Communications Slang Dictionary (CA12055E)

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COMMUNICATION LINEMAN’S SLANG DICTIONARY

hubbellpowersyst ms.com

COMMUNICATION LINEMAN’S SLANG DICTIONARY

This is your copy of the Communications Lineman’s Slang Dictionary, compliments of Hubbell Power Systems, Inc. It has been prepared to help familiarize you with some of the jargon used in the communications industry, particularly that of the linemen. We are sure you will find it informative as well as entertaining. These terms have been compiled from across the country. However, we find no regional connotations of these slang terms. But in an effort to keep this literature politically-correct and G-rated, we have chosen not to include certain slang terms with provocative phrasing. We want to hear from you. If you know of additional slang terms not appearing in this edition, we would welcome your ideas! You may submit your suggestions either on line or by regular mail. See the last three pages of this book for how easy we’ve made it.

We hope you find this booklet easy and enjoyable to read as well as being a useful and important asset to you!

www.hubbellpowersystems.com hpsliterature@hubbell.com

SLANG TERM DEFINITION

Ground rod clamp. Also known as Wedding Band.

Acorn

All Thread

Double arming bolt

Acorn

A metal arm that extends off one side of the pole to mount cables to

Alley Arm

DC voltage on telephone circuit

Battery

A single-conductor splice connector (“B” wire connector)

Bean or Beanies

All Thread

Beaver Cleaver

A score & snap fiber cleaver

Drill bit used with hole in center of bit used to back pull inside wiring after drill hole is made

Bellhanger

Bender

A hammer

Stamp on wooden pole that reveals length, circumference,

Birthmark

year produced, wood species, and treatment method

Alley Arm

Type 107A-2 device with rubber cover and two screw down terminals that tighten into conductors on C-Wire for easy terminations

Biscuit

Someone who shows up after all the work is done

Beaver Cleaver

Blister

SLANG TERM DEFINITION

The device that blows a pig through a conduit to pull the fish line Badly assembled coax connector leaving shield wire braid hanging out A contaminant on the endface of a fiber made visible by the magnification of a fusion splicer

Blow Gun

Bob Marley

Brownie

Booger

Bookie Tool

A staple puller

Brain Bucket

Hard hat

A swivel attached between the pull line and the cable that disengages if maximum pulling tension for the cable is exceeded Fuse wire used between open wire, RDW or C -Wire to protect serving drop from over voltages

Breakaway Swivel

Bug

Bridal Wire

Brown Square vise clamp. AKA Fargos

Brownie

Bug Nut

Bug

A split bolt connector

Bug Nut

D Lashing Clamp

A reel device used to hold tension on a cable during stringing operations

Bull Wheel

SLANG TERM DEFINITION

A come along wire grip for holding a strand under tension

Bulldog

Bust Anchor

Expanding Anchor

Expanding and tamping bar used on expanding anchors

Bust Anchor

Buster

A special type of telephone used by technicians for installing and testing local loop telephone lines. 12-gauge, 2-conductor flat wire with heavy plastic outer jacket used for long spans. Also known as the “auxiliary neutral” Seat with rollers that can be attached to aerial cable for traversing inaccessible cable sections Mythical tool summoned when presence of additional cable length would simplify a situation Wrench with 3/8" on one end and 7/16" on the other. For terminals or opening telecom boxes. AKA Nic Wrench

Butt Set

C Wire

Cable Buggy

Buster

Cable Stretcher

Can Wrench

Candy- grabbers

Channel lock pliers. Also called cheaters

Cat Head

A capstan hoist

SLANG TERM DEFINITION

Cat Head Wrench

Bell wrench used on square head bolts

Cattle Guard

Pedestal used for line extenders

Cat House

Cattle guard

A plastic or metal guy guard

Chinese Finger Trap

Cherry-picker

A bucket truck

Chinese Finger Trap

A wire mesh pulling grip. AKA Kellems Grip or Widow

Choker

A nylon sling

Choker

Climbers

Hooks for climbing poles

Out of count / color transition between defective cable pairs in span (typically buried or non-color coded conductors). (Also referred to as: Rolled, Flipped, Frogged)

Climbers

Cod-Ju-wad

Coffin Hoist

A Chain-link ratchet hoist. AKA Comealong

Coffin Hoist

Crosby Clamp

A wire rope guy wire clip

Unfortunate event when Hooks release from pole unintendedly and lineman descends not at their choosing

Cutout

Crosby Clamp

SLANG TERM DEFINITION

Plastic wrap used to temporarily (at least in concept) cover open splices. Also known as a Slicker A long, round steel bar with a two-in chisel on one end. Also called an Idiot Stick Wood or fiberglass board for temporary pole attachment to aid in off-pole work

Diaper

Digger Bar

Dog House

Diving Board

Pedestal used to house a node

Dog House

Bullet shaped wooden dowel used to shape lead repair sleeves

Drift Plug

A box for splicing copper drops on a pole

Dry Spot

Flower Pot

Segmented sticks or rods used to pull cable in manhole ducts

Duct Rods

Cable used in communications networks

Etherhose

Visual determination without the use of instruments

Eyeball

Flower Pot

A round handhole

Flying Mary

Messenger clamp supported by another cable and not attached directly to the pole. AKA Flying Dutchman

Flying Mary

SLANG TERM DEFINITION

Guy Jack

One-pair aerial drop repair splice

Football

Wind-induced high amplitude, low-frequency vibration of aerial cables

Galloping

Guy Hook. Also called a Ram's Head

Goat Head

Anti-theft compound used on grounding bars

Goop

A “go for this, go for that” helper

Half Sleeve

Gopher

Telescopic pole for pulling wire in tight spaces

Gopher Pole

Lubricating compound used to pull cables through ducts

Gorilla Snot

Connectors for bridge tapping a pair with green button on head

Greenies

Hand Hole

Guy Jack

Chain Hoist

An automatic messenger or guy deadend

Hard Head

Half Sleeve

Hand Hole

A small underground vault

Hard Head

Lag Screw

Helical

No wrench anchor

SLANG TERM DEFINITION

Climbing device that is strapped to legs consisting of pads, shank and gaffs at base of shank that allow for climbing of wood poles

Hooks

A thimble clevis used on formed-wire deadends

Horse Collar

Cable grease found inside some outdoor communications cables

Icky-Pick

An extension bolt with reinforcing strap used to add a second messenger to the same pole attachment point Non-insulated “Open Wire" conductor that provided one circuit of telephony

Illinois Bracket

Iron Wire

Illinois Bracket

J-Hook, J-Bar

Guy hook

Johnny Ball

Guy strain insulator

Johnny Bumper

Gas powered drill for poles

Assembly of something - splice closure with trays and hanging bracket Mahogany mallet used to form lead sleeves around a splice

Kit

Johnny Ball

Lead Dresser

SLANG TERM DEFINITION

Round, sealed outdoor aluminum enclosure that houses multiplexing repeaters (T1, DS3) for copper fed span lines

Lobster Pot

Mail Box Clamp

Messenger ground clamp

When a fusion splicer melts back the fibers instead of fusing them together

Match Head

Meat Hook

A hand line hook

Meat Hook

Mickey Mouse Ears

Corner attachment Bracket

Monkey Face

A pole eye plate

Monkey Poop

Conduit lubricant

Mickey Mouse Ears

Mud Wrench

A shovel

Flat rope with aramid component used to pull fiber in duct work

Mule Tape

Nines

Lineman pliers

Wood stick used to separate individual wires / conductors on connecting or termination blocks have multiple pair terminations

Orange Stick

Monkey Face

Test device used to isolate cable faults circa 1920-1950

Owl Wits

SLANG TERM DEFINITION

Wedge type drop clamp. Full name is Parallel Drop Clamp. Automatic guy wire or messenger splice. Also called a cigar or strandlink

P Clamp

Pickle

P Clamp

Round cylinder used for cleaning grit out of a conduit

Pig

Guy hook to attach guy wire to the pole

Pig's Ear

Method used to suspend cable after pole transfer where inadequate slack is available to take cable or strand to pole. Most often consists of: strand, three-bolt clamps or strand vises Multi-paired distribution cable with steel outer support wire but no ground or shield for conductors Cable grip used to pull tension on messenger or guy wires. Can also refer to a thimble clevis

Pickle

Polish Pickoff

Polypic

Pig’s Ear

Pork Chop

POTS

Plain Old Telephone Service

Formed Wire Deadend or Suspension

Preform

A fiber splice tray so disorganized that breaking splices and starting over may be the best course of action

Rat's Nest

SLANG TERM DEFINITION

Rural Distribution Wire. Conductors that had color coded pairs but no outer cable sheath with one central steel support wire

RDW

Sheave

Triangular bladed knife used to groove a lead sleeve

Shave Hook

Any type of rope or cable block

Sheave

KUL clamp, also know as a “Turtle”

Sherman

Wire not fully sealed on terminal or splice connector

Shiner

The eyebolt or anchor rod eye for a guy strand

Sister-eye

A non-existent tool often requested from the new person to the crew

Sky Jack

Sister Eye

Sleeve

A splice heat shrink

Tubular metal (in days of yore it was lead) used to make repair of damaged cable sheath

Sleeve

Snow Shoe

Terminal binding post caps containing gel compound

Snot Wads

Snow Shoe

Aerial Slack Storage Loop

Splice Can

Copper or fiber splice closure

Splice Can

SLANG TERM DEFINITION

Plastic or wood tool, usually with notched ends used to form wire in neat rows on connecting blocks, frames, or internally wired cabinets

Spudger

Strandvise

To survey and mark locations for each new line pole

Staking

A piece of optical fiber that inadvertently ends up under the skin Automatic guy wire or messenger deadend , also know as an “Automatic”

Stinger

Strandvise

Thru-bolt

Ten Pin

Full crossarm of open wire

Thru-bolt

A machine bolt

Metal rod with mounting plates to attach a splice closure to Open wire transition placement method that reduced crosstalk

Towel Bar

Turtle

Tramp

Turtle

KUL clamp

U Nails

Staples

Weaver

Strand clamp for bonding

U Nails

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU

We want to hear from you. If you know some terms not in this book that you’d like to contribute, please use any of these methods:

Fill out a form on line — Either use your smart device to read the QR code below or go to this internet address:

www.hubbellpowersystems.com/slangdictionary

Fill out form on the next page — You can make copies if you need more space and mail in an envelope to this address:

Branding/Advertising Department HUBBELL POWER SYSTEMS, INC. 200 Center Point Circle, Suite 200 Columbia, SC 29210

SUGGESTING ADDITIONS TO LINEMAN’S SLANG DICTIONARY (Must be politically-correct/G rated)

Simply complete the form below to submit your suggested additions to our fun little dictionary. Entries selected for publication will be credited to the contributor in the next printed edition.

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SUGGESTED TERMS & DEFINITION(S)

About Hubbell Power Systems Hubbell Power Systems is a global manufacturer and supplier of products that support construction and maintenance of communication networks and electrical systems including power transmission, distribution, and substations.

Hubbell Power Systems’ OSP communications infrastructure products support and protect vital components found in all OSP networks, whether aerial or underground.

Hubbell Power Systems continues the tradition of growth and innovation that Hubbell was built on more than a century ago. We are focused on delivering high quality, dependable products.

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