Part Three: The Basic Toolkit

It was the fictional Sherlock Holmes who noted that "the game is afoot." He didn't have UFOs in mind, obviously, but a more elusive quarry could hardly be imagined.

If modern-day UFO detectives are to be successful, they'll want to bring the best available hardware and software to bear on their prey. In this installment, we'll review the basic hardware you'll want to carry into the field. From flashlight and camera to the always handy compass, we'll describe the basic equipment any self-respecting UFO hunter needs. As we focus on tools in upcoming months, we'll supplement this basic toolkit with user-friendly software; a high-tech wish list; an access guide to a potpourri of research tools from maps to mailing lists and databases; and even instructions for procuring government documents.

While some tools are absolutely required, others are optional. Some are easy to come by -- the basic compass, for instance -- while others can be acquired only after careful research or trips to a specialty store. In the chapter that follows we'll make general recommendations. Remember, however, especially where electronic and optical equipment is concerned, that prices and quality can vary widely. Also, there's no requirement that you pay retail dollar for any specific tool. Bargains abound out there, from the classified section of your local newspaper to specialist mail-order catalogs, discount warehouses, and army surplus stores. The sky's the limit when it comes to UFO-detection equipment, but so is personal creativity. Some of you may even want to build or jerry-rig tools of your own. In the end, your basic UFO tool kit can be as simple or sophisticated as you like,depending on your budget and your needs. But no UFO sleuth can skip the essentials, and that is where we begin.

The absolute necessities of any UFO investigator's tool kit start with what I call the three P's -- pen or pencil and paper. A written record of your investigation, which includes personal notes and witness interviews, is absolutely essential. No matter how reliable the brand name, electronic equipment is always subject to potential disaster. Tapes break, batteries fail, cameras and recorders get dropped, especially under field conditions.And although cameras and camcorders can offer documentary exactitude, the sunsets and it can also rain -- all outside your control.

The paper, of course, should be in notebook, as opposed to loose-leaf, form. I prefer a little 5-by-8-inch pad, instead of letter or legal sizes, because it's easier to drop in a vest or jacket pocket when you're done with it.

And please remember when you're out in the field: Your notebook can doubleas a sketchpad. Alongside your own written notes, be sure to sketch thehorizon of the sighting scene, noting any visible landmarks, such as powerlines, trees, or water towers. Then ask the witness or witnesses to draw inthe shape of the object when first sighted and its trajectory, and ask themto date and sign it.

A reliable compass will come in handy at this point. Determine magnetic north and indicate same on your sketch. Directional findings are most useful for eliminating known objects and phenomena like planets, airplane flight patterns, and so on, but they can also literally point you in the direction of additional witnesses. Like pocket change, a good compass can serve two utilitarian purposes. Besides giving directions, it can also act as a crude magnetometer, a device for measuring changes in local magnetic fields, although obviously it can't determine the strength or degree of that change.

But assume that you're investigating a UFO case in which associated electromagnetic effects have been reported, such as the stalling of a car's engine or the failure of its electrical system. It's still possible to make a preliminary assessment of magnetic-field fluctuations or variations using nothing more elaborate than a good, reliable compass, previously calibrated, or confirmed, as indicating true north. The technique is fairly simple; in fact, it was even laid out as early as 1968 in the University of Colorado's Scientific Study of Unidentified Flying Objects, otherwise known as the Condon Report.

Here's how it might work. Take the car (or any other nearby piece of metal) reportedly affected, and, using your compass at a distance, note its present magnetic orientation. Now take at least 10 or 15 similar readings at evenly spaced intervals, say every 10 to 15 inches, around the perimeter of the hood or trunk of the car. If you're facing the car, for example, take your first measurement just behind the front left headlight and proceed parallel to the left side of the car until you reach the hood hinge in front of the windshield. Continue to take and record readings from the left side of the car to the driver's side, then proceed forward until you end just behind the right headlight, having executed an upside-down U. Carefully record magnetic north or the deviation from magnetic north at each point.

Crude as they may be, these 15 or so "soundings" represent a sort of magnetic "signature," so to speak. To confirm that any significant magnetic field was actually encountered (or altered), a comparison test should be run on a control car of the same year and model, using the same compass and taking readings at the same evenly spaced points, or intervals. Remember to orient the control car (or other metallic object) in the same direction as the originally affected car. Another word of caution: Don't place the compass directly on the car hood or other metal object being tested; instead, insert your paper notebook (or some other non-conductive material) between the two.

Expect to pay no more than $15 for a good-quality compass. For another $20 or so, Forestry Suppliers (800-360-7788), an engineering supply house, offers compasses calibrated to the northern hemisphere with luminous dials and built-in clinometer for measuring heights and slopes of up to 90 degrees. In addition, the company also sells a 214-page instruction manual for beginners unfamiliar with how to read maps and compasses.

We'll cover the subject of maps in detail later, but for now, sketch out your own map, indicating any prominent landmarks. If you happen to have a detailed map of the region, make notations on that as well.

The witness should also indicate the angle at which any UFO was seen. This can only be an approximation at best, obviously, but it still remains useful in post-investigative terms. For example, if Venus or the brightest star in the heavens, Sirius, can be shown to have been in the same general direction and altitude at the same time as the reported UFO, then Venus or Sirius becomes at least a prime candidate or suspect. Again, this can be determined by handing the notebook to the witness and letting him or her determine the angle as best as possible. Later, a common plastic protractor, available from graphic and art supply houses, can be used to arrive at the approximate angle.

For the next tool of the trade, just look in your pocket. I'll bet anything you can stick your hand in and pull out a few coins. Take that dime and simply ask the eyewitness to hold it at arm's length and compare it to theapparent size of the object seen and reported. Was the UFO smaller or larger? (You may be surprised to find that two full moons can easily hide behind a single dime.) If distance can later be established with any degree of certainty, this could permit a reliable approximation of the object's actual size or diameter. You may substitute pennies, nickels, and quarters, or even the lid of a styrofoam cup as the situation warrants.

Another basic is also readily available: a supply of plastic bags, preferably ones with a zip closure, especially if the UFO is reported to have affected the environment, leaving behind crushed vegetation or ground indentations. Mark each sample bag with a permanent laundry marker or masking tape and pen. Be sure to collect several control samples as well, beginning nearby and moving progressively further from the reported contactor landing site, carefully labeling each one and indicating its position on a map, hand-drawn or otherwise, of the immediate area. Ideally, these samples should be turned over to a laboratory for analysis as soon as possible. If you can't afford to hire a private laboratory on your own -- and most of us can't -- try inquiring at the relevant department (biology, chemistry, or physics) of your local college or university. You may also wish to contact one of the established UFO organizations to see if they have someone on the staff willing to assist in any material analysis. Request a copy of the final report in exchange for your samples.

I would also recommend two flashlights -- one penlight and one regular-size -- with back-up batteries for both (as well as for any other battery-operated equipment). In a pinch, the penlight can be clamped between your teeth for note-taking or compass-reading at night. If your compass has luminous markings, they can be charged with a brief exposure of light. The larger light can be used for everything from illuminating a distant tree line to changing a flat tire in the middle of a field.

Some hunters like to pack a powerful, hand-held searchlight as a means of "signaling" any approaching UFO. Readily available commercial models range in luminosity from 100,000 candlepower up to one million candlepower. Thelatter, 25 times brighter than an automobile headlight on high beam, is capable of spotting objects up to 10 miles away. The Forestry Suppliers catalog carries spotlights ranging in price from approximately $30 to $65, although accessories like spare batteries and bulbs and a carcigarette-lighter attachment can add another $30 to $45 to the final cost.

The basic UFO hunter's field kit should also include an audio tape recorder and a camera of some sort. These should be regarded as necessary accessories to, not substitutes for, the already-mentioned tools. I prefer a mini-cassette recorder because, like the smaller notebook pad, it can easily be slipped into a shirt or coat pocket. Get one with the most advanced features you can afford, beginning with voice-activation and counter. The counter will prove extremely helpful when it comes to transcribing your interviews later. Observe the Boy Scout motto to always be prepared and never venture into the field with new equipment, electronic or otherwise, that you haven't previously tested and familiarized yourself with.

Like tape recorders, cameras come in a bewildering cornucopia of choice, each with its own advantages and drawbacks. Instant photographic process cameras, for example, convey immediacy at the expense of resolution and other photographic factors. They serve best as a sort of surrogate notepad. Photograph the site during daytime and have the witness draw the UFO on the actual print; then have him or her indicate the angle above the horizon of the UFO with an outstretched arm. Take two photographs of each scene, if you don't want the original marked over. If physical side effects have been reported, by all means document them with the camera if that's all you have. A picture, worth a potential thousand words, is better than no picture at all.

Thirty-five-millimeter cameras have proliferated to such a degree in recent years that it would be impossible to single out any specific model as the agreed upon "best" for this or that purpose. Some so-called "point-and-shoot" auto-focus cameras with built-in zoom lenses and pop-up flash attachments virtually rival their manufacturer's professional lines in terms of the final product. Again, assume that much or most of your investigation will be conducted under less than ideal conditions. Where photography is involved this means low light levels. Consequently, your camera should have a built-in flash or a "hot shoe" for attaching a separate flash unit. Flash photography is notoriously tricky, however, and once again you should familiarize yourself with taking pictures under various lighting conditions before venturing into the field. This applies even to the newest generation of allegedly "idiot-proof" cameras. I would also recommend you keep your camera loaded with a relatively high-speed color negative (as opposed to slide or transparency) film, one with an ASA rating of 1000, 1600, or higher, especially if you think you may have the opportunity to actually photograph a UFO yourself. What you lose in terms of resolution you'll more than gain back in terms of light-gathering capabilities. As with batteries, always take more film than you think you'll need.

Photography is an art that can't be taught here, but you should be aware of at least two techniques. First, if at all possible, be sure to include some reference point (a house or tree) in any UFO picture. A small speck of light against a dark backdrop is almost useless for analysis, no matter how big it's blown up or enlarged. If you don't see any immediate reference point through the viewfinder, try turning the picture angle from the normal horizontal view to a vertical one. If that doesn't work, try zooming back from the UFO until a reference point does appear in the frame and snap your picture then.

The range of a typical zoom lens is from 28mm to 35mm (wide angle) to 105mm to 135mm when fully zoomed or telescoped. If you plan to use a larger telescopic lens, say, 200mm to 300mm, in order to achieve maximum magnification, be aware that you'll probably need a lightweight tripod for steadiness. If you're caught in the field without a tripod, steady the camera against some solid object, the roof of a car, for example, if available. In a pinch, use someone's shoulder.

Videocameras have advanced by leaps and bounds in recent years as well, as far as basic features and capabilities are concerned. Most of the major electronic manufacturers -- Sony, Panasonic, and so on -- now offer off-the-shelf CCD (charge-coupled device) camcorders with 12x zoom lenses capable of capturing reasonable images in low-light conditions, usually one lux or better. Such cameras can typically be found within the $700 to $900 price range, depending on included features. If your budget permits, get one with "steady-cam" (to counteract vibration) and auto-focusing capabilities already on board.

Whether you're using a still camera or videocamera, I recommend that you take along a lightweight tripod. This will not only provide increased stability (and therefore sharpness) for any pictures taken, it will also free your hands and eyes for other activities. A tripod should be considered especially if your investigation involves an alleged UFO "hotspot," that is, circumstances under which a UFO is said to be roaming the immediate area, and could conceivably reappear at virtually any moment.

Finally, you'll want a pair of binoculars with neck strap and a star chart. Edmund Scientific (609-573-6260) carries the latter for only $2.75. As with cameras, binoculars come in a bewildering variety and price range. Opt for a comfortable combination of weight and optical quality, and expect to pay anywhere from $75 to $300. Binoculars are described by both their magnification power and lens diameter; thus, 7x50 binoculars give you a 50mm lens diameter with seven power magnification, adequate for UFO hunting.