I want to thank all that replied. The obvious is rotate the pile 180
degrees every so often. I have done this when I am stacking them, but
always assumed the outgoing buro would not like cards in two
directions and lined them up before sending. I am going to think over
the printing directly onto the card a little. Here is the summary for those
that asked for it or are waiting for it. Original questions:
1. How to keep stacks of labelled cards from being 'lopsided'
2. Methods to print directly onto card (using inkjet/laser printer)
-----edited answers
Always one in the crowd reply:
Jeez messages like this worry me - does the light really go out when we
close the fridge door? Why is there only one Monopolies Commission?
wow - its truly mind boggling.--[name/call removed], everyone on DXR
saw it already anyway--
Helpful Replies:
As a QSL Manager I send large amounts of cards to the Bureau and we
both know they are difficult to package if they are "lopsided" so, I just
take one half of them and turn then around. It evens out the package
and the ARRL has never complained, in fact I really think they
appreciate it. --John N0JT
My logging program allows all the methods you note. I often print the
whole card from my design. The program lays the card out so that I get
three to a sheet of lighter weight card stock. You could use a logging
program that will allow you to design your card to suit and print them or
labels of several sizes as well. --73 Jack
Simple solution, just put 50 cards one direction then 50 cards 180
degrees the other and use a rubber band. Works great. Send a
message to Bruce KK5DO@amsat.org and let him tell you about his
bubblejet printing of his qsl cards. --Mike Davidson N5MT
Usually out-going bureaux like to have the cards stakced alphabetically
by prefix. Why not just turn the cards for alternate countries around 180
degrees, and offset the 'bulge' that way? I use 1" strips of paper
wrapped around each batch, and sealed with scotch tape to secure it.
I've used Mail merge as described by both WordPerfect and MS Word,
and in letter format, no problem. I dunno how it would work with three or
more cards on the same sheet. --Phil Irons, VE1BVD
I just turn half the stack 180 degrees.--John N6ZAE
Following WRTC-96 we sent out something like 30,000 individual QSL
cards. Each card was customized using a program Bob Wilson, N6TV
wrote for Lotus Approach. The QSO information was printed directly on
the card stock with an H-P Laserjet V printer owned by N6TV. It worked
pretty well, although there were paper jams. --Rusty, W6OAT
How about an easy solution, like turning the stack of cards every half
inch or so, so that the labels alternate from top to bottom. --Dick, W2YE
Just alternate every so often and stack them face down. I use DX4WIN
as my main logging program. It has a very configurable label printing
facility. I use uncut sheets with 4 QSLs per sheet, an HP laser, and tell
the program to print the data in the right places on each QSL. --Pete
Smith N4ZR
Stack them on edge, not face up/down. I just mailed off 500 cards and
all through the labeling, stamping process, I just kept them leaning in
the box on edge. Worked fine here. --Dick
Card stock, up to about 75#, will easily go through an inkjet. I have a
word template that I use. I take the log to ASCII, then to an Excel
spreadsheet (to parse the data) then into Microsoft Word as a mail
merge file. I can get 2 or three cards per sheet, and if I'm careful, I can
even arrange to print addresses on the other side! (Order is critical here
and it does take some practice). Of course, if you want, you can use
the more "old fashioned" way of printing QSO details and address on
the back, with the front reserved for your information and graphics, etc.
I'll be happy to offer my files to you. The most difficult thing is managing
size and cutting. There is a guy on a QRP list that has a program to
print cards, but I'm not sure if there is an option to import a log and print
cards that way or not. Check out: http://members.tm.net/jjmcd/ --Marty,
KM7W [too much info to edit his note much, ki6x]
[Tom sent WORD 97 files for printing cards with information using
mailmerge. Contact him or me if you want the files] Tom Hammond
<n0ss@socket.net> --Tom Hammond N0SS
1. Stack the card 10 or 20 high and then rotate the next batch through
180 degrees.
2. Print cards on tapered paper.[I like this!!, ki6x]--Tjerk ZS6P
Turn 1/2 the pile upside down!--Ken, K6LA
I use DX4WIN and it seems very good in most respects. The lablel print
I use is about 1" by 3.5" and there are 30 per page. I found it difficult to
place each label exactly in the correct place on the QSL card. So now I
have the QSL card printed without the usual format for CALL, DATE,
TIME, BAND etc. These all appear on the label, so it is easier to use a
QSL card without all this printing.--Martin ZL1ANJ
I prefer to print directly on the card. You need no labels that may fall
off the card in a few years. I use an old HP500C inkjet printer. The
disadvantage is that you have to feed the cards one by one. Maybe
there is printer that accepts a whole pile of blank cards. It is not a big
problem because after some training I can now feed the cards to the
printer and also sign them at the same time. This may not be possible
when you choose a faster printer, hi.--Peter, DK6NP
I'm guessing you are using CT or a similar program which generates a
.LAB file to print from. If so, import the file into Word (or a similar
word processor). Then do a 'replace' on the last line, but change it so
it adds a page-break to each last line. Doing this lets you drop 20-30
cards into an inkjet printer and print directly onto the cards. The
printer will then feed in a new card for each label as it has found a
page-break in the file. When the printer runs out of cards, just drop
another 20-30 in and hit the start button again. Doing this saves all the
hassle of sticking the labels on the cards. One final thing, it's much
easier just printing onto the back of the card instead of trying to line it
up with a box on the front!!--Andrew Williamson GI0NWG / AC6WI
-- Dan Violette Amateur Radio: KI6X E-mail: danki6x@pacbell.net --
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