Label Link

Overview

Label Link is a first-class portable sight tape printing solution from Precision Cut Archery.

Label Link prints sight tapes directly from your PCA mobile app to a compatible Epson or Brother label printer over Bluetooth. No desktop computer, no PDF documents, no manual scaling in a third-party app.

As far as we know, this is the first direct label-printer integration in any archery software, and it's finally a portable sight tape printing solution we can genuinely recommend.

Note

Label Link is a mobile-app-only feature (iOS and Android). Direct Bluetooth integration isn't available in the web app, so you'll need the PCA mobile app to use it. (All you need to do is download the app and login with your account.)

Which Printer Should I Buy?

We've tested Label Link with four handheld label printers: two from Epson and two from Brother. All four work well. The right choice comes down to tape width, resolution, and budget.

Comparison table

Printer	Max label width	Resolution	Battery	Street price (USD)	Notes
Epson LW-C610PX	24mm	360 DPI	6 × AA	$80	Our overall pick. Highest resolution.
Brother PT-P710BT	24mm	180 × 360 DPI	Rechargeable Li-ion	$100	Solid option. Right in there with the Epson LW-C610PX.
Brother PT-P300BT	12mm	180 DPI	6 × AAA	$50-60	Budget option. Limited resolution.
Epson LW-C410PX	18mm	180 DPI	6 × AA	$50-60	Budget option. Limited resolution.

Note

Prices are approximate street prices and will vary by retailer and over time. Check the listings for current prices.

Print-quality comparison

Here's the same exact sight tape printed on each of the four printers, side-by-side, so you can see how resolution affects legibility.

The leftmost picture is our standard desktop printer recommendation (Brother HL-L2420DW laser printer), for reference.

Tip

Zoom in on the picture to see the detail.

Our pick

The Epson LW-C610PX is probably the overall pick. Resolution is king for sight tapes, and at 360 DPI the print quality is the best of the bunch.

That said, the Brother PT-P710BT is a very close second. The print quality is comparable, and it has one meaningful advantage: an integrated rechargeable Li-ion battery (no AAs to swap or carry spares for).

The Brother PT-P300BT and Epson LW-C410PX are both fine budget options if you already own one, but we wouldn't buy either specifically for sight tapes. Resolution is the limiting factor.

Tip

Warranty. Epson LabelWorks printers include a lifetime warranty in the US and Canada: send in a broken printer, get a replacement, for as long as you own it. Brother P-touch printers carry a standard 1-year limited warranty. Worth weighing if you're on the fence between the Epson LW-C610PX and the Brother PT-P710BT.

Note

Other Brother PT-series and Epson LW-series models may work with Label Link, but we've only tested the four above. If there's a specific printer you'd like to see supported, reach out to us with a link to the model and we'll take a look.

Recommended Labels

Whichever printer you pick, buy the manufacturer's own label cassettes. Both Brother and Epson have a large selection of materials, colors, and widths.

Warning

Stick with genuine Epson LabelWorks or Brother TZe label cassettes.

Note

Ongoing testing. We're actively testing different label materials for long-term durability on sights (sun, moisture, abrasion, adhesion over seasons). We'll update this page as we learn more. If you've got real-world experience with a specific label, good or bad, reach out and let us know.

Epson

Epson offers three main materials worth considering for sight tapes. All are weatherproof; the choice mostly comes down to print quality and feel.

Vinyl

Flexible, weather-resistant, and in our testing the prints look noticeably better compared to polyester. This is our default pick for Epson sight tapes.

Black-on-white examples:

212VTBWPX (~1/2", 12mm)
218VTBWPX (~3/4", 18mm)
224VTBWPX (~1", 24mm)

Polyester / PET

Durable polyester with a gloss finish and industrial adhesive. Fully workable for sight tapes. The prints aren't quite as crisp as on vinyl in our testing, but it's a solid option if you already have polyester cassettes on hand or prefer the finish.

Black-on-white examples:

212BMWPX (~1/2", 12mm)
218BMWPX (~3/4", 18mm)
224BMWPX (~1", 24mm)

Strong-adhesive variants are also available if you want extra stick. We have not tested these yet, but they should also be solid options worth consideration.

212IBWPX (~1/2", 12mm)
218IBWPX (~3/4", 18mm)
224IBWPX (~1", 24mm)

Extra-Tough Nylon Cloth

We have not tested this option yet.

Black-on-white examples:

212NYLBWPX (~1/2", 12mm)
218NYLBWPX (~3/4", 18mm)
224NYLBWPX (~1", 24mm)

Brother

Brother doesn't have nearly as many label options as Epson.

We've only tested the standard laminated TZe cassettes, and they work well for sight tapes. That's what we recommend.

Supported tape widths

Label Link currently supports 9mm, 12mm, 18mm, and 24mm label cassettes for Brother printers. If you'd like another size supported, reach out and let us know.

Black-on-white standard laminated examples:

TZe-231 (~1/2", 12mm)
TZe-241 (~3/4", 18mm)
TZe-251 (~1", 24mm)

Their Premium Laminated or Extra Strength variations should be solid options as well, but we do not have hands-on experience with them yet.

White-on-Black

One fun option is to print with white-on-black labels. Here's an example with a Brother PT-P710BT.

Both manufacturers offer several color options for their label cassettes!

Prerequisites

A supported label printer, powered on, with a label cassette loaded
Bluetooth enabled on your phone
The PCA mobile app (iOS or Android)

Pairing a Printer

This is a one-time setup for each printer.

Step 1: Pair the printer in your phone's Bluetooth settings

Label Link uses your phone's standard Bluetooth connection, so the printer needs to be paired at the operating-system level first.

iOS:

Open Settings → Bluetooth
Tap your printer in the list to pair

Android:

Open Bluetooth Settings (or tap Open Bluetooth Settings from the Label Link pairing screen)
Tap your printer in the list to pair

Step 2: Connect inside PCA

Open a sight tape and scroll down to the Label Link section.
Tap Pair a New Printer.
Tap Scan. Your printer should appear in the list within a few seconds.
Tap the printer to connect.

Tip

If your printer doesn't show up, double-check that it's paired in your phone's Bluetooth settings, powered on, and within range. Then tap Scan again.

Feed Calibration

The first time you connect a new printer, we will walk you through a Feed Calibration. This is an important step, don't skip it.

Why calibrate?

Sight tapes need to print at an exact size to be accurate. Label cartridges feed slightly differently from unit to unit, and the feed rate changes slightly as the roll is used up. A quick calibration corrects for this so every tape comes out at the right scale.

Print Reference Line

To start, we will print a 4.0", 10.0cm, or 100.0mm line (depending on your unit preferences).

Measure Line

Use calipers end-to-end and enter the measurement. (A ruler or tape measure can work in a pinch.)

Tip

Stick the tape down on a flat surface to ensure it is flat and the measurement is as accurate as possible.

In this example, the line was a few thousandths short at 3.996".

Enter this in the application.

Verify

We will apply a correction factor and print a second line so you can confirm the size is right. Save to finish.

This time it should be spot on.

Tip

Calipers give the best results. A ruler or tape measure works, but the calibration will only be as accurate as your measurement.

Note

We've found a correction factor of around 0.0%-1.0% to be typical with these Epson and Brother printers. If you find your printer is way off, try a different label tape cassette or printer.

Printing a Tape

Once a printer is paired and calibrated:

Open any sight tape. The preview at the top of the page is exactly what will be printed.
Scroll to the Label Link section.
Pick a Sight tape trim line style:
- Full: a dashed border around the entire perimeter of the tape.
- Corners: small markers in each corner only.
- None: no border or trim line at all.
Tap Print Tape.

Tip

We like to use the Corners option for the trim line and cut it out with a razor blade and straight edge. This makes for a very crisp, clean tape.

Verifying the print

Under the Print Tape button you'll see a Scale Check note. It lists two marks on your tape (for example, 20–80) and the distance that should fall between them on the printed tape.

After printing, measure that distance on the actual printed tape with calipers. If it matches, you're good to go. If it doesn't, recalibrate the printer feed.

Note

If your sight tape width is wider than your cartridge's printable area, PCA will warn you and the print will be cropped. Either load a wider tape cassette, or narrow the tape width in your sight tape settings.

The 20–140 gap measured EXACTLY 3.591", just as it should:

Managing Saved Printers

Paired printers appear at the top of the Label Link section. Tap a card to open the management sheet, where you can:

Connect / Disconnect: tap to toggle the connection
Calibrate: rerun Feed Calibration any time
Forget: remove the printer from PCA entirely

The card also shows connection status at a glance. A green check means connected and ready to print. A warning triangle means the printer needs calibration or has an unsupported tape loaded.

Tips

Always check the scale of the printed tape to ensure it is correct.
Always recalibrate after swapping label tape cassettes.
For the absolute crispest sight tapes, a desktop printer is still our top choice. Label Link is about portability and convenience: a printer you can toss in a bag and take to the range.
For the bigger picture on printers and paper, see the Printers overview.