Line Tester - my ignorance is boundless!
 

I recently acquired a French “Valise pour mesure d’equivalent de traverse”, which I think translates to “Suitcase for equivalent crossing measure”
Manufacturer CIT Alcatel. Model NIC 516B

My guess is its late 70's Its seems a well made piece of kit

I have no idea what it’s for except for testing telephone lines, and I know nothing about telephone lines!
Could anybody kindly fill in some of the blanks in my knowledge or at least point me in the right direction

It would be much safer if I didn't go to car boot sales.....

Many thanks in anticipation

Philip

Re: Line Tester - my ignorance is boundless!
 

Putting "Valise pour mesure d’équivalent de traversée" into Google Translate gives me a slightly different word order: "Suitcase for crossing equivalent measurement".

By the way, to save me craning my neck to read the French, I rotated the final image through 90° (see below).

Re: Line Tester - my ignorance is boundless!
 

I like the "inside first" presentation, nice bit of kit.

Re: Line Tester - my ignorance is boundless!
 

Hello all.
Here in Australia a test phone for use by linesmen was quite often referred to as a "bag set".
Just sort of an abbreviation.
I have no idea where the term originated.
I was wondering if there is some sort of connection with the literal translation to "suitcase".
Interesting connection! Maybe?
Cheers, Robert.

Re: Line Tester - my ignorance is boundless!
 

Here, a linesman's telephone is called a butt, I don't know why.
I've not heard of a bag set, but I suppose it's just an item carried in a tool bag.

???Perhaps both terms refer to the parts of anatomy likely to be impacted when the phone is swinging on the lineman's belt???

Re: Line Tester - my ignorance is boundless!
 

Valise, or suitcase simply means a piece of equipment in a carrying case- think of a spy set for example. Looks like that bit is missing.

What it measures is less obvious, technical French, like technical English can use some very strange terminology in layman's language. Traversee might refer to some, sort of crossing or bridge perhaps? Maybe it's a dummy telephone line or something like that?

One for one of our Gallic friends, perhaps?

Re: Line Tester - my ignorance is boundless!
 

I don't know how true this is, but I have heard that "butt" derives from the linesman's ability to butt into a telephone conversation. I've also known the 'phone to be called a buttinski, which would tie in with that derivation.

Re: Line Tester - my ignorance is boundless!
 

Hello all.
"Butt" is an abbreviation for it's correct name Buttinski.
A butt is a works type of phone used by both external plant linesmen as well as telephone exchange technicians and customer premises equipment installers.
A butt can only work on CB (common battery) or automatic phone systems.
A bag set is a larger field or linesman only type of works phone such as the Plessey N1845F. This phone can work on magneto, CB and auto phone circuits.
The bag set was popular amongst PMG employees in Australia as it was quite rugged in construction, worked well and the shoulder strap was convenient to hang the phone from a crossarm on a telephone pole.
Cheers, Robert.

Re: Line Tester - my ignorance is boundless!
 

We've drifted a bit. I'm still curious about the original question about what it is rather than interesting things it isn't.

Re: Line Tester - my ignorance is boundless!
 

In this context, valise seems to mean "kit". The Oxford Duden pictorial French-English dictionary doesn't have your expression but has "La valise de tapissier" = "paperhanging kit" and "La valise de controle" = "testing kit ".

Could it be for measuring crosstalk?

Re: Line Tester - my ignorance is boundless!
 

It appears to be able to control line current, as well as monitoring the transmission. Perhaps one of our French members (or Canadian?) will know where to get more information. I can't find a CIT on Google, and can't read the word below.

Re: Line Tester - my ignorance is boundless!
 

The world below might be Alcatel.

Peter