EVP Newsletter - No 12 - 1979

Magazine Overview

Title: EVP NEWS
Issue: No 12
Date: February 1979
Focus: Devoted to the study of the Electronic Voice Phenomenon (EVP).

News from Friedrich Jurgenson

This section introduces the main content of the issue, which features articles and an interview with Friedrich Jurgenson, the discoverer of the Electronic Voice Phenomenon. Jurgenson had previously promised to send his own articles to clarify information that was misrepresented in a prior interview. The articles aim to provide a clearer understanding of his work, covering both technical and spiritual aspects of EVP, and detailing how he has contacted the deceased. Jurgenson also discusses how entities achieve their voices and mentions the use of 'radar' to amplify voices and reduce background noise. The newsletter plans to publish Jurgenson's articles in three parts, with the first part, a transcript of an interview with the German magazine "Esotera", to be included in the March issue.

EVP News - Subs

This section announces that subscriptions for EVP News are due. It marks the end of the first year's subscriptions and thanks readers for their support. The subscription price remains unchanged at £1.20 per annum for England. For readers outside Europe, the cost is £4.50 per annum for air mail delivery, or the standard rate for surface mail. Cheques and postal orders should be made payable to Alan Cleaver, with contact addresses provided for both UK and international subscribers.

Is EVP Contagious?

This article explores the suggestion from Dutch EVP researcher A. Mechelsen that EVP might be contagious, similar to the common cold, and that various phenomena like UFOs and mediums might be interconnected. Mechelsen, who sits in a circle weekly to attempt direct voice, has received EVP in a polyglot mode and modulating noise. He recounts an accidental recording of an extra voice during a TV program playback.

Ghosts

A brief anecdote is shared about a woman on a TV program discussing a ghost, where a paranormal voice interrupted saying "He needs rescue." The article notes that while it might refer to the ghost, it's uncertain.

The Mediumship of the Tape Recorder - D J Ellis

This section reviews a book by David Ellis that studies the electronic voice phenomenon, detailing experiments and work with researchers like Raudive. The book is available at a special price of £1.50 to newsletter readers.

Continuing the Phenomena of Friedrich Jurgenson

This part presents an analysis by Prof. Hans Bender of the Institut fur Grenzgebiete der Psychologie und Psychohygiene in Freiburg, Germany, concerning Jurgenson's work. It details an experiment involving a minute of silence, during which a recording was made. The recording contained a phrase identified as "STOP - AS YOU LIKE....." and "ONE PAUSE." The analysis suggests a paranormal origin, making counter-hypotheses like whispering improbable due to pronunciation and context.

Counter-Hypothesis Analysis

Further analysis dismisses radio fragments as a cause, noting that Jurgenson does not pronounce English words with an American accent. An experiment on May 6th, 1970, involving Jurgenson, Bender, Keil, and Belanger, produced a recording where Jurgenson said, "He said it was all suggestion you understand - 'NEIN MEINE FREUNDE' (No my friends) - therefore." Keil and Bender understood this, and subsequent comparisons of recordings indicated that if it were whispering, it would have been emphasized by the directional microphone. The article concludes that a paranormal origin is probable.

Intelligibility Measurement

A measurement of intelligibility was conducted in collaboration with J. Sotscheck from the Acoustic Research Group in Berlin. This involved analyzing five recordings (TANNER, TANNER; VON WO; ABER ZUSS; RASMUS and STOP AS YOU LIKE, ONE PAUSE) with a group of listeners. The results showed that while free interpretation lacked agreement, a multiple-choice grading correctly identified 3 out of 5 recordings with statistical significance. The recordings "VON WO" (54% correct), "ABER ZUSS" (46% correct), and "STOP AS YOU LIKE ONE PAUSE" (62% correct) were analyzed. The difficulty in interpreting other recordings was attributed to proper names unknown to the graders.

Visible Speech Analysis

Similar syllables were given for the free interpretation of the word TANNER, but the correct word sound was not always achieved. The word 'RASUS' was misunderstood. The article notes that the more ambiguous the visible speech analysis, the greater the differences in free interpretation. An example is given for the recording (VON T70), where visible speech analysis provided specific phonetic details.

Sotscheck's Contribution

Sotscheck explains that the unfavorable signal-to-noise ratio in recordings leads to great difficulties in understanding. While acknowledging the developed ability of experimenters to differentiate sounds, he stresses the importance of considering projection. For future investigations, a room with minimal echo and a screened tape recorder with directional microphones are recommended to exclude counter-hypotheses.

Experimental Apparatus and Goals

The article suggests devising experiments to determine the location of the assumed influence, starting with the microphone, and investigating various points of impact, including electronics and tape-heads. The paramount problem for parapsychological study is the demonstration of paranormal origin and the closer identification of the assumed point of impingement, likely psychokinetic influence.

Acknowledgements

Thanks are extended to Friedrich Jurgenson for his cooperation and to the Downton Paraphysical Laboratory, the Institut fur Grenzgebiete der Psychologie und Psychohygiene, and M. Cassirer for allowing the reproduction of the series.

The Fortean Times

This section briefly introduces "The Fortean Times," a magazine dedicated to strange and weird phenomena, continuing the work of Charles Fort. It lists its subscription details.

Interview with Friedrich Jurgenson

This is the first part of an interview with Friedrich Jurgenson, originally published in the German magazine "Esotera." Jurgenson discusses how his involvement with EVP has changed his life, dedicating his energy to this problem and his belief in life after death and other dimensions. He spends 10-12 hours daily recording and listening to EVP, using a technique that doesn't overly exert him. He mentions a team of deceased individuals, some of whom he knew in life, who have been working with him for 15 years. He believes they initiated the project with him due to his good hearing, language skills, ability to concentrate, and lack of personal ambition interfering with the work.

Language and Voices

Jurgenson explains that voices use a polyglot mix of languages because a voice speaking only one language with perfect grammar would be suspected of being a regular radio announcer. He states that the deceased have no language preference, and his group includes individuals from various nationalities who understand each other.

Voices of Living Persons

Jurgenson confirms receiving voices of people who were dying, including a patient with a brain tumor who stated she was alive and in "space." He also recounts a voice saying, "Tell her something, that gets on tape at Friedels," and another saying, "You can speak about survival." The dying woman's voice then said, "I had cancer." He has also had cases where sleeping people manifested on tape and spoke with the dead. However, he has not received voices of living, wide-awake people, despite trying to concentrate and record them.

Other Researchers and Mrs. Lizz Werneryd

While other voice researchers may not have recorded answers to his questions, Jurgenson mentions that his "invisible friends" have contacted Mrs. Lizz Werneryd in Sweden without his knowledge, providing her with predictions and information. Her recordings are described as deeply affecting and impressive.

Next Month's Issue

The next issue will continue the interview with Jurgenson, featuring his own work, predictions made by the voices, their use of radar, and conditions in their dimension.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

This issue strongly centers on the work and experiences of Friedrich Jurgenson, the pioneer of Electronic Voice Phenomenon (EVP). The editorial stance is one of promoting and disseminating research in this field, aiming to clarify misunderstandings and share findings with a wider audience. There is a clear belief in the reality of EVP and its implications for understanding life after death and other dimensions. The newsletter actively encourages reader participation through subscriptions and contributions, fostering a community of researchers and enthusiasts. The recurring themes include the technical aspects of EVP recording, the nature of the voices and their origins, the potential for paranormal communication, and the philosophical implications of these phenomena on one's worldview. The publication also highlights the work of other researchers and related organizations, suggesting a broad interest in anomalous phenomena beyond just EVP.