So You Want To Be A Ghost Hunter Part Deux. I think.

Last night a lady asked how to get onto a paranormal team, into the paranormal, so I thought I'd jot a little on that for others that may have asked themselves the same question.

I couldn't very well offer up my group last night, or SRC for that matter because we're based pretty far away and have a very large group of people from which to draw from already if needed, something I'll touch in in just a moment.
1st things first, if you know like minded folks, band together and make a team. Simple as that. Read like a maniac, study up on the topic. But first ask yourself, "Why would I like to do this?"

If it's to have something to do, it's probably best to start by studying, and to bear in mind that when on a ghost hunt, you are looking for proof of somebody having survived the body, somebody's loved one, somebody that likely had a lot of grief felt, tears shed when they passed away. That is who you're looking to communicate with, and often they have no idea that they, or more accurately, their body, has ceased to exist. Often they can be distraught, or angry, or otherwise unsound in mind. See, most folks who pass and stay here tend to be fearful, of judgement, of leaving an incomplete life, of leaving loved ones behind, of losing a possession. That isn't a terribly healthy emotional state to begin with (and the decision is largely emotion based anyway), so please recognize that, as well as the importance of always being respectful no matter the location or circumstances.
No offense intended, many folks in the field would prefer you not get in the field at the expense of the dead, and I mean that in the nicest possible way.

If your answer comes back "So I can score a TV show!" Well, really, just go away. Seriously. I have seen so much of this it makes me want to scream. Folks in it for the exact wrong and cynical reasons really, really, really demean the field and demean the dead. And do consider the odds of this happening are about the same as farting fairy dust on the moon. Ok, maybe a little better, but still.

If your answer comes back as "Because it is (or looks) fun", then look for social contacts to find a good, reputable, informed team to learn from. Meetup.com is a good start, some teams list for positions to be filled on facebook, craigslist, etc. And read, educate yourself.

If your answer comes back "To learn more about the paranormal" or "To help people", look for a team who has that same focus, and read up on the topic.
You're best to get involved with a team which is local to you, and here's why: If you're traveling more than, say, 10 to 25 miles from home, late night return trips home can be hazardous. Many times you will be physically tired, emotionally drained, there will be impaired drivers on the roadways. I frequently travel 100 miles out for hunts and it wears me out.

Also do be sure that on a meetup to meet in a public location, This is for your own protection.I do advise hooking up with a team that does permit you to bring your spouse or significant other along whenever you can bring them. That door should always be open, and here's why. Your returning home occasionally at 4, 5 AM might be ok, but it is entirely possible that your better half will begin to feel resentful, suspicious, neglected if it happens all the time. If a group does not permit spouses etc, ask why not.
Also, ask local groups if you can accompany them on a hunt or two. If they do not permit that, ask yourself why not. Look at the paranormal as a hobby, and if a hobby isn't inclusive it often causes friction.

What equipment do I need? Well, your most important items are you, and your integrity. Beyond that, just start off as we oldsters call "Old School." Nothing wrong with old school at all, I often revert to old school when I feel I need to get my techniques honed, or when I need a change of pace.
Old school is simply using a decent camera and perhaps a voice recorder. Last night David said it, and he was absolutely right, when you become overly dependent on gadgets (some of which work, some of which do not) you begin to loose your innate, intuative skills of detecting when something has changed, or is outright wrong in a room or given situation. Focusing on meters and such can also cause you to walk into things inadvertently, possibly injuring you. As you become more adept at using your camera (and voice recorder) in the dark, then begin adding gadgets to your repretoir, but if they do not add something to your investigation such as better data collection, or better analytical ability, maybe said extra equipment isn't needed. Also consider that if you outlay a ton of money on gadgets and find the paranormal field isn't for you, you now have a lot of useless equipment that is very difficult to re-purpose.

Why would you find the field is not for you? Sleep deprivation, a bad run-in with a dark entity, hours devoted to hunting and not finding anything are valid concerns. It happens.
You'll also find that most of the time ghost hunting is very boring. Hours of tedium waiting for something to happen, and many, many times nothing does happen. In those cases you hope like hell you have a photo with activity, or better still an EVP catch.
This is when the real work begins.
Please, please understand that for every minute of data collected, you are going to spend 1 to 5 minutes examining that minute, if you're truly looking for evidence of life after death. 10 cameras filming for 10 hours? That's 100 hours x 1 to 5 of review. 500 hours? Editing? Saving? Ain't nobody got time for that.
So the key is, keep it simple, unless you have countless hours to spend.

And at all times, do enjoy yourself. I don't mean playing grab ass in the dark, but enjoy the locations, stay positive, enjoy the folks you work with, and do have fun. When a hobby becomes like a job, it is no longer a hobby, it IS a job. A low or non paying job at that.