I've tried to buy IRC's (International Reply Coupons) at the local P.O.,
even though they have them, they won't sell them! Their screen says: "Not
For Sale" when they are scanned.
This has happened at the main Helena, MT P.O. and Tuesday at the Missoula,
MT P.O.
Anyone else experiencing this problem? BTW, these are the new ones good
until 2009.


--
Terry Palmersheim, KC7LDP
Helena, MT

Terry Palmersheim wrote:
I've tried to buy IRC's (International Reply Coupons) at the local P.O.,
even though they have them, they won't sell them! Their screen says: "Not

IRCs are a SORE subject for a lot of us, Terry. I've been
able to buy them at one post office near me, pretty regularly,
but it's routine to ask for them and be told:

1. "We don't carry them." (You did a few weeks ago.)

2. "I've never heard of them."

3. "Those have been discontinued."

4. "What the heck is an IRC?"

We Americans are fairly lucky, in that "green stamps" are
acceptable and useful for a lot of foreign hams.

_______________________________________________
Ken Kuzenski AC4RD ken . kuzenski at duke .edu
_______________________________________________
All disclaimers apply, see? www.duke.edu/~kuzen001

ha scritto nel messaggio
...
IRCs are a SORE subject for a lot of us, Terry. I've been

In Italy, too !
It is difficult to find IRCs, often they ask "What is an IRC
?"...
So I go to the bank and buy GS...

73 from Rik IZ2EJU

"Terry Palmersheim" wrote in message
...
I've tried to buy IRC's (International Reply Coupons) at the local P.O.,
even though they have them, they won't sell them! Their screen says: "Not
For Sale" when they are scanned.
This has happened at the main Helena, MT P.O. and Tuesday at the Missoula,
MT P.O.
Anyone else experiencing this problem? BTW, these are the new ones good
until 2009.


--
Terry Palmersheim, KC7LDP
Helena, MT

Tell them to look at

Postal Bulletin 22184 (7-6-06, page 28).

and

Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, International Mail
Manual (IMM®) part 372 and Publication 51, International Postal Rates and
Fees


IRCs are part of that and tell them your next step is to contact the US
Postmaster and ask him why the local postoffice wont comply and carry IRCs.
I did that and now they are available all the time.

From Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interna..._United_States

IRC Availability in the United States
If a post office in the United States does not offer IRCs for sale, direct
the postal clerk to Section 372 of the International Mail Manual, Issue 33,
dated 06/23/2006, Sub-section 372.2 which clearly states, "Reply coupons may
be requisitioned by Post Office facilities in the same manner as postage
stamps. The coupons should be stocked at Post Office facilities that have a
demand for them."

CL who just bought some after grousing at the PostMaster

------------------------

"Terry Palmersheim" wrote in message
...
I've tried to buy IRC's (International Reply Coupons) at the local P.O.,
even though they have them, they won't sell them! Their screen says: "Not
For Sale" when they are scanned.
This has happened at the main Helena, MT P.O. and Tuesday at the Missoula,
MT P.O.
Anyone else experiencing this problem? BTW, these are the new ones good
until 2009.


--
Terry Palmersheim, KC7LDP
Helena, MT

Perhaps the Post Office will someday allow us to
purchase the IRC on their website and print them
on our own printers, just like click and ship postage.

Naw, that would be too easy !

I don't buy many, using GS instead but when I do, I usually get them
from a QSL manager (like KU9C) for a lot less than the P.O. price.

Terry Palmersheim wrote:
I've tried to buy IRC's (International Reply Coupons) at the local P.O.,
even though they have them, they won't sell them! Their screen says: "Not
For Sale" when they are scanned.
This has happened at the main Helena, MT P.O. and Tuesday at the Missoula,
MT P.O.
Anyone else experiencing this problem? BTW, these are the new ones good
until 2009.


The problem is they don't have the bar code in their price schedule.
The time before last I bought them at one PO and they finally did a
search by price ($1.85) to get a stock number.

About two days ago at another PO they had a paper "cheat sheet" in the
back room with a stock number.

Tell them to keep trying.

BTW for those who wonder about sending a GS, a lot of managers want two
GS these days, so $1.85 is less expensive. Note I didn't say cheaper.
Both are expensive when you're sending lots of cards.

N7WS

You're lucky. The post office is saving you money. Buy IRCs from QSL
managers selling them and you'll save a lot of money. Going rate
these days is about $1.20. Make sure you get the new ones, as the old
ones expired the first of the year.

Personally, I use greenstamps, rather than IRCs 99% of the time.
Barry W2UP

On Fri, 12 Jan 2007 01:50:13 -0000, "Terry Palmersheim"
wrote:

I've tried to buy IRC's (International Reply Coupons) at the local P.O.,
even though they have them, they won't sell them! Their screen says: "Not
For Sale" when they are scanned.
This has happened at the main Helena, MT P.O. and Tuesday at the Missoula,
MT P.O.
Anyone else experiencing this problem? BTW, these are the new ones good
until 2009.

--
Note - Remove the X from my e-mail address for direct replies

"Barry" wrote in message
...
You're lucky. The post office is saving you money. Buy IRCs from QSL
managers selling them and you'll save a lot of money. Going rate
these days is about $1.20. Make sure you get the new ones, as the old
ones expired the first of the year.

Personally, I use greenstamps, rather than IRCs 99% of the time.
Barry W2UP



Until the QSL managers build up their stock with the new version, they
aren't likely to have any for sale for a while yet.

Dee, N8UZE