Night Owl 6

home *** CD-ROM | disk | FTP | other *** search

/ Night Owl 6 / Night Owl's Shareware - PDSI-006 - Night Owl Corp (1990).iso / 035a / qqsl41.zip / QQSL.DOC < prev next >

Wrap

Text File | 1991-07-18 | 95KB | 2,066 lines

QQSL(tm), Version 4.1 July 18, 1991 QQSL(tm) Quick QSL labels, Version 4.1 July 18, 1991 ************************************************ * Copyright (C) 1989-91 by Bill Mullin, AA4M/6 * * All Rights Reserved * ************************************************ AUTHOR ====== QQSL was designed, programmed, and distributed by: Bill Mullin - AA4M/6 3042 Larkin Place San Diego, CA 92123-3026 U.S.A. ABOUT THIS DOCUMENT =================== This document has been formatted for printing on either a dot matrix or a laser printer. Top margins, bottom margins, headers, and footers with page numbers have all been built into the file. From the DOS prompt, simply enter: TYPE QQSL.DOC > PRN NOTE: If you're printing this document on a laser printer, the assumption is that the printer is set to the factory default of 60 lines/page, 10 characters/inch. If you intend to print to a laser printer with settings other than these, you're on your own <HI!>. If you prefer to view the document online, I recommend Vernon D. Buerg's (N6MG) LIST utility program, which should be available on any general-purpose BBS, or anywhere you find public domain and/or Shareware programs. QQSL(tm) - Quick QSL Labels by AA4M/6 Page 1 QQSL(tm), Version 4.1 July 18, 1991 The HISTORY.DOC file was written only to inform current QQSL users of changes/enhancements to the program, and is set up for online viewing rather than printing. If you wish a printed copy of this file, it should only require minimal reformatting with your favorite word processor before printing. I've been writing technical documents for more than twenty-five years now and found that the best way to write a user document directed to an unknown audience is to write to the level of the least knowledgeable user. Therefore, I've written QQSL.DOC with the newer PC user foremost in my mind. Additionally, I've been very "wordy", rather than brief and cryptic as is much of the Shareware documents that's on the market! For those of you who are familiar with the PC and with "computerese", you may find that you'll only need to scan this document, and then later use it for reference. INTRODUCTION ============ QQSL does only one thing - it prints labels for QSL cards. But, it does a nice job, it does it fast, and it has lots of "bells and whistles" just as a good program should! In creating, de- signing, and writing QQSL, my first priority was to make it "quick"! I think you'll find that I succeeded with this. My second priority was to make QQSL the "ultimate" QSL label pro- grams. In my opinion, as long as there is anything left undone as described in my "Things to Come" section, I'm not 100% satis- fied with calling QQSL "the ultimate QSL label program", but I'm getting closer with each release! QQSL 1.0 was originally written for the contester, DXpeditioner, award hunter, or anyone else who sends large quantities of QSL cards. Version 2.0 was redesigned to also be used by those of us who send small quantities of QSL's, while still meeting the needs of the volume user. This was done by having the labels automati- cally saved to a file rather than being written directly to continuous-form labels. This means that the normal hassle of loading label paper into the printer each time QQSL is invoked can be avoided until the label file reaches a suitable size. Version 3.0 was created by rewriting approximately 90% of the Version 2 code with the emphasis on making the program more "user-friendly" and strengthening the edit routines, without losing any of the speed of earlier versions. Additionally, I made a BIG effort to write a new interface for 3.0 that users would enjoy using. 3.0 exceeded my expectations! Its enhanced QQSL(tm) - Quick QSL Labels by AA4M/6 Page 2 QQSL(tm), Version 4.1 July 18, 1991 features are "light years" ahead of earlier versions, as I'm sure users of Versions 1.0 and 2.0 will agree, and it's the fastest version yet, since duplicate information from one label is auto- matically carried forward to the next. QQSL will produce QSL labels for all ham bands from 1.8 MHz to 48 GHz, and for six amateur modes: AMTOR, CW, FM, Packet, RTTY, or SSB, and QQSL won't let you enter an invalid band, mode, RS(T), date, or time! Additionally, QQSL provides you the capability to customize your labels with a cordial 73, rig description, etc. There is also the capability to quickly produce labels for SWL's. I've run QQSL on a 386/25 with SVGA, an AT with EGA, an AT with MDA, and an XT with slow CGA, and had no problems of any nature on these systems. Additionally, with Version 3.0 I've introduced color to the program. For those still using a monochrome moni- tor, I've built a routine into the program to automatically detect such monitors and interpret the display into flat, unin- teresting monochrome, although I've only done limited testing in this manner - most of this testing was done by simulating mono- chrome on my multiscanning monitor (this IS a valid way to test monochrome). Did that last sentence make any sense? Additional- ly, I have also provided a "/M" parameter (described later) which should provide improved monochrome capability compared to the automatic detection routine, especially on a laptop computer! But, if you're using a monochrome-only system, you're missing out on a LOT as QQSL looks GOOD in color, so now you have the excuse to go purchase that color monitor you've had your eye on <HI!>. On this subject, should you decide to upgrade to color, don't select CGA, since its low resolution text is worse than mono- chrome text! Additionally, with some CGA monitors you may see "snow" when running this program. I've written code into the program which should automatically detect CGA and eliminate snow, but in some cases this may not work. In these situations, I've provided you with the parameter "/S" (described later) to elimi- nate CGA snow. Additionally, some older monochrome monitors also have a problem with snow, but my parameter should also help in these cases. So, if you're about to upgrade your monitor and video card, my recommendation is that you settle for NO LESS than an EGA monitor with matching video card, and that you go for VGA (or better) if you can afford the extra cash. Meaningful sound has been incorporated into QQSL in the form of two quick "up tones" or two quick "down tones", lasting approxi- mately 4/18ths of a second for each pair of tones. Generally speaking, the down tones mean that you made an error or that you need to pay attention to a message on the screen, and up tones QQSL(tm) - Quick QSL Labels by AA4M/6 Page 3 QQSL(tm), Version 4.1 July 18, 1991 mean that an operation was successful. Compare this sounds to the normal PC "beep", a sound which I find to be irritating - at best! These tones may also be disabled as will be described shortly. ABOUT THE EVALUATION VERSION ============================ If you haven't registered your copy of QQSL, then you'll find that the version of QQSL you're using is identical to that used by paid users, but with one notable exception. This is that non- registered users will periodically be interrupted by "Commercial breaks"! Huh? When you watch television, the networks periodi- cally break for commercials, whether you want them or not. Of course when you pay a premium fee for "pay TV" (HBO, Cinemax, etc.), you lose the commercials with these specific stations. This overall concept seems to fit my intentions well, so I've coined the term "Commercial Breaks". I wasn't all that excited about this new term, but couldn't think of anything better. I guess I could have called it "Nagware", but didn't because of the negative connotations associated with the word "nag". For what it's worth though, I've designed these breaks to be a reminder rather than an irritant. If all this isn't clear, just run the evaluation version of QQSL and you'll understand everything! I think the introduction of commercial breaks is a considerable improvement over versions 3.x, all of which had a 3-label limit for non-registered users. This also means that the evaluation is fully functional. Reminder: With the exception of the commercial breaks, the evaluation and registered versions of QQSL are identical! WHY DID I WRITE QQSL? ===================== QQSL was originally written for my private use. But, as I worked on the program, I felt that others would have similar needs, so I decided to rewrite QQSL as a Shareware program. My primary personal need for QQSL is to respond to incoming QSL's from the DX QSL bureaus. I average approximately 100 cards monthly, and find that this total increases and decreases along with the sunspot highs and lows. During the sunspot highs, I've QQSL(tm) - Quick QSL Labels by AA4M/6 Page 4 QQSL(tm), Version 4.1 July 18, 1991 often had months when I received 300+ QSL's! After receiving approximately 20,000+ QSL cards, I no longer get excited about receiving QSL's. Bit, I feel that one is obligated to respond when he or she receives a QSL card. To do otherwise is RUDE and does nothing to foster the goodwill normally generated by ham radio. Although there are now a LOT of different programs which produce QSL labels, none of them used a format I cared for. It seemed that they all simply print the minimum information required to confirm a QSO, without any thought about some of the "niceties" which could also be included. QQSL solved this problem by con- tinually switching fonts, printing the first line (the call sign) using a large 5 char/in font and the remaining lines using the very small 17 char/in font. Therefore, the total number of characters which can be printed on a QQSL label are 219. A LOT of information can be conveyed with this many characters. Addi- tionally, the call letters really stand out, often eliminating the need to write the call separately in large letters as re- quired by some QSL bureaus. In addition to the lack of multiple fonts, I'd noticed that many other programs require a full computerized log and will only generate labels using information from this file. Although I normally store most of my log information on a computer, I found it to be very inconvenient to join various logs together, format them into whatever format the labeling program in question need- ed, and then tagging the lines which required a QSL label. It was much faster for me to type the applicable label using written logs and/or the QSO information from cards received. I think that once you discover how fast you can enter label information using QQSL, you'll agree that there is no advantage to working from a "data base" of QSO information. But - by popular demand, I finally gave in and have added the capability to import the entire contents of K1EA and K8CC contest files. DISCLAIMER ========== The author assumes no responsibility for the results produced by QQSL, either to your software, hardware, or storage media. While I've made every effort to ensure that this software works properly, I know better than to claim that you'll never experi- ence problems while using it. See the "Technical Support" sec- tion near the end of this document if you think you've found a bug. QQSL(tm) - Quick QSL Labels by AA4M/6 Page 5 QQSL(tm), Version 4.1 July 18, 1991 LEARNING QQSL ============= The best way to learn QQSL is as follows: 1. Scan the documentation! Don't worry if parts don't make sense, they will later. I've gone to a lot of detail on how to use the program, probably more than was necessary. Because of this detail, an in-depth study of the documentation at this point in time would probably cause more confusion than anything else! 2. Copy the extracted files from the QQSL archive into a single directory or onto a single floppy diskette (don't forget to make a backup). 3. Run one or more QQSL practice sessions, entering ficti- tious QSO information as you proceed. Test the Import function with one or more of your current contest files. Use ALL possible menu functions as you practice, and enter erroneous data along with good information so that you can see how QQSL reacts. Print out lots of labels, but don't waste continuous-feed labels for this testing phase - your normal paper in the printer will suf- fice. This is also a good time to make a permanent change to the QQSL.INF file as described in the Modify QQSL.INF section. Use the documentation only if you're stuck! 4. Now, study the documentation carefully from the first line to the last. 5. If you're just getting familiar with a new version of QQSL, all that may be needed is for you to read about the latest enhancements in the front of HISTORY.DOC file, and then search this document for more information about new features which catch your interest. You're now a QQSL "expert"! QQSLCFG ======= When you register your copy of QQSL, you'll be supplied with a unique serial number, which when installed to the QQSL.EXE pro- gram will eliminate the commercial breaks. To install the serial number, first ensure that the following two files are in the same QQSL(tm) - Quick QSL Labels by AA4M/6 Page 6 QQSL(tm), Version 4.1 July 18, 1991 directory or on the same floppy diskette: QQSL.EXE QQSLCFG.COM You then simply enter: QQSLCFG <CR> If you are using a monochrome monitor, enter: QQSLCFG /M <CR> QQSLCFG will prompt you for your serial number. After it veri- fies that the serial number is valid, it will install registra- tion information in the QQSL.EXE program. You can verify that the installation was successful a number of ways: 1. QQSLCFG tells you that it installed the number. 2. You'll now see a portion of your serial number in the top "copyright window" above the QQSL main menu. 3. You'll no longer be bothered by commercial breaks. NOTE: If you have any kind of "virus detection" software running as a TSR (watching execution of other DOS programs), QQSLCFG will probably set off an "alarm" when it attempts to write back the registration information to the QQSL.EXE file. You can ignore the warning, but if you're unhappy doing this, I recommend you run any of the virus detection programs against the new copy of QQSL.EXE to assure yourself that the program hasn't become "sick". The best (in my opinion) of these programs is the Share- ware program SCAN, written my McAfee Associates and available on many of the better bulletin boards. Additionally, you probably know that a program which has been infected with a virus will be larger than the original program. QQSLCFG counts the number of bytes (characters) in both the old and the new program, and then displays these counts. As you will then see, the character counts are the same. If you still aren't comfortable with all this insurance (and I know that some people won't be), send me a formatted 5 1/4" floppy (1.2 MB or 360 KB) and a stamped mailer when you register your program and I'll send back a registered copy of QQSL. I'll even send you a copy of SCAN (described above) if you remind me. QQSL(tm) - Quick QSL Labels by AA4M/6 Page 7 QQSL(tm), Version 4.1 July 18, 1991 GETTING STARTING ================ QQSL will run on an IBM PC or compatible running under MS-2.0 or greater. Any monitor and display adapter may be used and large amounts of memory are not required. If you are running QQSL from a floppy diskette, the diskette must not be write pro- tected, but make sure you have a backup copy! The following files must all be in the same directory or on the same floppy diskette from which you run QQSL: QQSL.EXE QQSL.INF SORTF.COM Additionally, the program QQSLCFG.COM must be in the same direc- tory when you are registering your program as described above. It may be deleted as soon as it has been successfully executed. Actually, the "EXE" and "COM" files can be anywhere in your DOS PATH, and you may then simply execute QQSL from the same directo- ry or diskette which contains QQSL.INF. If you're asking what a PATH is, then disregard this information and ensure that the above three files are in the same directory or on the same floppy diskette as previously described. If you have a floppy-only computer, you shouldn't put any files on the floppy other than the three above, since the additional files will simply use space that could be utilized by label files. QQSL has four parameters which can be used as needed: 1. /0 (slash zero): The first parameter is "/0", which is to be used ONLY if your printer does not automatically put a "slash" through the zero digits. If this parameter is used and QQSL detects a zero in label line one (the call sign or the string of fifteen digits in the test label), it will print the zero, backspace, and then print a "/" (slash) over the zero. QQSL will not attempt to slash zeros other than in the first label line. NOTE: I've tested this option extensively, and I've discovered that the backspace-slash combination is NOT the same as the slashed zero normally produced by dot matrix printers. It's close, but on my test machines it never quite looked as good as the default slashed zero provided by printer fonts capable of such. What's worse, if you use the /0 parameter and your printer normally defaults to a slashed zero, you may see two slashes! QQSL(tm) - Quick QSL Labels by AA4M/6 Page 8 QQSL(tm), Version 4.1 July 18, 1991 2. /S (snow removal): If you have an older CGA monitor, you may see "snow" continually being displayed, which can get quite annoying. The "/S" parameter will remove this snow, with the unfortunate side effect that video displays will probably be showed down a little, but this slowdown is an acceptable alterna- tive to snow! NOTE: It is possible to write the program in a manner which will detect CGA and automatically remove snow. I haven't done this because faster CGA video cards will not display this snow and I didn't think it was fair to slow down faster monitors. Additionally, not all users will be bothered by the snow. All-in-all, I felt it was fairer to all if I made this feature a user option. 3. /N (no sound): The "/N" is much simpler to explain than the previous two parameters. "/N" simply turns off all sound. Use this parameter to have a totally silent program. 4. /M (monochrome): QQSL will normally detect that a monochrome system is being used and will automatically convert colors to monochrome equivalents. But, in some cases the "/M" parameter will provide better results than those provided by the automatic detection software. If you are using a monochrome system, run QQSL both with and without the "/M" parameter to determine which is better on your particular system. This param- eter should substantially improve the display on laptop comput- ers, and will also remove the QQSL's from the background wall- paper. NOTE: When running QQSL with the "/M" switch, some of the win- dows will appear "washed out". This is because QQSL was written to be a color program. In interpreting colors to monochrome, it will sometimes happen that a window's background will be inter- preted as white, which will then cause it to blend in with the white background. But, both the window's border and its text will be visible, so there should be no problem determining what is needed. I have alleviated the problem somewhat by not print- ing the "QQSL's" in the background wallpaper and by not using window shadows. Unfortunately though, the only way to get com- pletely around the monochrome interpretation problem is to avoid the use of lighter colors, but this would have been at the ex- pense of the majority of the QQSL users! Of course, I couldn't consider this, so - again I'd like to recommend that you purchase that color monitor and video card as described in the "Introduc- tion" section. QQSL(tm) - Quick QSL Labels by AA4M/6 Page 9 QQSL(tm), Version 4.1 July 18, 1991 To run QQSL with no parameters, simply enter: QQSL <CR> To run QQSL with all four parameters, enter: QQSL /0 /S /N /M <CR> Any one, two, three, or all four parameters in any order may be used. The only stipulation is that you must separate the parame- ters from each other and from the program name by one or more space. A dash (-) may be used in the place of the slash (/). Additionally, either upper case, lower case, or a combination may be used. Invalid parameters are simply ignored - you won't get an error message! MENUS ===== Labels are saved to a file named QQSL.LBL. The first time you run QQSL (or if you run QQSL after deleting your QQSL.LBL file with the Delete function), QQSL will detect that you don't have an existing label file and you'll see a menu with the following functions: About QQSL Create label file Import K1EA/K8CC Modify QQSL.INF Quit program You may use the arrow keys to select the appropriate menu item and then press <Enter>, or you may simply press a key correspond- ing to the first letter of the desired menu item. For "PC power users", the following will tell you all there is to know about QQSL menus: Menu Movement Key Action ----------------- ------ UpArrow............moves selection bar up DownArrow..........moves selection bar down Enter..............selects the item that the selection bar is on Single Character...selects the item beginning with that character Home...............moves selection bar to menu top QQSL(tm) - Quick QSL Labels by AA4M/6 Page 10 QQSL(tm), Version 4.1 July 18, 1991 End................moves selection bar to menu bottom Esc................return to previous menu Subsequent runs of QQSL will show this menu: Add new labels Count labels Delete QQSL.LBL Import K1EA/K8CC aLign printer Modify QQSL.INF Print all labels Sort labels Quit program A description of each of these functions follows . . . About QQSL ========== This function will pop up a window telling you something about QQSL, very similar to the Windows 3.0 "about", but without the graphics. For non-registered users, this function will be redun- dant as it is very similar to the commercial breaks. Create label file (or) Add new labels ===================================== These functions are essentially the same. The only difference is that Create will start a new QQSL.LBL file and Add will append new labels to the existing QQSL.LBL file. You don't need to be concerned as to whether you need to enter "C" or "A", as QQSL has built-in safeguards to prevent the wrong function from being selected. You are about to discover that entering label information with QQSL is FAST, as speed was foremost in my mind during the entire program development process. This speed comes about because duplicate information is carried forward from one saved label to the next. Additionally, the RS(T) automatically has a "9" ap- pended to the end for AMTOR, CW, Packet, and RTTY and removed for FM and SSB. Because of these enhancements, you'll be amazed at how fast you can create labels from the keyboard. QQSL(tm) - Quick QSL Labels by AA4M/6 Page 11 QQSL(tm), Version 4.1 July 18, 1991 The editing keys for the Add/Create function are mostly intuitive and will be quite easy to master. But, for those who want to know ALL the possible edit keys, they are as follows: Field Editing Key Action ----------------- ------ LeftArrow..........cursor left RightArrow.........cursor right UpArrow............cursor up DownArrow..........cursor down Ctrl-LeftArrow.....word left Ctrl-RightArrow....word right Tab................field right Shift-Tab..........field left Enter..............process field F2.................process all fields (Modify function only) F6.................process all fields Ctrl-Enter.........process all fields Period (.).........enter period, delete to end of field Home...............beginning of field End................end of field line / end of field Ctrl-Home..........beginning of first field Ctrl-End...........end of last field Ins................toggle field insert mode Del................delete character at cursor BackSpace..........delete character left Ctrl-BackSpace.....delete word left Ctrl-R.............restore field to original contents Ctrl-T.............delete word right Ctrl-U.............delete to end of field Ctrl-Y.............delete to end of last field Esc................return to previous menu NOTE: All the above edit keys work the same with the Modify function. QQSL also supports the mouse as follows: Key Action --- ------ Left button...........same as the enter key above Right button..........same as the <Esc> key Middle button.........not used (I haven't been able to verify this as I don't have access to a 3-button mouse) Mouse movement........to select menu items or move around on an input form QQSL(tm) - Quick QSL Labels by AA4M/6 Page 12 QQSL(tm), Version 4.1 July 18, 1991 The first time you use the Add/Create function, all fields (other than the Call sign) will be preset to common values and may then be adjusted as necessary. If you've just finished importing a K1EA or K8CC file, the last label imported will be shown on the Add/Create form. Label information for saved [F6] entries will be carried forward from label to label, with one exception - the RS(T) will change back to 59 (or 599) after each label is saved. I think that you'll find this a very "workable" arrangement once you become accustomed to it. You don't need to be concerned about whether or not to use capi- tal letters as QQSL automatically converts all lower case letters to upper case. Add/Create input is as follows: Call Sign --------- Enter the full call sign. Although I have never heard a call sign with more than twelve characters (more on that later), QQSL will accept up to 15. The letters "A" - "Z", the numbers "1" - "0", and special characters "/", and "-" are the only valid characters allowed in this field. If you precede the call sign with spaces, these spaces will be removed and the call sign will be shifted to the left. QQSL will validate a call sign to ensure that it contains at least three characters and that these charac- ters aren't all letters or all numbers. Embedded spaces will also cause a call sign to be flagged as invalid. No further validations are performed to call signs, so be sure to "eyeball" each entry carefully before proceeding to the next field. You may be asking yourself, "Why is the dash (-) a valid charac- ter"? This is because the dash is commonly used in SWL calls. If you use a dash in the call and then press [F6] to save the label, QQSL will check the SWL field to ensure that it is a "Y". If not, a warning will be issued, but you'll have the option to save the label if you wish. SPECIAL NOTE: The Call sign field has one unique difference from other fields. Rather than describe this difference in great detail, I'll just summarize it and let you "play" with this field on your own to gain full understanding. Briefly, after you press [F6] to save a label, you'll notice that the cursor is now posi- tioned at the beginning of the call field. You now have two choices . . . 1. Start typing the next call. You'll notice that old call sign is immediately blanked out, or QQSL(tm) - Quick QSL Labels by AA4M/6 Page 13 QQSL(tm), Version 4.1 July 18, 1991 2. Use any of the edit keys described above to modify the current call. QQSL will decide with the FIRST keystroke whether you are enter- ing a new call or modifying the old. There are a number of reasons why I set up this field to behave this way. The most important is that I found touch typists (such as myself) tended to not notice that they were entering short calls incorrectly after entering longer calls. For example, if I were to press [F6] to save a label for WA6XYZ and then immediately start typing a label for KC4B, the Tab or Enter key which I pressed following the "B" would leave the letters "YZ" behind, thereby creating a label for KC4BYZ! Two-finger typists will probably never appre- ciate the effort I went through to handle the Call sign field in this manner, but touch-typists will! MHz --- QQSL recognizes 1.8, 3.5, 3.8, 7, 10, 14, 18, 21, 24, 28, 50, 144, 222, 432, 902, 1.2G, 2.3G, 3.4G, 5.7G, 10G, 24G, and 48G as valid entries. If anyone has any need for frequencies beyond 48 GHz, let me know and I'll gladly incorporate their choices. But, I personally plan to avoid the UHF bands, as lead underwear is a bit expensive at the local Sears . . . just kidding <HI!>. Frequencies entered other than the above will be rejected. Mode (A, C, F, P, R, or S) -------------------------- These letters indicate (A)MTOR, (C)W, (F)M, (P)acket, (R)TTY, and (S)SB. Enter the appropriate letter and the remainder of the mode will be automatically displayed. I realize I've left out the satellite and SSTV modes, but I didn't think there would be enough demand for these. If there are any users who would like to see these modes, please let me know exactly how these modes should appear on a QQSL label and I'll add them to the program. RS(T) ----- Any valid RS(T) report will be accepted. The third number (9) for all reports is automatically provided for AMTOR, CW, Packet, and RTTY, and removed for both FM and SSB. If you work someone on one of the first four modes and give them something other than a "9" for (T)one, I guess you'd better fill out this QSL by hand <HI!>. I doubt this will be a problem though as I haven't seen a tone other than "9" given during a QSO for over twenty-five years! As explained earlier, this field will change back to 59 or 599 depending on the mode after each label is saved. QQSL(tm) - Quick QSL Labels by AA4M/6 Page 14 QQSL(tm), Version 4.1 July 18, 1991 Time ---- Enter the time in UTC (old GMT). Invalid times will be rejected. Day --- 01 - 31. Invalid days will be rejected. Month ----- 01 - 12. Invalid months will be rejected. If the day is "31", QQSL will not accept 02, 04, 06, 09, nor 11. If the day is "30", QQSL will not accept 02. The month will be converted to Roman numerals on the label. NOTE: A couple of hams have told me that they don't care for the Roman numeral in the date and would rather see something like "01-Jan-1991" on the final label. As an English-speaking person, I agree that this format looks bet- ter, but have discovered in 30+ years of DXing that the date "01- I-1991" will not be misinterpreted anywhere in the world. Think about it! Year ---- 45 - 99 are the only valid years at this time. If you have entered "29" as day and "02" as month, only a leap year will be accepted. The two-digit year will be preceded with "19" on the label. If this program (and me) are still around in the year 2000, I'll change this <HI!>. QSL, (P or T) ------------- (P)lease or (T)hanks only. Any other entry will be rejected. If you are entering a label for an SWL, "P" will be flagged as invalid. SWL, (Y or N) ------------- (Y)es or (N)o only. Invalid characters will be rejected. If you enter "Y", QQSL will check the call to see if it looks like an SWL call (includes one or more dashes). If not, a warning will be issued, but you'll have the option to save the label if you wish. [F6] ---- Press the [F6] key to save the completed label (you do not need to be at the end of the Add/Create form to press this key). QQSL(tm) - Quick QSL Labels by AA4M/6 Page 15 QQSL(tm), Version 4.1 July 18, 1991 Individual fields are edited as they are entered, but validations which require cross referencing other fields are performed at this time. You'll get an error message and "down tones" if there are errors, or you'll get "up tones" if all is OK and the label was saved. The moving light bar changes density at specific predetermined points during the save process, and therefore should be considered a practical/useful feature rather than only being decoration. You may continue to enter the information for the next label as the current is printing - if you're fast enough <HI!>. NOTE: After pressing [F6] to save the label, you'll notice that all fields are still on the form, with the exception that the RS(T) has reverted to 59 or 599 depending on mode. All of this information may be re-used as necessary for the next label! <Esc> ----- Press the <Esc> key to go back to the main menu. Should you later decide to return to the Add/Create function, all label information from the last time you saved a label will still be available on the form. The right mouse button also acts as the <Esc> key. QQSL was written so that system crashes will not cause you to lose files! For example, you're an avid contester in W4-land who is in the process of entering QSL label information for 600 Eastern European QSL's which just arrived from the bureau. These labels are being added to an existing QQSL.LBL file which already contains approximately 200 labels. Suddenly, there's a brief power interruption! In this situation, you'd normally lose the entire QQSL.LBL file, including the 200 labels from your previous sessions!! Trust me - these situations in which a computer user loses all his or her work because of system or application fail- ure are quite common! Therefore, I have written QQSL in such a manner that it will never lose more the single label which you are currently working on, and I have extensively tested this feature! Prove it to yourself - start a new QQSL.LBL file by entering a few fictitious labels. Then, switch off the computer as you are entering the information for a new label. After you turn the power back on, go directly to the Print function and print out the test labels. You'll see that only the label that you were working on when you threw the switch was lost! This might seem to be a minor feature to some of you, but if you have ever lost all your work from a system crash, you'll appreciate the sizable effort I put forth to install and test this capabili- ty! QQSL(tm) - Quick QSL Labels by AA4M/6 Page 16 QQSL(tm), Version 4.1 July 18, 1991 Count labels ============ This function is self-explanatory. It's a good idea to invoke the Count function from time to time to see if the label file is the size that you normally like to print. Additionally, the Sort function (described below) will not sort an unlimited number of labels. If you have a LOT of labels in your QQSL.LBL file, this function will let you know that it is about to exceed the number of labels that the Sort function can reasonably handle. Count displays the count continuously as it counts the labels in the QQSL.LBL file. I set it up this way just because I thought it looked neat! If you are counting a small number of labels, this feature won't mean much. But if you're counting a lot of labels, it's fun to watch the numbers spinning! Trivia - for those of you who have been considering an upgrade to a faster computer, you might want to consider this: On my clone 386/25, a Count against a label file of 100 labels is normally completed before my finger is fully removed from the "C" key! Delete QQSL.LBL =============== This function would normally be selected after you have printed out your current label file. When selecting this function, you'll see: Delete QQSL.LBL...are you sure? [y,N] This prompt is provided in case you've accidentally pressed the "D" key or in case you might now wish to change your mind. You may now press "Y" to delete QQSL.LBL or "N" if you wish to keep the file. If you select "Y", QQSL.BAK (created by the Sort function) will also be deleted, along with QQSL.LBL. Tip: I recommend that you keep a copy of PC Tools, Norton Utilities, or some other utility program which allows "undeleting" files, and that you know how to use it! Then, if you delete QQSL.LBL and discover that you need it back for any reason, immediately stop whatever you're doing and recover the deleted file. NOTE: It is very important to recover a file as soon as you discover that you need it back, as DOS will write data over your deleted file sooner or later, at which time it is no longer possible to unde- lete it! By the way, this undeleting program will have many uses QQSL(tm) - Quick QSL Labels by AA4M/6 Page 17 QQSL(tm), Version 4.1 July 18, 1991 beyond QQSL, as I'm sure you'll discover! Tip: Don't delete QQSL.LBL until all the labels have been re- moved from their backing and are affixed to your QSL cards. This way, individual labels can be reprinted if they become "messed up" in any way. Import K1EA/K8CC ================ This function will convert the binary files created by both the K1EA and K8CC contest programs into QQSL labels. For K1EA's CT program, this includes the following contests: ARRL 10 Meter Contest ARRL 160 Meter Contest ARRL DX Contest, DX Side ARRL DX Contest, W/VE Side ARRL Field Day ARRL Sweepstakes CQ WPX Contest CQWW 160 Meter Contest CQWW Contest (including the CQWW RTTY) DX'pedition Logs (including RTTY) WAE Contest For K8CC's NA program, this includes the following contests: ARRL 160 Meter Contest ARRL Field Day ARRL Novice Roundup ARRL Sweepstakes ARRL Ten Meter Contest CQWW 160 Meter Contest IARU HF Championship North America QSO Party North America Sprint The files to be imported will have the name extensions BIN for files created by CT, and QSO for NA. The following are examples of the type of file names which would be created by either CT or NA: QQSL(tm) - Quick QSL Labels by AA4M/6 Page 18 QQSL(tm), Version 4.1 July 18, 1991 ARRLFD90.QSO CQWWCW90.BIN IARU1990.QSO WPXSSB90.BIN Before invoking the import function, be sure that all BIN and/or QSO files are in your working directory (the directory from which you normally run QQSL). NOTE: This is also a good time to use the Modify command to change the last two label lines, should you wish to direct your remarks towards the specific contest for which you're now creating labels. Highlight the Import function selection using arrow keys and press Enter, or press 'I' to bring up a second window. A single press of the left mouse button on this selection will also work. You may now select either K1EA or K8CC using the same guidelines. You'll then be shown a window with all the contest files for either K1EA or K8CC, depending on which type you selected, i.e. only BIN files will be shown if you selected K1EA and only QSO files will be shown if you selected K8CC. You may scroll through the files listed in this window with either the keyboard arrow keys or by using a mouse and the scroll bar arrows on the right side of the window. All "menu movement keys" described at the beginning of the "Menus" section are functional. To summarize these keys, you may enter the first letter of the name of the file you are interested in importing, and the first file which starts with this letter will be high- lighted. You may use <Home> to go to the beginning of the file list, <End> to go to the end, and <Esc> or the right mouse button to take you out of the file list without importing any labels. Once you have selected the applicable file, press Enter or "click" on the file name with the left mouse button to import the entire contents of this file to your QQSL.LBL file. Important Notes (not prioritized): 1. The first time you use the Import function, I think it's a smart idea for you to first print your current QQSL.LBL file and then delete it. Then, after you've imported a single contest file (regardless of the contest type) I again think it's wise to print out the new QQSL.LBL file (after sorting it and modifying label lines 4 and 5, if applicable) and then deleting it. This procedure can be modified or eliminated once you gain confidence with the new function. But, please note that I've tested the Import function extensively and don't foresee that you'll have any problems. If you do, please report them to me using the guidelines described in the "Technical Support" section, which can be found near the end of this document. QQSL(tm) - Quick QSL Labels by AA4M/6 Page 19 QQSL(tm), Version 4.1 July 18, 1991 2. Neither CT nor NA make any provision for reports other than 59 or 599 to be sent. Therefore, all you'll see is 59 or 599 on your imported labels. 3. QQSL has been tested with CT versions through 7.01 and NA versions through 6.02. If you are using versions later than these, be sure to run a test session or two before importing your contest files. 4. NA versions prior to 5.00 created files with the exten- sion NAF, a format which is not compatible with QQSL. Fortunate- ly though, K8CC has provided the user with a program to convert NAF files to the QSO format. This program is called CONVERT.EXE and is included with all versions of NA beginning with 5.00. Use this program to convert any NAF files to QSO files before import- ing these files into QQSL. 5. The only CT file which may not be imported by QQSL are files created by the ARRL VHF QSO Party. CT does not store mode information (CW, SSB, FM, etc.) for this contest, so it's not possible for QQSL to create valid labels for this contest. When mode information is included for the VHF QSO Party, I'll make appropriate changes to QQSL. 6. The K1EA Field Day Contest allows 6, 2, NOV (Novice), SAT (Satellite), and PKT (Packet) to be entered as bands. QQSL will use 50 MHz for 6 meters, 144 MHz for 2, and will assume that NOV is a 28 MHz contact. Additionally, SAT will be shown as "Sat. MHz" on the label, and PKT will be dropped as there is no band to go with this mode. In the cases of SAT and PKT, I wasn't happy with how I handled these entries, so if anyone has any better ideas, I'm QRV for suggestions! On this subject, the CT DX'pedi- tion mode allows SAT for mode. This will also be shown as "Sat. MHz" on the label as described above. 7. NA will allow you to operate a maximum of six (out of eleven) bands during the Field Day Contest. QQSL will correctly determine which bands you operated (this was far more complicated than you could ever believe)! aLign printer ============= This function will print out dummy labels, which may be used to line up continuous-form labels in your printer. Each time you press "L", QQSL will print out one dummy label. NOTE: This is QQSL(tm) - Quick QSL Labels by AA4M/6 Page 20 QQSL(tm), Version 4.1 July 18, 1991 also a good time to turn on your printer's near letter quality (NLQ) capability, if you have it. Doing so will make the labels look MUCH better. A reminder to switch over to NLQ mode will flash on the screen for five seconds while each dummy label is printing out. If you have used the /0 parameter to slash zeros in the call sign, this slash will also appear in the first line of the dummy label. Modify QQSL.INF =============== INF stands for INformation File. The information which prints on the last two thirds of the fourth line and all of the fifth line can be either permanently or temporarily modified by this func- tion. A sample QQSL.INF file has been delivered with QQSL. Selecting Modify will allow you to change either line 4 or 5, both lines, or neither (should you change your mind). Changes can be either temporary (used for this run only) or permanent (written to QQSL.INF). NOTE: Changes to QQSL.INF file will apply only to labels created AFTER the change and that labels created before Modifying QQSL.INF are unchanged. NOTE 2: Lower case letters will NOT be converted to upper case for lines 4 and 5. The Modify form is very straight-forward, and is actually simpler to use than describe. Additionally, all of the edit keys shown above in the description of the "Create label file (or) Add new labels" section will also work the same in the Modify function. The QQSL.INF which came with QQSL contains the actual line 4 and 5 information which I use on my personal QSL cards. The first time you use QQSL, you MUST Save permanent [F6] to the QQSL.INF file. The new information that you enter is displayed as part of a sample label in order that you may easily visualize the printed label. If you are not comfortable with this, Modify lines 4 and 5 and then Create and print a test label or two. NOTE: The dollar sign ($) is not allowed on lines 4 or 5 as I'm using this character in the QQSL.LBL file to separate label lines. Take a look at a QQSL.LBL file using your favorite word processor in (N)on-document mode or Vernon Buerg's LIST program and you'll see what I mean. If the lack of this character causes you a problem, let me know and I'll consider some alternatives. Save temporary [F2] will save the modified lines 4 and 5 for use during this QQSL session only, whereas Save permanent [F6] will QQSL(tm) - Quick QSL Labels by AA4M/6 Page 21 QQSL(tm), Version 4.1 July 18, 1991 allow use of the modified lines 4 and 5 during this session and will also write the new lines to your QQSL.INF file. Be careful with Save permanent, if you think you might want to save the old QQSL.INF file for future use, you should make a backup copy of QQSL.INF before pressing [F6]. If you type some changes, but then decide you want to leave the lines as they were, press either <Esc> or the right mouse button to return to the main menu BEFORE you press [F2] or [F6]. NOTE: I have probably made the Modify command sound more compli- cated than it really is. Play around with it and you'll see that it's really quite simple! Print all labels ================ After you have properly lined up the printer with the "aLign printer" function, enter "P" and QQSL will begin printing labels. NOTE: Be sure to Sort the labels prior to printing if you wish the labels printed in "Callbook" order (highly recommended if these are cards for the QSL bureau). A count of the number of labels printed is displayed on the screen and is continuously updated. This count will not coincide with the label currently being printed if you have a print buffer or spooler, but in all cases the end count will reflect the actual number of labels printed. Sort labels =========== This function will sort the QQSL.LBL file in "Callbook" order by call sign. Your old QQSL.LBL file will be renamed QQSL.BAK and saved in the current directory (or floppy diskette). This backup file is created for the unlikely situation that something goes wrong during the sort. But, the only thing I have found that might cause a problem with the Sort function is if there is a component failure or power outage during sort execution. In the unlikely event this happens, the QQSL.BAK file can be renamed QQSL.LBL using the DOS REN (rename) command and used for further processing! The moving light bar changes density at specific predetermined points during the Sort process, and therefore should be consid- ered a practical/useful feature rather than only being decora- QQSL(tm) - Quick QSL Labels by AA4M/6 Page 22 QQSL(tm), Version 4.1 July 18, 1991 tion. During development, I tested the Sort function on a 640 KB "AT" clone with no expanded memory and a minimum of TSR's (Terminate but Stay Resident) programs installed, and I was able to sort 14,000 labels with no trouble. My suggestion though is that you should consider the maximum sort capability to be approximately 10,000 records, or less if you don't have the full 640 KB of RAM. Tip: If you're going to sort 3,000 or more labels, you may as well take a break as this many labels will take a while to sort, especially if you have a slow computer! It's probably a good idea to not use the Sort function if your files are all stored on floppy diskette, unless the QQSL.LBL file is very small. This is because the Sort creates two additional files, QQSL.TMP and QQSL.BAK, which are both the same size as QQSL.LBL. Of course QQSL.TMP is deleted before the Sort is finished, but nevertheless the space needs to be available during the process. Additionally, the files QQSL.EXE and QQSL.INF must also reside on the same diskette. All-in-all, as your QQSL.LBL file grows, you may find that there is no longer space to sort on floppy diskette. I'll leave it up to you, but be VERY careful if sorting on floppy! This seems an appropriate time for me to give a great big THANK YOU to Vernon D. Buerg, N6MG for his permission to incorporate his program SORTF into my QQSL program. Without this, I would have been forced into writing and debugging my own code to sort labels, and the resulting sort would have been slower than Vern's program and probably wouldn't have been able to sort as many! Additionally, QQSL would have been delayed while I worked on my own Sort function. So thanks Vern! And, all you users please be sure to read the SORTF.DOC which accompanies QQSL. You'll see that SORTF has many applications beyond simply sorting QQSL labels and will be an important addition to your utility library! And, if you use SORTF, please be sure to register it with Vern. Details are in the SORTF.DOC file. NOTE: Vern is probably better known as the author of the great Shareware program, LIST! Quit program ============ Self-explanatory. Additionally, pressing the <Esc> key or the right mouse button from the main menu will let you quit QQSL. QQSL(tm) - Quick QSL Labels by AA4M/6 Page 23 QQSL(tm), Version 4.1 July 18, 1991 LABEL INFORMATION ================= QQSL prints on standard 3-1/2" X 15/16", 1-up labels. The first line of the label (the call sign) is printed using a wide font (5 characters/inch) and the remaining four lines are printed with a compressed font (17 characters/inch). An Epson compatible dot matrix printer is assumed. I've tested QQSL on both a Panasonic KXP-1091i and a number of Citizen dot matrix printers, and it works fine on all. If you're using a non-Epson compatible print- er, give QQSL a try anyway to see what happens - you won't hurt the printer. If the labels come out "bad", check the manual to see if the printer can be reconfigured to the Epson mode through "dip" switch settings. If you have a Near Letter Quality (NLQ) mode on your printer, use it. Although NLQ will slow the printer down, the labels will look MUCH better! The following table illustrates how QQSL will format the label's first line, with the format being determined by the actual length of the call. Letters in call Format ------- ------ 1 - 5 *.*..W6XYZ..*.* 6 - 7 *.*.W6XYZ/4.*.* 8 - 9 *..KL7/W6XYZ..* 10 - 11 *.VP2M/WA6XYZ.* 12 - 15 REAL-LONG-CALL! Periods (.) represent blanks. The first line (shown above), second line, third line, and first 10 characters of the fourth line are automatically generated by QQSL. The last 41 characters of the fourth line and all of line five (51 characters) are created using the information from the file QQSL.INF, which must be in the same directory or on the same floppy diskette as QQSL.EXE. As described earlier, use the Modify function to make changes to the QQSL.INF file. The sample QQSL.INF accompanying QQSL is reproduced here in its entirety, between (but not including) the lines of asterisks: QQSL(tm) - Quick QSL Labels by AA4M/6 Page 24 QQSL(tm), Version 4.1 July 18, 1991 ***************************************************************** , 73 de Bill - AA4M/6 Rig: IC-781, Alpha-78, KT-34A up 17 meters, IBM 386/25, & PK-232 First line maximum is 41 characters. Second line maximum is 51 characters. Any characters beyond these, even if these are only spaces, have the potential to screw up the label. But, any line after the second is ignored by the program. These areas can be used for comments, as you can see <HI!>. HINT: Use QQSL's Modify command rather than your word processor to change the first two lines in this file - it's much safer! ***************************************************************** THINGS TO COME ============== The following potential enhancements are listed in order from what I perceive to be the most important to the least: 1. Support for laser printers has become my highest-priority planned enhancement. I'll feel better about calling QQSL the "ultimate" QSL label program once the laser capability is opera- tional. I now own a HP IIIP Laserjet printer, so testing has begun! 2. Support for the IBM ProPrinter is imminent! Thanks to N0OBM for volunteering to "beta" this enhancement! 3. I might eliminate all QQSL parameters which are normally invoked by the user when executing QQSL. A better way might be to have QQSLCFG install all parameters permanently to the pro- gram, the same way it installs registration information. This would not be too complex a change to make to QQSLCFG - the only problem I have is finding the time! 4. I'm going to put a option in QQSL which allows you to use one of two different formats for dates, i.e. 01-I-91 or 01-JAN-91 for January 1, 1991. This option will probably be installed with QQSLCFG. 5. KC4B suggested that I add a Name field to Add/Create form, and then incorporate it into the 4th line of the label. For example, "Please QSL John, . . .". But this is not quite as QQSL(tm) - Quick QSL Labels by AA4M/6 Page 25 QQSL(tm), Version 4.1 July 18, 1991 clear-cut as it might appear, since: 1) names are different lengths, 2) the name must be optional, and 3) the user will lose the use of another portion of line 4, even if he or she doesn't use the name field! But, it's a good idea and one I think I'll incorporate into the program as soon as I think of a way of smoothly integrating the name into the label. 6. WA5DTK, KK6XN, KC4B, and others have suggested that I allow the Modify information on the same screen as the Add/Create Form, so that they could more easily change lines 4 and 5 for EACH label, thereby enabling them to write personal comments to QSL card recipients as needed. This is an interesting idea, and one which I've decided to implement in a future version. 7. I'd like to be able to totally eliminate the QQSL.INF file by writing lines 4 and 5 back to the program itself. I'll do this as soon as I figure out how I can do so without having the program grow excessively large. One idea I'm toying with is having the QQSLCFG make permanent changes to the QQSL.INF file, but have temporary changes made within QQSL itself. 8. The ability to change or delete individual labels after entry might be useful at times. But, this will be a BIG program- ming chore though, so I'll think about it some more. In the mean time, use the (N)on-document mode of your word processing soft- ware as described in the "Miscellaneous Stuff" section to correct any errors which you may have inadvertently saved to your QQSL.LBL file or to delete any labels which you later decide you don't wish to print. NOTE: DO NOT add or remove any dollar signs ($) in the QQSL.LBL file! 9. I'd like to be able to enter a single digit in the day or month field, and then have this digit automatically shift right and zero-fill the left position when <CR> is pressed. This turns out to be a lot more of a programming problem than it would first appear. I'll keep "playing" with this idea. 10. Having "help screens" pop up at the press of the [F1] key might be a useful enhancement. On the other hand, I think the program itself is user-friendly and that programming a help system might be a waste of my time, while "bloating" the program at the same time. I'd appreciate any comments on this from those who would or would not like to see this proposed capability! Other enhancements/revisions/corrections to QQSL will be released as necessary. QQSL(tm) - Quick QSL Labels by AA4M/6 Page 26 QQSL(tm), Version 4.1 July 18, 1991 BUGS ==== There's only one known bug at this time: If you've just started a QQSL session and are using the Add/Create form, any entry in the SWL field will cause the call to disappear! You should avoid the SWL field until you've saved at least one label with the [F6] key, at which time this error will go away. This problem is caused by a flaw in a library function external to QQSL, so the fix is beyond my control. I'm in touch with the library author and working with him to correct the problem. But, please note that this is an extremely minor bug and won't result in any damage to your label files if it "bites" you. Actually, the only thing that WILL happen is that a press of the [F6] key will pop up an error window which tells you that you have an invalid call sign. Thanks to KC4B for reporting this stinker (stink bug?). All other bugs have all been squashed as soon as they were dis- covered <HI!>. MISCELLANEOUS STUFF =================== My personal QSL card wasn't designed with the idea of using QQSL labels. But, the card was arranged in such a way that the over- all card looks good when I put a label over the pre-printed QSO information block. On this subject, I recently received a QSL from an old friend of mine back in "4-Land" whose call is KC4B. John wanted to show me his new QSL card, which had the QSO block on the front, but he had overlaid the block with a QQSL label, and it looked great! It seems this card was designed with the idea that a user might like to either fill out the card himself OR use a label. John went on to tell me that this QSL was not a custom design, but one of many styles made with this "dual func- tion" in mind. This QSL card came from "QSL's by W4MPY" in Monetta, SC. If this kind of QSL interests you, write for sam- ples to the address from W4MPY advertisements in the ham publica- tions. While at it, you might write to a few other QSL printers for samples. My guess is that we'll be seeing more and more of this kind of card in the future. In 1990, I had QSO's with two of the longest calls I have ever heard on the amateur bands! This first call was VE2EDK/CI0GI, a QQSL(tm) - Quick QSL Labels by AA4M/6 Page 27 QQSL(tm), Version 4.1 July 18, 1991 Canadian operating from a potential new country and the second was ZB2/HB9DCQ/P, a Swiss amateur operating portable from Gibral- tar. QQSL had no problems generating labels for either call, even though each consisted of twelve characters. If anybody has ever worked a real-life, valid call (not a hypothetical call) longer than either of these, I'd be interested in hearing about it. During a QQSL test session, I decided to make changes to the QQSL.LBL file using my word processing (WP) software. Of course I used (N)on-document mode, as you should if you want to modify any individual labels with your WP software. If you use the (D)ocument mode, QQSL will no longer be able to read the QQSL.LBL file! Anyway, after making changes to only one label, I found that QQSL would no longer Add to the file. It took a LONG time for me to figure this one out, but I finally discovered that my WP software had added some "padding" characters (hex characters "1A" - I think) to the end of the QQSL.LBL file in order to bring the total number of characters to a multiple of 128. Why it needed multiples of 128 for a (N)on-document file I have no idea. Anyway, I changed the WP setup so that it no longer added these padding characters and I can now edit the file with my WP. The moral of this story is that you MUST BE SURE to make a backup copy of your QQSL.LBL file before making any changes with your WP software, at least until you are confident that your label file won't be "clobbered" by your WP! For those interested, my WP software package at that time was WordStar, version 5.5. If you're using this WP software and can't figure out how to elimi- nate the padding characters, get in touch with me and I'll be glad to help. NOTE: DO NOT add or remove any dollar signs ($) in the QQSL.LBL file! I experimented with double-printing the first line of the label in order to emphasize the call sign. But, I discovered that various "Epson compatible" printers handled this part of the program differently - what worked on one was ignored by the other. After spending an inordinate amount of time on this potential enhancement, I decided to abandon it rather than re- lease a program which might not work in a particular user's environment. This was unfortunate, because when it worked, it looked good! Version 1.0 of QQSL was originally released as free (but copy- righted) software. I even included the source code for those of you that might wish to "tinker" with the program. That version of QQSL represented about 400 lines of source. Version 2.0 grew to 1,000 lines of source and the latest version is well over 2,700! This program has taken me MUCH more effort than I had QQSL(tm) - Quick QSL Labels by AA4M/6 Page 28 QQSL(tm), Version 4.1 July 18, 1991 originally planned - those of you who are programmers know what I mean. Because of this effort, starting with version 2.0, I withheld the source code and made the program Shareware. If you find that you need the source for any reason, let me know - we'll discuss it! With version 3.0, I imposed a 3-label limit for non- registered users. Version 4.1 saw the elimination of the 3-label limit and the introduction of commercial breaks. If you have access to a Price Club, I recommend you purchase your continuous-form labels there. A box of 5,000 3-1/2" X 15/16", 1- up labels retails for about $9.00. I've checked quite a few local retail stores and a few mail order houses and haven't found any prices better than this. 5,000 labels will last you a long, long time <HI!>. If you decide to upgrade your dot matrix printer to a laser printer, or just to a better dot matrix, my advice would be to keep the old printer rather then selling it or giving it to the kids! You could then connect both the old and new printers to the printer port by using a parallel "A/B switch" and then leave continuous-form labels in the older printer at all times. This way, you would be relieved of the hassle of reloading the printer with continuous-form label paper each time you wanted to run off a batch of QQSL labels. Additionally, small batches of labels (as few as one label!) won't be daunting, since you'll no longer have to load/unload the printer! I have a perfectly good 9-pin dot matrix which I'll soon be upgrading to a laser, and my plan to follow my own advice <HI!>. This paragraph has nothing to do with QQSL, but important enough that I felt I should include it. It is EXTREMELY IMPORTANT that you backup your data! If you know this and already have a suit- able backup routine in place, skip the rest of this paragraph. But, if you're not in the habit of backing up your data on a routine basis, you're going to get stung some day, BAD! If you have a floppy-only system, backing up is as simple as using the DOS DISKCOPY command. For those using a hard disk, the least efficient but simplest way is to backup files is with the DOS COPY command. Next is through the use of the DOS BACKUP and RESTORE commands. At my office, I personally use and recommend Central Point's CP Backup, written by the same folks who produced PC Tools. If you find that you have a LOT of data on a BIG hard disk and that the act of physically swapping floppy diskettes is forcing you to attend backup sessions of 20 minutes or more, you're a candidate for a tape backup! I'm now using a 300 MB tape backup system on my system at home, and can honestly say that I'd never again backup more than 20 MB or so to floppy diskettes. Tape is definitely the way to go if you have a large QQSL(tm) - Quick QSL Labels by AA4M/6 Page 29 QQSL(tm), Version 4.1 July 18, 1991 hard disk! In closing, please note that I've lost the entire contents of my hard disk SIX times over the last four years, but never lost more than an hour or two of work thanks to good backup practices! ABOUT SHAREWARE =============== Shareware distribution gives users a chance to try software before buying it. If you try a Shareware program and continue using it, you are expected to register. Individual programs differ on details - some request registration while others re- quire it, some specify a maximum trial period. With registra- tion, you get anything from the simple right to continue using the software to an updated program with printed manual. Copyright laws apply to both Shareware and commercial software, and the copyright holder retains all rights, with a few specific exceptions as stated below. Shareware authors are accomplished programmers, just like commercial authors, and the programs are of comparable quality (in both cases, there are good programs and bad ones)! The main difference is in the method of distribution. The author specifically grants the right to copy and distribute the software, either to all and sundry or to a specific group. For example, some authors require written permission before a commercial disk vendor may copy their Shareware. Shareware is a distribution method, not a type of software. You should find software that suits your needs and pocketbook, wheth- er it's commercial or Shareware. The Shareware system makes fitting your needs easier, because you can try before you buy. And because the overhead is low, prices are low also. Shareware has the ultimate money-back guarantee - if you don't use the product, you don't pay for it. DISCLAIMER ========== Users of QQSL must accept this disclaimer of warranty: QQSL is supplied as is. The author disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, including, without limitation, the warranties of merchantability and of fitness for any purpose. The author assumes no liability for damages, direct or consequential, which may result from the use of QQSL. QQSL(tm) - Quick QSL Labels by AA4M/6 Page 30 QQSL(tm), Version 4.1 July 18, 1991 You are encouraged to pass a copy of QQSL along to your friends for evaluation. Please encourage them to register their copy if they find that they can use it. All registered users will re- ceive a copy of the latest version of the QQSL. REGISTRATION INFORMATION ======================== QQSL is a "Shareware program" and is provided at no charge to the user for evaluation. Feel free to share it with your friends, but please do not give it away altered or as part of another system. The essence of "user-supported" software is to provide personal computer users with quality software without high prices, and yet to provide incentive for programmers to continue to develop new products. If you find this program useful and find that you are using QQSL and continue to use QQSL after a one month trial period, you must make a registration payment of $19.95 (U.S. funds or 35 IRC's) to the author. The registration fee will license one copy for use on any one computer at any one time. You must treat this software just like a book. An example is that this software may be used by any number of people and may be freely moved from one computer location to another, so long as there is no possibility of it being used at one location while it's being used at another. Just as a book cannot be read by two different persons at the same time. Prior to registration, you'll find that commercial breaks will automatically pop up from time-to-time. Other than this minor irritation, the program is fully functional and exactly like the registered version. For those of you that do not like the com- mercial breaks, sorry 'bout that! These messages are an improve- ment over the version 3.x programs, all of which had a 3-label limit for non-registered users. This 3-label limit and later the commercial breaks became necessary as a response to poor regis- tration receipts. How poor, you ask? Version 2.0 was the first version of QQSL which asked for a Shareware donation (version 1.0 was released as copyrighted, but free software). The first seven months that version 2.0 was on the market, I only received three registrations! Within one month of releasing QQSL with a 3-label limitation, registrations had increased to two a WEEK! It was evident that adding an "incentive" to registration was the cor- rect decision. Registration is for life, meaning that all future upgrades will be covered by a single registration fee! With registration, QQSL(tm) - Quick QSL Labels by AA4M/6 Page 31 QQSL(tm), Version 4.1 July 18, 1991 you'll receive a personal serial number which may be used with QQSLCFG (described earlier) to install the serial number into your copy of QQSL. Following successful execution of QQSLCFG, the commercial breaks will no longer be displayed. This serial number will work with all future versions of QQSL, so no more fees will be required from paid users! REMINDER: Except for the commercial breaks, the evaluation and the registered copies of QQSL are identical! QQSL(tm) - Quick QSL Labels by AA4M/6 Page 32 QQSL(tm), Version 4.1 July 18, 1991 REGISTRATION FORM ================= To register QQSL, please send this form and $19.95 (U.S. funds or 35 IRC's) to: Bill Mullin - AA4M/6 3042 Larkin Place San Diego, CA 92123-3026 U.S.A. NAME: ____________________________________ Call: ____________ ADDRESS: ________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________ Where did you get your copy of QQSL? ( ) Compuserve CIS User ID: _______________________________ ( ) BBS (Name/QTH): _____________________________________________ ( ) Other (please specify): _____________________________________ Which version of QQSL are you using? ____________________________ Computer? _______________________________________________________ HD Size/Type? _____________ Monitor (CGA, EGA, ...)? ___________ Comments/Suggestions: ___________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ TNX for registering QQSL! QQSL(tm) - Quick QSL Labels by AA4M/6 Page 33 QQSL(tm), Version 4.1 July 18, 1991 UPGRADES ======== All registered users are entitled to free lifetime upgrades to the latest version of QQSL. It can be downloaded from Compu- serve's HAMNET Forum, Library 0 (New Uploads) or Library 6 (Programs). A search for (KEY)word "QQSL" will find the program, for example: BRO/DES/KEY:QQSL. Additionally, many of the ham radio oriented BBS's across the country will have copies of QQSL available for downloading. You can also get the latest version at any time by sending me a formatted 360 KB or 1.2 MB, 5 1/4" floppy diskette and a postage- paid mailer. If I receive a mailer and floppy from you, the latest version will be in the mail within 24 hours of receipt. The only exception to this rule is if I'm close to having a new version ready for distribution. In this event, I'll hold your mailer for no more than two weeks, to ensure that you get the latest version of QQSL. TECHNICAL SUPPORT ================= If you believe you've found a bug, please report it in as much detail as possible, including a reproducible sequence of events that leads to the problem, a complete description of your hard- ware, DOS version used, amount of free memory reported by CHKDSK, and a copies of your CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT files. If the bug occurred while importing K1EA or K8CC files, I'd appreciate it if you would also a 5 1/4" floppy with copies of BOTH the contest program you were using at the time and the applicable BIN or QSO file with which you had your problem. For questions, comments, bug reports, etc., write to: Bill Mullin - AA4M/6 3042 Larkin Place San Diego, CA 92123-3026 U.S.A. I can also be reached via EZ-Plex on Compuserve. My user-id is [72220,2707]. NOTE: If you wish to contact me via Compuserve, please DO NOT leave mail in the HAMNET Forum. I seldom check HAMNET Forum mail, as I've discovered this practice becomes habit-forming and TERRIBLE things happen to my monthly bill <HI!>. You may also contact me by sending E-mail to user BILL MULLIN in the HAM Conference on RelayNet (RIME). Additionally, I QQSL(tm) - Quick QSL Labels by AA4M/6 Page 34 QQSL(tm), Version 4.1 July 18, 1991 can be reached via E-mail to user BILL MULLIN on the RadioSport BBS in San Diego, (619) 279-3921 (US Robotics HST). NOTE: If you contact me via any of the E-mail routes and are a registered user, please let me know the LAST six digits of your registration number only! DO NOT put the entire ten-digit serial number on any public mail system! You may also call me at my home (619) 292-7227, but please be aware that if you get my telephone answering machine, I won't call you back. My intention is not to be rude, it's just that the $19.95 registration fee won't be adequate to cover expenses if I start making long distance phone calls. Tip: My telephone recorder answers on the fourth ring the first call and on the first ring for each additional call. Normally, you can hang up after the third ring and not get caught by the machine! Please include your registration number with all correspondence. Reminder: I'd like all ten digits of your registration number if you are contacting me via some private means, but I only want the last six digits if you're using public E-mail! BCNU ==== I hope QQSL fills a need in your ham/computer shack and that you have as much fun using it as I do! For now though . . . 73 es gud QQSLing de Bill - AA4M/6 P.S. See you in the pile-ups! QQSL(tm) - Quick QSL Labels by AA4M/6 Page 35