frankl@xrtll.uucp (08/21/90)
I was thinking of putting together a linesman's handset here, and I was wondering, is it really as easy as putting good-quality Alligator Clips onto a rotary dial phone's two wires? I've always wanted to make one of these beasts, and I'd rather not pay the $110 can I've seen them here in surplus stores. Any help appricated.
Julian Macassey <julian@bongo.uucp> (08/22/90)
In article <11090@accuvax.nwu.edu>, frankl@xrtll.uucp writes: > I was thinking of putting together a linesman's handset here, and I > was wondering, is it really as easy as putting good-quality Alligator > Clips onto a rotary dial phone's two wires? Simply put yes. > I've always wanted to make one of these beasts, and I'd rather not > pay the $110 can I've seen them here in surplus stores. Simply speaking, you can get a 500 or 2500 set from a swapmeet or garage sale, add some zip cord and roach clips from Rat Shack and goferit. But I assume you wanted something more portable and less clunky than that. Consider though, just a regular telephone set with leads attached will work very well, it even has a ringer. If you want to look hip, you will feel pretty silly with a 2500 set hanging from your belt. The handset will keep falling off, and the handset cord will tangle. Many "phone rooms" have a wall mounted phone with long test leads a dangling, that provides an in situ buttset for $25.00 or so. If you want to build your own buttset, here is something I have done. Get a Western Electric (AT&T) Trimline phone (The one that looks like a hot dog that people insist on calling a Princess). Discard the base. Open the phone and perform the following surgery. Attach test leads to the Tip and Ring. You can buy real telephone buttset test leads - only $50.00! So I assume you will make your own. You can also add regular Rat Shack roach clips or buy the telco ones which cost $4.00 each. The Telco type clips are designed to attach to 66 blocks and also some have a bed of nails that will penetrate insulated wire for a fast connect. What you have now is a buttset that is touchtone only and has no monitor function. To add the monitor function you need to add a 2 uF (4 is better) 250V mylar cap. This cap is switchable in series with Tip and Ring. When the cap is in series, you can listen but not speak. A miniature toggle switch can fit in the lower part of the earpiece, the cap is best made up of units distributed in nooks and crannies round the set. Put the plastic together again and feel proud of your "do-it-yourself" buttset. Why the real ones cost so much. Real buttsets can survive being dropped from great heights. They come with a real man belt clip so you can bang them against other people's furniture as you stroll around. They have super tough test lead wire. They have a monitor function, some have polarity and other test features. Julian Macassey, n6are julian@bongo.info.com ucla-an!denwa!bongo!julian N6ARE@K6IYK (Packet Radio) n6are.ampr.org [44.16.0.81] voice (213) 653-4495
"Brian P. Crawford" <crawford@enuxha.eas.asu.edu> (08/23/90)
Well, don't know what features you're looking for in a lineman's handset, but I've often used a standard one-piece phone, then built a two-tone tester to go along with it. Is this too primitive?
gw@zombie.dtc.hp.com (Gordon Wilson) (08/24/90)
> I was thinking of putting together a linesman's handset here, and I >was wondering, is it really as easy as putting good-quality Alligator >Clips onto a rotary dial phone's two wires? > I've always wanted to make one of these beasts, and I'd rather not >pay the $110 can I've seen them here in surplus stores. Hello Frank, I have an old linesman handset, rotary dial and heavy black rubber frame. Make me an offer, it has been sitting unused for many years. Gordon Wilson hp@hpdtc.hp.com 1334 Spoonbill Way Sunnyvale, Calif 94087