EVP Newsletter - No 16 - 1979

Magazine Overview

Title: EVP NEWS
Issue: 16
Date: June 1979
Focus: Devoted to the study of Electronic Voice Phenomena (EVP).

This issue marks the return to regular publication for the editor after completing college and seeking employment. The newsletter features updates on ongoing research, interviews, and discussions within the EVP community.

Editor's Personal Note

The editor expresses gratitude to readers for their patience during a period of delay due to college training and job searching. They anticipate a return to a more normal publication schedule.

Research Updates and Interviews

Gilbert Bonner's Work

The editor reports on a visit to Gilbert Bonner to hear more of his "voices" and plans to publish a detailed report in a future issue. Bonner's own contribution in this issue discusses his experiences and research, including his rejection of the unconscious PK theory as the sole mechanism for voice production, while acknowledging the unconscious mind's potential role. He notes that while hypnosis can tap the unconscious, there's no evidence it can manifest voices on command, suggesting a "dimensional phenomena" at play. Bonner also mentions that recorded voices sometimes repeat themselves over long periods, and he addresses the Ellis report, dismissing it as a misrepresentation of genuine recordings.

Survival Research Foundation (SRF)

The latest newsletter from the SRF in America, "HOTLINE," is highlighted. It contains articles on EVP, including details from Richard Sheargold's experiments, which determined voices are audio frequency phenomena, not related to radio frequencies. An article by Birl Weisensale on the modulated noise theory and a possible circuit for obtaining voices is also mentioned. Raymond Cass's work is also featured. "HOTLINE" is available from SRF for a minimum donation of $4.50.

Revd. Thomas Maddock's Work in Tasmania

The editor notes the ongoing work of Revd. Thomas Maddock in Tasmania, expressing satisfaction that someone is actively pursuing EVP research there. Maddock has sent data on the "Jurgenson frequency," a special frequency he uses. The editor plans to discuss this further but offers to provide more information to interested readers upon request.

Interview with Friedrich Jurgenson

An interview with Friedrich Jurgenson, the discoverer of the electronic voice phenomenon, conducted by the magazine "Esotera," is presented. Jurgenson discusses:

• Scientific Explanations: Technical experts are baffled by how voices appear on tape, noting that new voices sometimes become audible during tape rewinding. These phenomena defy current technical understanding of time and space. Experts like Prof. T Laurent (physicist and electronics expert) and Koell Stenssen (technical manager of "Sveriges radio") testified that the voices are of unknown, paranormal origin after years of testing.
• Collaboration: Jurgenson worked with these experts for two to three years, along with others like Lemke and Prof. Hans Bender. He believes the phenomenon would have been dismissed if it weren't genuine.
• Recording Techniques: Recordings were made in totally shielded areas and outdoors with battery power, yielding similar results. Influences from power lines and telephones were eliminated. Voices were noted to be stronger and clearer on moonlit nights, especially during full moons.
• Atmospheric Influence: Investigations into atmospheric interference, such as thunderstorms, led to the conclusion that the phenomenon is an electromagnetic process influenced by Earth's magnetic fields, solar eruptions, and northern lights. The influence of the moon is emphasized.
• Psychophone and Electronic Helpers: Jurgenson has not tested devices like the psychophone himself but believes results depend on the experimenter's relationship with the manifesting entities, not the equipment. He states that if the "dead do not turn on their radar," there will be no voices or only weak ones.
• Improving Reception: Quality improvements are best made during playback using proper filters to remove noise and boost voices. Technicians can significantly enhance recordings.
• Amateur Researchers: Jurgenson expresses concern about amateur researchers who unconsciously use their activity to support particular ideologies, sometimes leading to "contacts" with UFOs, angels, or mediators with world-saving recipes. He stresses the need for an objective and critical mind.
• National/International Organization: He favors a national or international organization for exchanging technical ideas and objective information, but acknowledges the vast unknowns about the phenomenon and the difficulties faced even by "friends on a higher plane."
• Technical Experimentation: Jurgenson suggests that efforts are more useful when focused on being open-minded, persevering, and searching intelligently and intuitively, rather than solely on technical experimentation. He believes friends on higher planes would not let them down.

Cyril Luck's Reply to Alan Gregg

Cyril Luck responds to Alan Gregg's contribution in Issue 10 regarding prayer in EVP research. Luck questions Gregg's circle's reply that petitionery prayer is "self-indulgent" and asks for clarification on praying for others. He notes that prominent EVP researchers like Jurgenson, Raudive, Cass, Bonner, and Vinter do not use prayer in their taping sessions, with Mike Vinter stating it is unnecessary or beneficial. Luck suggests that if communication with the spirit world is possible, the difficulty might lie in humanity's spiritual immaturity.

Mike Vinter on Paranormal Voices (EVP)

Mike Vinter discusses psycho-kinesis as a property of subconscious brain areas, advising instant, non-conscious responses to voice entities to allow them to employ energy for modulations. He addresses the dangers of delusion but argues that the relevance and content of many voices, which mention known people and answer questions directed at living persons, rule out coincidence. Vinter suspects that methods similar to Jurgenson's, enabling long conversations, are being used by others, including Herr Graepel in Ireland. He speculates that while the "obvious fear" is that EVP is solely from our subconscious, his results indicate an "outside intelligence" utilizing subconscious energy to manufacture communications, suggesting the need to identify the "user(s)".

Publications Mentioned

• THE FORTEAN TIMES: A magazine of strange phenomena, established in 1973, covering topics from flying saucers to unusual deaths. A one-year subscription is £3.00.
• THE MEDIUMSHIP OF THE TAPE RECORDER: A controversial book by D.J. Ellis detailing his investigation into EVP, available to EVP News readers for £1.50.

Contact Information

• Editor's New Address: Alan Cleaver, 12 Lime Tree Avenue, Old Bilton, RUGBY, Warwickshire, CV22 7QT, England.
• EVP News Subscription: £1.20 per annum, available from Alan Cleaver at the above address. Issued monthly.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around the scientific and philosophical aspects of Electronic Voice Phenomena. There is a strong emphasis on empirical research, the need for objectivity and critical thinking among researchers, and the ongoing debate about the source of EVP voices – whether they originate from the unconscious mind, external intelligences, or other paranormal means. The editorial stance appears to be one of open inquiry, encouraging rigorous investigation while cautioning against ideological biases and unsubstantiated claims. The importance of distinguishing genuine phenomena from misinterpretations or psychological projections is a consistent concern.