Home >> Hobbies >> Other Hobbies

How to Make a Linesman's Hand Set

A lineman's hand set is a special phone used by phone company personnel to check the status of telephone lines. They've also made several cameo appearances in spy movies as a low tech way to listen in on telephone conversations clandestinely. In addition to being called a lineman's hand set it is often referred to as a test set, a butt set or a beige box.

Things You'll Need

Phone cord coupler
Hacksaw
Wire cutter
Electrical tape
2 alligator clips
All-in-one phone handset

Instructions

- 1
  Cut a phone cord coupler in half along the raised ridge in the center of the box with a hacksaw. This will expose the red, green, yellow and black interior wires.
- 2
  Cut the wires in half to create two separate halves of coupler.
- 3
  Cut off the yellow and black wires. These are used for a second line which you not need. Strip the last inch off the green wire and red wire.
- 4
  Connect one alligator clip to the end of each stripped wire. Some alligator clips will screw on and some will require twisting wires together. If you have a wire twist connection, cover it with electrical tape.
- 5
  Insert the male connector on the end of the phone cord from the all-in-one headset into the female receptacle on the coupler.
- 6
  Attach the alligator clips to a working phone line.

Other Hobbies