Topic: Telephone to the dead or a sham? - Frank's Box

[Shaman]

If this was a subject for a previous topic, I apologize.  I thought I would put it out there and see what people thought.

I was listening to a paranormal radio program the other day.  They were interviewing a Bishop who was also a paranormal investigator.  The Bishop said that people could generally stay out of trouble, as long as they were not provoking.  He mentioned the Ouija board, and said that someone told him that he had used the board many times, and never had any problems. The Bishop said you need to close that sentence by saying "YET".  So, someone else asked if he thought Frank's Box was the same thing.  He didn't directly answer.  I think he said that the instrument itself is not evil, but the intention of the maker has to be considered.  Well, I had never heard of Frank's Box, so I started searching the internet to see what I could learn.  Does anyone remember a movie from years back, I believe it was called White Noise...where someone listed to radio frequencies looking for spirit messages?  Well, apparently, there are people that do that.  From what I have gathered, Frank's box is a scanning radio set up which a guy named Frank Sumption invented.  It should be noted that Frank didn't seem to make it for financial gain.  In fact, it appears that he didn't make very many of them at all.

There are quite a few believers, and quite a few skeptics.  It should be noted that a lot of paranormal research groups seem to recognize this as a valid investigatory device.  There is a Radio Shack radio that seems to work, though I don't know if it is currently available, or there is a paranormal group that makes a special set up, in a case for about $500.00.

Listening to the scanned frequencies with "messages" coming through is really aggravating to me.  I don't think that I am patient enough for that.  I would end up trying to tune it to the spirit station so they could talk without all the interference but apparently, they are using the interference, or white noise to communicate.  I wonder if the experience would be different if you did it in person, verses trying to listen to it from a recording.

Let me know what you all think!

Demonstration of someone using Radio Shack model.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yujx7N17w-Q&feature=related

Another person using Radio Shack model.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcSEhif16vA&feature=related

Link for company that makes a super duper model for sale, complete with case.

http://www.paranormalsystems.com/basic_minibox.html

[Jim]

  Definitely an interesting area.  I do remember seeing the movie.  Seems like it centered more around TV white noise though.  I don't remember the radios.  It's been quite some time since I've seen it though so it might be worth watching again.

I've kind of got a mixed opinion on this actually.  I listened to the recordings and I have to admit it sounds like actual answers to the questions asked.  I listened to them several times without looking at the text depiction of what was being said and each time I heard something different. 

This would be pretty easy to set up as long as a scanning radio was available.  Guess I'll have to take a look at Radio Shack next time I am in there and see what they have. 

Great topic Shaman.  I hope some more members come along and comment.

[Shaman]

Did a little more research.  Apparently, two Radio Shack radios will work, but both of them need minor modification.   

Radio Shack Model 12-469 available for $25.00
http://www.radioshack.com/sm-digital-am-fm-pocket-radio--pi-2104001.html

Radio Shack Model 12-470 available for $39.99
http://www.radioshack.com/sm-digital-am-fm-weather-tv-pocket-radio--pi-2103047.html

Here is a link with two detailed videos on how to do the modification for each type of radio.
http://www.free-paranormalinvestigating.com/franksboxjoesbox/id16.html

Lasty, this is a link for a yahoo group that is dedicated to real time spirit communication.
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/rtsc/

[Jayrod1972]

I seen the movie White Noise, and the only thing I remember about radios in the movie was when he turned the radio on the stations change and something was said, and when the dad died at the end of the movie the radio was on the vehicle and the dead father changed the and a voice came out of the radio. I personally never have heard of this device, the only thing I can remember is if you played a vynal record backwards you could evil messages. But, I think it would be neat to get a radio and see if anything is said.

[Jim]

Dianna and I bought Aunt Bonnie one of the 12-469 radios for her birthday.  I just finished modifying it per the instructions Shaman posted.  I still need to get her a small pair of speakers as the headphones just won't do.  We'll see how this works and report on it here in this topic.

Is anyone else trying this?

[Shaman]

Jim, I still don't know if I am going to try this.  I am waiting to see what kind of result you get first.  Let us know when you get your speakers and test it, and what your experience is like.

[Jim]

I'm sure we will try this on the weekend.  Dianna has to work so we will be going down to Summerville.  I'll take my video camera and set it up when we try it.  Like most other areas of the paranormal, there are those that saw this is all a hoax.  We'll keep an open mind and see what happens.

[Dianna]

I have watched the movie "White Noise", but have never heard of Frank's Box. I guess this will be an unusual weekend if we will be trying to figure out how it works...

Usually if I hear white noise on the radio, I turn the channel. Don't know how much of this that I will be able to actually listen to...

[Bonnie]

Do you think we can record it with the digital recorder and clean it up with audacity? Oh when I say we I mean Jim  with the we part, (me and Dianne watchin')

[Jim]

Thought I would bump this topic as we are getting quite a bit of interest lately for some reason.  Aunt Bonnie still hasn't tested hers.  I think she is waiting for me.  I guess I'll try to set up the video camera and see if we get something soon.

Did anyone else do the mod for the Radio Shack radio?