In other parts of the world it’s known as a telephone test set, lineman’s handset, test phone, etc, but to me it’s a butt / butt set / buttinski.
They’re essentially ruggedized, portable telephones, often with an ability to monitor a line without looping it / going off hook, and used by techs and lineys throughout phone networks everywhere.
I carry Fluke TS52 Pro in my toolbox, it’s got a built in voltmeter, waterproof, backlit display and lots of memory storage options.
![](https://nickvsnetworking.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/TS52-Pro-Fuke-1024x699.png)
It’s a really beautiful bit of kit, (only thing missing is a TDR which the next model up has) but I very rarely use it.
The butt set is in my mind the quintessential piece of test gear, and I’ve got a few from various time periods.
The Telecom Ruggabut was launched in 1994/1995 and was standard issue prior to privatization, and was designed in Australia for the Australian market,
![](https://nickvsnetworking.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Ruggabutt-1024x612.png)
As such it features some uniquely Australian features such as detection for 12kHz Subscriber Pulse Metering (used in Payphones), while the “TLB” Button is tone-loop-break, a 100ms pause in dialling,
Prior to the Ruggabutt there was the Versadial and Versadial Mk2. Lightweight, tough and with a handy RJ12 jack for testing subscriber handpieces, these were made in huge numbers, by PMG and then Telecom.
![](https://nickvsnetworking.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Versadial.png)
And as far back as my “collection” goes is the Australian Post Office (APO) Telephone Test Handset No. 4, which lives on the Step exchange in my office, and is a simple rotary dial plus speaker, mic, switch and Neon light to denote ringing.
![](https://nickvsnetworking.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Test-Handset-No.-4.png)