Small Wars Journal

Friday Files: Counter-Mine Dowsing Rod Science

Fri, 03/05/2010 - 8:44am

Caveat emptor.  Received the email below from John, complete with

his apropos signature line (personal info redacted). His thorough

YouTube Channel is evidence of

his commitment to this "science" and features an eclectic set of clips and soundtracks

in the mix along with his rigorous explanation of the topic.  I'm

shocked, shocked that DoD

and DARPA refused comment.  One would think that after all the experimentation

to come up with a technological nose that can out-rover Fido, they might open their

aperture to lower tech alternatives.  They may get more of these unsolicited

proposals than we do so a little slack might be due, but they are better

staffed.

Happy weekend.

Dear Small Wars Journal,

I've put out on YouTube a 12-part

series on using low-tech methods to counter the low-tech methods in the current

small wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.  Of course, the Dod and DARPA have refused

to even comment on them.  I believe the techniques work, and for pennies, much

like the tactics used by the guerillas.

You may or may not be interested in these YouTube offerings, but they can be

found under "iesigma" or "dowsing rod science." The technique works on coat hangers,

welding rods or other such items energized by the earth's natural electricity (known

since the 1840's).  That means anyone, anywhere can use it.

At any rate, please give at least some of them a try.  Like many things

in science, it does not fit the current paradigm, and is scorned by much (but not

all) of the established.  At the moment, other countries are beginning to put

their  fingers in it.  There are no fee, charges, or commitments.

Write me if you are considering any or all of the videos!  I look forward

to hearing from you.  <snip>

Keep up the good work! 

<snip>

"Good decisions come from experience. Experience comes from making a lot of

bad decisions."  -Anon.

Re: "other countries are beginning to put their fingers in it."  I'm not

really sure what to make of that. Should we brace for a dowsing rod race? Explore

counter-counter-measures? Or just put our fingers in it, too?

Comments

Garrick94

Sat, 10/29/2022 - 5:35am

Counter-Mine Dowsing is a great idea. I am a dowser and have been for over 35 years. As soon as I heard about this book, I ordered it and read it in one sitting. It is well written, easy to understand and has some excellent ideas on how to use the dowsing rods to locate mines or any other underground object. Try this CBI platform for more ideas. The author explains how he came up with this idea and how he has used it over the years. He includes several stories of people who have used his method with success.

Garrick94

Fri, 07/15/2022 - 5:09am

The idea of using a metal rod to detect metal underground has been around for centuries. The use of this method is also known as dowsing, and it involves holding the rod at right angles to the ground and moving it in a circular motion over the ground. The person doing this will feel which direction the rod is pointing when they are using it. I often use https://masterbundles.com/templates/presentations/powerpoint/science/ source to get science related templates. This method relies entirely on one person's ability to sense what is going on in their environment, but there are some issues with it. For example, if someone wants to use this method to find gold or other valuable minerals underground, they will have to know where those minerals are located.

B.J. Aiello

Mon, 03/10/2014 - 4:20pm

Will this never die? In 2009 I was the senior advisor to the Director of Military Engineering(M-10) for the new Iraqi Army(IA). At the time the Iraqi Army Engineers and Bomb Disposal units were desperate to acquire any available means to detect VBIEDs at ECPs.

The Iraqi Police (IP) had purchased a significant quantity of ADE-651 units, and were using them at checkpoints throughout Iraq. I personally observed them in use by ECP guards almost daily at various compounds within the Green Zone. The IP authorities had lent several ADE-651s to the IA Engineers for evaluation. (As it later turned out a notoriously corrupt IP General received kickbacks on the purchase of each device and was attempting to drum up more sales).

We did extensive testing on the ADE-651, GT-200 and others. The Advisor Teams already knew it was snake oil, however we conducted the tests for the benefit of the IA Engineers. I enlisted the help of an Air Force officer with an extensive background in operational test and evaluation. We developed a double blind methodology executed over several weeks at the 6th IA Division's Engineer Regiment, IA Bomb Disposal Regiment, and the IA Bomb Disposal School.

I also contacted the Royal Engineer S&T section in London. They informed me of the ongoing investigation of ASTC by UK law enforcement officials.
Needless to say the IA Engineers did not acquire any of these devices and the 'scandal' broke in the press about a year later when the company founder was arrested.

I did feel sorry for my IA counterparts. They very much wanted the tech to work. They did not want to invest in IED Detection K9s due to their cultural aversion to dogs. The devices also provided a certain psychological boost to the poor illiterate Jundi, charged with the hopeless task of manning the ECPs, who were the inevitable victims of VBIEDs.

Anonymous10 (not verified)

Fri, 03/05/2010 - 10:31am

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ADE_651

"The ADE 651, produced by ATSC (UK), is advertised as a hand-held "remote portable substance detector"...However, investigations by the BBC and other organisations have reported that the device is little more than a "glorified dowsing rod" with no ability to perform its claimed functions"

PaulOConnor

Fri, 03/05/2010 - 9:52am

This is nothing new.

The definitive work on dowsing/divining is a book that started out as a US Army report, called The Divining Hand, by Christopher Bird.

It includes an entire section on the unit set up by the US Army during Vietnam which taught dowsing skills to sergeants to help them locate booby traps, landmines and tunnels.

"The Divining Hand, The 500-Year-Old Mystery of Dowsing", New Age Press, Black Mountain, NC, 1979 , second ed., 1985, p. 289.Author: Christopher Bird.

Major Paul Smith (ex-US Intel and ex-member of US Army remote viewing unit) has produced a number of teaching tools. Some YouTube clips from them below;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_4YsRRl_48
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYwn0c-euYE

Paul O'Connor
Dublin, Ireland

Aw man, I have to wait till I get home to view this on Youtube. Anyone care to fill me in on what the video is about?

Anonymous (not verified)

Sat, 03/06/2010 - 9:25am

Starbuc, you don't have to wait until you get home! Go out and buy yourself a ouija board.

It's the same principle: if you believe - well, you believe! And no, I don't believe.

v/r an old farm boy turned Soldier