[Dx-qsl] [DX-SQL] Econo QSLs for UK Operators

[lwloen at myclearwave.net]

I've always "rolled my own" and have a fine return rate.

Basics:

1.  Even in the UK, I would take the trouble to make the cards 90mmx140mm
(US 3.5 inch by 5.5 inch).  This will save you endless hassles with US
operators' envelopes.

2.  Put all your information (your location, your zone, grid, etc. plus
the QSO information itself) on one side.  Not only is this a far cheaper
card, it is actually preferable to rare DX who would appreciate not having
to flip the card over and over a couple of times to process it.  Put on
just enough so that the card is good for _whatever_ award the other guy
might be interested in.  So, not just DXCC, but 5BWAZ, CQ Field Award,
IOTA (if relevant).  In the US, this would include the US county.  Is
there a UK equivalent?  If so, put it on or at least put on your address,
including, somewhere, an indication of "UK".

3.  It is a myth that color QSL cards improve your return rate.  Black and
white is cheap but effective.  I always use ivory or white card stock. 
Darker card stock reduces legibility.

4.  What seems to matter more to the other fellow is _legibility_.  So,
don't make the QSO information too small.  Think of an old main in China
or Russia reading your card in an alphabet not their own.  The QSO
information should take up about a quarter to a third of the card area. 
Leave off all that old-fashioned stuff about "rig" and "antenna".  All
that will do is leave less room for the really important stuff like "RST"
and "frequency" and "mode."

5.  If you work some guy a lot of times, you can always make a custom grid
on the back of the card for multiple QSOs (include your call on the other
side if you do this so they don't flip it again).  That way, you don't
have to worry about sending out 11 cards if you work some big DXpedition
all over the bands.  In that case, just write "see back" on the front side
somewhere and make up the card with all those QSOs on it on that usually
"blank" side (another advantage to a single sided card).

6.  I particularly include on my cards:  My call, my name, street address,
city, US state, US Zip, US county, my grid, "USA", the magic words (for
some awards) "Confirming our 2 way QSO".  I then make a box for the QSO
information, with labels for DX call, Date, UTC time (labelled as such),
Frequency (or Band, depending on my mood), RST, and Mode.  I might put in
a line touting my various DX awards, but that's optional.  I always leave
a little "note" area for a short comment and a signature.  Some awards
require the signature.  I also add PSE QSL TNX somewhere and circle the
PSE or the TNX that applies for a given card.

7.  In the US, I make up these designs to 3.5 by 5.5 and turn them
sideways ("landscape" mode).  I can then have four copies of the card on a
8 1/2 by 11 US paper with some waste in the middle.  I put the cards in
the four corners to reduce cutting charges (described later).  For 90x140
on an A4 paper design, I'd put the first two in the "lower" corners, the
next two immediately adjacent (unless I could fit six cards after all --
never laid out for A4 paper).  Doing it this way will minimize the total
number of cuts, which will matter to some shops.

8.  In the US, most print shops still offer offset printing, but that's
pretty expensive and quantities to make it worthwhile are fairly large
(e.g. 1000 or more).  I usually do better by going to the same printer
with one carefully made "image" (as in 7 above) and then get their "card
stock" and have them print them up on a laser printer.  A few will let you
supply your own stock -- that's way cheaper if you can find one.  Either
way, this works better than ink jet not just for cost, but ink jet often
smears when wet, even days later.  Laser doesn't "run".  I always shop
around, because the biggest costs are the paper itself and any sort of
cutting fees.  You can readily adapt this advice to A6 paper in the UK. 
The professional QSL shops usually give about 200 g/m squared paper
thickness, but you can get good results at (I think it is) 100 g/m squared
or thereabouts and that will save you surprising amounts of money on
bureau mailings.  Just find something that's stiff without being too
thick.  The other variable is cutting fees.  In the US, these are a couple
of bucks per hundred cards and sometimes more.  These sorts of things may
actually make offset a better deal and I also end up with more like 500
cards per run that way even for laser.  So, shop around for the minimum on
cutting fees and the price of card stock.  They vary widely and you don't
really want big quantities here, early on.  Lots will change and you'll
want to experiment with card designs anyway.  You'll be tempted to cheat
on the 90mmx140mm to reduce these charges, but my experience says it isn't
worth it (even in the US, I have to "waste" some stock, too).  Use the
standard size and you'll save later on envelopes or even mailing costs to
the bureau (weight matters).

9.  If you have your own black and white laser printer, you can print and
cut them yourself in small quantities.  Get a real "cutter" -- not
scissors and not the "guillotine" type either.  I recommend this for a
newer or younger operator if possible.  They will find that large
quantities are not a real economy measure if 400 of them have last year's
address on them and you have to make new ones anyway or buy labels to put
over the "wrong" stuff or some such.

10.  Fill out your cards with ballpoint pen.  Felt pen can smear.

With black and white laser printers, you will need to keep an eye on
quality.  One way to help yourself is to really keep the card simple. 
Particularly, skip any sort of black and white photograph or anything with
grey scale.  Keep the lines around any boxes fairly thick and not too
imaginative (e.g. no "arty" effects).  That will give a high quality
result with a lesser quality printer (yours or theirs).



Larry Wo0Z