The AA-EVP offers several venues of support to its membership:

• Quarterly NewsJournal publication.

• Address-sharing list for those who are interested in communicating with other experimenters. This list is known as the "Member Registry."

• Access to the AA-EVP Archive which contains the majority of quarterly  AA-EVP NewsJournals published since May, 1982.

• Access to the AA-EVP Idea Exchange discussion board. Here you can hear and see examples and share your work while asking for help from other members.

• The AA-EVP support research via the Sarah Estep Research Fund and Best Practices Development.

• The AA-EVP has provided the Best Practices Development as a platform for the larger community of people interested in etheric studies to document "lessons learned" so that all can benefit from their experience.

• The AA-EVP is now certifying members who have demonstrated the ability and willingness to help record for EVP in an attempt to reach loved ones for other people. These members are known as AA-EVP Certified.

In 1982, AA-EVP founder, Sarah Estep, introduced the phrase, "Established to provide objective evidence that we survive death in an individual conscious state," which is now included in the AA-EVP NewsJournal. Current directors Tom and Lisa Butler have been careful to continue this view as a fundamental goal of the Association.

The AA-EVP averages around 500 members in 47 US states and 22 countries including the USA (current: 2008). Members understand that this "objective evidence" must be based on good science. As such, great care is taken by members to maintain an objective view of these phenomena. The evidence strongly indicates that the messages are nonphysical in origin; however, members also recognize that there are other possible explanations.

The AA-EVP members are today experimenting with a wide variety of devices and testing many different concepts. The most common experimental approach is the use of a digital voice recorder or audio tape recorder and optional background sound source. An approach that is gaining wide acceptance is recording with a computer, rather than a tape recorder. Interestingly, telephone-based devices such as answering machines are also used. Video cameras and computer-based video editing software are gaining popularity as well. Virtually any device that can record information can be used to capture Electronic Voice Phenomena or Instrumental TransCommunication.

New Tools:  Perhaps one of the most important developments in EVP during the past ten years is the introduction of audio and video editing software for personal computers.

• In Video ITC (Instrumental TransCommunication), it is now economically feasible to purchase software and a circuit card that will turn a personal computer into a sophisticated video editing tool. One important capability of this tool is the ability to review individual video frames as if they were individual photographs. Video capture into the computer, editing, and selective saving are capabilities that make it possible for anyone, even with a very inexpensive video device, to conduct Video experiments.
  

• Sound editing software, such as Audacity, permits the use of a personal computer for EVP audio track recording, editing, filtering, time-stretching/compressing, and reversing. The EVP experimenter no longer needs to modify a tape recorder to play an audiotape in the reverse direction. Also, a background sound is commonly used during EVP sessions; sound-editing software permits removal of most background noise while preserving the EVP audio signal.

Research:  The Survival Hypothesis is the working model most often referred to by AA-EVP members as an explanation for all forms of paranormal phenomena which suggest an etheric-to-physical influence (trans-etheric).

 

 

Experimenters believe they are recording information of a nonphysical origin. Their aim now is to improve that communication, and determine who they are communicating with.

• Most members have come to believe they are communicating with people who have transitioned out of physical life.
  

• Some believe that there is a good possibility that the voices they record are little more than information recorded into the "fabric" of the physical world.
  
• A few think the idea that the messages are nonphysical in origin is all nonsense, and are trying to prove this by determining their physical source.

Of these belief sets, the first is most commonly accepted as an explanation for EVP/ITC evidence. Since such evidence that experimenters are receiving communications from deceased persons is considerable, the Association maintains a focus on the nature of possible nonphysical worlds.

Grief Management:  Many AA-EVP members are learning to use EVP for grief management. A medium may reassure a person that a loved one is okay on the other side by delivering a message from that loved one. In a similar way, hearing an EVP recording that has a (sometimes) recognizable voice of a loved one speaking an evidential phrase will do wonders for someone grieving a loss.

AA-EVP members are generally happy to share their ideas about recording techniques and what they have received. Some approach EVP from a very technical and research-oriented view, while others simply like to work with one technique and do their experimenting by analyzing the information they receive.

Interestingly, several AA-EVP members are research scientists. Their titles are not shown on our member lists, however. Just as you may be harboring doubt about this phenomena (and possibly the sanity of Association members!), many institutions feel that a "true scientist" would not be associated with such organizations. Therefore, the Association takes great care to follow the privacy wishes of its members, and it is for this reason that the Idea Exchange is also restricted to members.

The AA-EVP welcomes prospective new members; see the Membership page for more information. Tax-deductible donations to support the work of the AA-EVP are also welcomed and appreciated.