[Yaesu] QSL Maker, Further Info

2004年1月15日 23:54:16 -0600

I have had a few emails about how I am using QSL Maker from WB8RCR, and how
I discovered to make two sided QSL's using his software, so here is the
details!
I can get three cards vertically on each sheet of 8.5 x 11 inch card stock.
I found this the easiest since its the most abundant source of card stock
for me. My local Wal-Mart has it in 150 sheet packages. If you have the
option readily available to purchase card stock in the Legal 8.5 x 14 size
that would be another option as you would be able to print four cards, two
rows of two cards horizontally. Either way you will have some waste of each
sheet obviously, so I just go with the easy to get stuff.
Now, you have to be aware that some printers are different than others! I
found that mine, Lexmark Z22, will print to nearly the top and bottom edges
of the paper, which makes it easy to get three cards on there. Some
printers will allow a zero top margin but require a minimum of a half inch
bottom margin. I found that out with another printer I have on the second
computer, that happens to be some HP model, not sure of the number.
But here is a good starting point to get your card fronts setup, go to the
page setup and set the following:
Number of = 3 Cutlines is ON (checked)
Card 1 X=100 Y=350
Card 2 X=100 Y=700
Card 3 X=100 Y=1050
Now just set your card wallpaper, background picture, call, address, make
any changes you want to the position of the info block, use the 73 button to
add greetings anywhere on the card. I used the greeting line to put rig and
antenna info on the bottom left. I used the Xtras to add my grid square and
county, and then just save your new card template to somewhere on your hard
drive, or put it on a floppy for safe keeping, and name it so you know what
it is. That's one thing I really like about this software, its easy to save
as many templates that you want too and open them in an instant for future
use.
If your printer allows to set a zero left margin then set the X axis to
zero. My printer with the X axis set to zero still allows a quarter inch
margin and therefore I have to trim that side anyway so I make it larger to
make trimming easier and allow for errors. Remember, if you change the left
margin to a lower number you will need to add that same value to the left
margin for the other side to line up. For example, if you set the X axis
for the front to zero, the X axis on the back side would increase by 100.
Now close the front template that you saved and hit new to start over again
with the next template. Here is the setup for the address side:
Number of = 3 Cutlines is OFF (unchecked)
Card 1 X=150 Y=350
Card 2 X=150 Y=700
Card 3 X=150 Y=1050
To setup the address side with your return address just clear all the field
except the address. I found with the numbers I showed above that the best
setting for the address is:
X=20 Y=340
Now all you have on this template is the return address in what will be the
upper left corner, there will be no cut lines so as to allow for any slight
alignment errors, they are not needed because you will be using the cut
lines on the front side. Save this template, give it a name like return
address, or something similar.
Now remember the back page locations will differ depending on the paper feed
that your printer uses. Most of the newer ones on the market, inkjets that
is, have the feed coming down from the top back of the printer so that when
a printed page comes out the text is upside down when viewed from the front
of the printer. In this case all you have to do is flip the printed stack
over and load it unprinted side towards you and top edge down. If you have
the front tray style they are slightly different but still easy to follow.
The paper in the tray goes up and around the print rollers, meaning that the
bottom side of the paper gets printed. After you print all the cards you
just take the stack and set them back in the feed tray with the printed side
up and the top in towards the printer, so when viewed from the front they
are right side up.
The best thing to do is just put in some regular paper and don't be afraid
of making a couple mistakes. Print a couple sheets to get a feel for which
way the paper has to be reloaded. Its a lot cheaper than messing up on the
finish stock. Also, after your done printing the front of the cards count
how many sheets it printed, or obviously just take the number of QSO's and
divide by three to get how many sheets it took. Then when you print the
address side just make sure to put it that many copies. For example, 12
QSO's added and printed, four pages, so print four copies of the address
side after reloading the cards.
Now you have a card that is custom, printed using the imported .adif file
with the QSO info, printed with your return address, can be customized
further at any time, and only needs to be cut out and mailing address
applied. Which of course I don't do by hand, I use the label printing built
in to the Radio Amateur Callbook for that. The only labor involved is
cutting them out and sticking on the labels, the cutting part is easy, I use
one of those sheet cutters that we all know from the school years and
cutting craft paper, HI HI.
Now here is the tricky part. Get on the radio and make some more great
contacts while your waiting for the printer!!
73,
Scott, KB0NLY
PS: I will be updating my web page this weekend, the above tutorial will be
put up for future reference. It's hard to believe but I haven't update me
web page in months, time for some new content! HI HI
www.qsl.net/kb0nly
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