Ghost boxes are rigged to scan either the FM or AM radio band rapidly. This results in a mixture of white noises and audio fragments. Ghost hunters then interpret these sounds and make words out of them.
Usually, recorders are used to allow sound playback and editing for better interpretation and understanding. This is because the radio frequencies are rapid and continuously changing, which results in different voice tones and pitches sometimes.
Difference Between Spirit Box and EVP
- Spirit or ghost box vs. EVP – A spirit box captures sounds from the spirits of this world. Meanwhile, an EVP is an Electronic Voice Phenomena, which is captured by regular digital recorders.
- Types of EVP – There are three types of EVP: Class A, B, and C. Class A is clear while Class B is something you’ll clearly understand when you’ve been told what it says, and Class C is something you and I would receive differently. Class C sounds heard vary from person to person.
- Reverse EVP – Reverse EVP is as you may have guessed: it’s an audio clip of a session played in reverse.
- AM band vs. FM band – FM stations usually have music in them. Meanwhile, AM stations have human voice fragments in them. You can choose between the two and it wouldn’t matter because both of those bands support your ghost-communicating mission.
Frequently Asked Questions about Spirit Boxes
Are the voices of the ghosts altered?
Sometimes, the rapid frequency scans can alter the sounds it transmits. However, on other times, the voices can be heard clearly. Hence, this all depends on the signal of your radio.
What questions should I ask the spirits?
The best questions to ask would be questions that would yield relevant answers. When using a ghost box, you would want valid answers. Hence, things like “what color am I wearing?” or “what’s the name of my pet?” would do. Avoid questions with yes or no for answers as this can mislead you.
Will evil spirits come to me for using a spirit box? What do I do if something negative comes through the spirit box?
Ghost boxes allow you to be receptive of all spirits trying to communicate. Hence, both good and evil can come through.
If something negative or evil does come through your spirit box, do your best to ignore it. Ghosts have no physical form and can’t harm you aside from words.
How often should I use a spirit box?
There’s no limit to how many sessions you can run with your ghost box. However, be warned that it can sometimes cause obsession or burn out.
Can I use a ghost box in my house?
Yes, you can. It’s your choice. You can commence protection rituals according to your beliefs before starting.
Can I use a ghost box in an open place or outside?
Yes, but it could end up as a mess. You may record noises from around the neighborhood on that session. If you still proceed, note or state that in your recording.
Will I pick up some radio fragments?
Of course, since it sweeps through radio stations and frequencies, it would transmit radio audios to you, too. However, a consistent and constant voice answering your questions or saying continuous relevant information would assure you the voice is simply not a radio fragment.
What can I do to get better results from my ghost box?
Find a place with a good signal. If you don’t, the spirits will find it hard to communicate or you may hear nothing at all. Bad signal limits their ability to connect to you since there won’t be enough white noise to facilitate communication. An enhanced antenna or even antenna boosters can help you with this.
Should I really record while using the spirit box? Isn’t live listening enough?
There would be spirit voices you wouldn’t even be aware of until you replay the session. Additionally, when your ghost box sessions are recorded, this allows you to use an audio software to fix some areas where the radio frequency altered the sounds. Hence, it’s always a best practice to record yourself while using your spirit box.
What’s the best recorder to use with a ghost box?
A regular digital recorder would do just fine. You can purchase a hand-held one on the same electronics store where you’ve purchased your radio.
Is there a technique for recording my spirit box session?
There are three things you need to keep in mind when recording your attempt to communicate with ghosts:
- Volume of speakers
- Length of recordings
- Recorder / computer compatibility
First, make sure the volume of your speakers is not too loud when you start recording. Otherwise, you won’t be able to make out anything at all when you play it back.
Second, cut your recordings into short ones. Shorter recordings allow easier access and editing while longer records can easily get you frustrated and lost when looking for something or doing some editing. Hence, set a timer on your phone or time it yourself and periodically turn your recorder off and on.
Finally, your recorder needs to be computer-friendly. This means it needs to have a USB cord and a software or memory card. This way, you can easily use your computer to replay and review your sessions.
How to interpret what the spirits said through the ghost box?
You can download a free audio editor like Audacity or WavePad, then just listen to the clips at a slow pace. If you’ve set your speakers to low volume during recording, you can increase your computer’s volume level while listening. Headphones are best when doing this.
Then, if you find something that seems to be a message, cut that part from the rest of the clip and listen to it again. Doing this lets you focus better.
After that, just alter the clip’s speed as needed, since some words may be spoken too fast.
Different ghost communication devices work in various ways.
What is pareidolia?
It’s where you see or hear something and think it’s significant even though it wasn’t.
Conclusion
While making a spirit box is easy, interpreting and processing it is a whole other thing. It would require time, patience, and experience as you progress.
If you’re ready to start your ghost hunting or ghost communicating adventure, what are you still doing here? Find the materials needed and make your own ghost box.
References
1. https://www.techwalla.com/articles/diy-instructions-for-how-to-build-an-fm-radio-ghost-box
2. http://www.angelsghosts.com/ghost_box_how_to_make
3. https://livescifi.tv/2012/02/ghost-box-hacks/#gs.5luz1r
4. http://www.angelsghosts.com/ghost_box_how_it_works
5. https://thespiritboxmyspiritualjourney.weebly.com/spirit-box-q–a.html