Lineman's fone for the lazy, poor, or chickenshit phreak...By Delta Burke

OK, every phreak who doesn't have a lineman's phone needs one. It's just a
required  tool  in the tool box. Now, if you don't want to steal one like I
had to, or you are just to chicken to try to access Ma Bell's supply areas,¨
this is the ticket. Here's the phun part: A lineman's phone is really  just
a  regular telephone. They are made usually tougher with a few buttons that
phone dudes need, like polarity reverse. That can be overcame.

First, get a one piece phone. Ma Bell or AT&T  equipment  is  best,  but  a
cheap  no  name phone will work as long as it is one piece. Next, make sure
that it is tone or tone/pulse switchable. Pulse alone is not enough.
Got the phone yet? Good. Proceed to open the phone and de-solder  the  cord
with the modular plug on it. Next obtain two good sized alligator clips and¨
a  fair  length of speaker wire or zip cord. Solder the clips to one end of
each wire. Then solder the other ends of the wire to the phone  itself.  Be
sure  and  do  a better than decent job of soldering as this will determine
how good the sound quality is. Tie the cord in a knot inside  the  case  so
there is no strain on the solder joints. Re-assemble the phone correctly.
Now go and hook it up to the nearest wall box to check the connection.
Find the active wires in the box. Usually the green and red ones. Press the¨
hangup  button  and listen for dialtone. If you dont have one then you need
to re-solder the wires and/or clips.

A few ideas for the phone:
A resistor in line with the wires to cut out some of the hum from the line.
A switch inline to the ringer for those times when you need to be quiet.
Try solder an LED or neon bulb instead of the ringer itself.

P.S. If the polarity is reversed, simply change the  clips  around  in  the
box. Or if you an a genius, figure out some kind of diode circuit to switch¨
the polarity at a flick of a switch.