Frequently Asked Questions

Will the original MiniBox be discontinued? I want one and don't want to buy an obsolete product.

Like all manufacturers I keep improving our designs. The original MiniBox was, and is, a revolutionary product, and still perfectly fills the needs of many people. When I designed our digital units, I considered dropping the original Mini from the lineup, but the demand is such that it will stay on indefinitely. It has features that appeal to everyone and is the easiest of the Boxes to use. So instead of retiring it, I have cleaned it up a bit inside and it will stay as part of my permanent offerings.

What is the MiniBox? How does it differ from Frank's Ghost Box?

As you are probably aware, Frank Sumption doesn't sell the boxes he makes. He will give them to selected persons, but there are still about forty in existence, and your chance of obtaining one is remote. Frank has published his findings and methods publicly on the web. I have studied them closely and have created a design which performs like his but uses much different circuitry to acomplish the job. The MiniBox is not a duplicate of Frank's Ghost Box, nor does it use his design; my intention was to provide an affordable version that would allow people to experience this penomenon directly.

It works in the same way, by scanning the AM radio band at a selectable rate. The signals received form portions of words and phrases that, under the right circumstances, combine to make intelligible responses to questions asked in the presence of the box. Many clips recorded from Franks Ghost Box are on the web and I invite you to listen to them, and compare them with this sample from our prototype. You will quickly see that the MiniBox provides clear and interference-free audio.

The MiniBox is a portable device that can be used anywhere and has its own internal rechargeable battery pack. Detailed specs and further information are available in the MiniBox section.

How does it differ from the Radio Shack 'Shack Hack'?

The 'Shack Hack' is a modification that can be applied to certain models of Radio Shack portable radios and was created by Sum Duc and popularized by Mike Coletta. For many persons this is an excellent way to get a feel for the ITC process and many persons report success using this method.

It does require cutting, modifying and assembly - disassembly of a small device and requires good eyesight and considerable dexterity. There is also the possibility of destroying the radio in the process.

The completed product scans at a slow rate and will spend more time on strong stations than weak ones so it not the optimal solution for serious work. However it is a place to start and is an excellent introduction to ITC for the beginner. If you find that ITC research is of interest you may consider adding a MiniBox to your equipment because it is designed and built expressly for ITC work and is not a compormise.

The MiniBox is a portable device that can be used anywhere and has its own internal rechargeable battery pack. Detailed specs and further information are available in the MiniBox section.

 Is the MiniBox an electronic Ouija board? Can I be harmed by it?

No, the MiniBox is NOT an electronic Ouija board. The Ouija board is powered by a combination of the user's mental energy plus the energy of entities wishing to communicate. In essence, the Ouija board is an open invitation to enter a persons home, to any and all things - good or bad.

The MiniBox is different in that the person using it is not providing any form of 'psychic' energy. It is quite the reverse. The MiniBox provides the energy and 'voice power' so that any entity wishing to communicate must use the energy provided by the MiniBox. The user provides nothing but questions. There is no direct link, as in the use of a Ouija board, so no harm can come to the user. The worst you can expect is bad language, which happens sometimes. Once you switch off the box, the link, as such, is gone. No residual energy remains. The Box has been tested by many persons of all ages, sexes, and abilities. Nobody has reported any unpleasant experiences, either during or after a session.

I have heard that to use a ghost box, you have to be one of 30 in the world, or have psychic powers. Is this true?

This particular comment originated with a follower of Frank Sumption, who charges $250 or more for a half-hour telephone session with his 'Franks Box', which was given to him for nothing. If everyone who wanted one could have a Box, it would cut into his income severely. I believe this statement is negative and self-serving - and untrue. Frank Sumption, the creator and foremost authority on ghost boxes, believes that anyone should be able to gain access or own a box. And more importantly, no special talents are needed to get full use from the Box.

Our goal is to get past these gatekeepers and allow any researcher who wants to experience ITC to have full access. We encourage responsible adult use and experimentation. The persons who have used the MiniBox have all had excellent results, and the majority of there persons were NOT psychics, clairvoyants, or one of the selected 30.

The MiniBox was designed for use by everyone, not just a chosen few.

Do you have a rental or leasing plan?

No, I do not rent or lease any of my devices. The principal reason is that, like a newborn child, the MiniBox will imprint with the first person, or persons, that have sessions with it. I was not aware of this effect until one of my chief testers and demonstrators pointed out that she preferred using 'her' MiniBox, prototype #3, even though all the prototypes were essentially identical. It seemed to work better for her than the others. It turned out that she was the first multi-session user on that Box, although several others had used it before her. Although there is no scientific reason I can provide, it does seem that a MiniBox will seem to work the best with the first person that has a series of sessions with it.

This is a very unscientific explanation, but the only one that appears to explain what I have observed. This is a new area of exploration and we learn something new every day.

I am a long time paranormal researcher heading up a group and would like a MiniBox for evaluation. Can you send me one at no charge?

The MiniBox is a sophisticated electronic device that is expensive to manufacture. Since my goal is to place it into as many hands as possible for the purposes of research, I build and distribute them as a price close to my actual costs. For that reason I do not give or loan them out. They are priced well within the budget of any paranormal group.

Should any person or foundation wish to donate funds in order to place these units in selected groups at no charge, I will be happy to work out such an arrangement.