"Drink" wrote in message
...
Can you give a very brief overview of how the IRC works for us?
o_o_o_o
Best Regards, /| ,[_____],
Jim, WP3JQ |¯¯¯L --O|||||||O-
()_)¯ ()_)¯¯¯¯¯)_)
EM60qk 30.447439N 086.628959W



If you receive an IRC, simply take it to any post office and buy sufficient
postage to reply to the QSL. Usually one IRC will buy enough postage to
send mail to any foreign country.

If you want to send someone an IRC, find a post office that has them on hand
(not all do) or get them off the internet. Enclose it in an envelope with
your QSL, a self-addressed envelope, and then send it to the foreign ham
whose card you want.

The reason that IRCs are necessary is that outgoing mail in any country must
use the stamps of that country. So it does no good to send a foreign ham a
stamped, self-addressed envelope unless you put on stamps from his country.
He simply can't use US stamps just as we can't use foreign stamps to mail
things here. So enter the IRC. It is accepted by all members of the
International Postal Union as a means to buy stamps. So an IRC plus
self-addressed envelope is the functional equivalent of the SASE for
international purposes.

Dee D. Flint, N8UZE

On Sun, 07 Sep 2003 11:59:29 GMT, "Dee D. Flint"
wrote:

If you receive an IRC, simply take it to any post office and buy sufficient
postage to reply to the QSL.

If life were only that simple. The postmaster at the U.S. post office
where I live has been trying to figure out what IRC's are for about
a year now. He told me that if he ever does figure it out, he'll let
me exchange them for stamps. I got tired of waiting and sold them.

Many U.S. post offices are fine when it comes to buying IRC's but
when it comes to exchanging one for stamps, forget it......

73, Jim KH2D

Many U.S. post offices are fine when it comes to buying IRC's but
when it comes to exchanging one for stamps, forget it......

I've gotten my best, fastest return QSL results using Bill Plum's foreign
postage stamps. He is quick to turn around an order. I usually go in on an
order with a friend of mine who's a DXer, so we save a bit on p/h charges
too.

I've gotten cards from Europe and Asia as quick as two weeks by using return
foreign postage. Since I don't always "need" a card that quickly, though, I
send most of mine through the bureau.

Jackie

Have your Post Office Clerk go to USPS URL:
http://www.usps.com/cpim/ftp/pubs/32html/32h-p.html

Have him/her read:
international reply coupon - A coupon that is exchangeable for postage
(representing the minimum postage on an unregistered air letter) at post
offices in member countries of the Universal Postal Union. The coupon is
sold by post offices worldwide.

Worked for me, after I reminded them that the USA was a member country of
the Universal Postal Union !! Hi Hi

All about postage at URL:
http://ac6v.com/callbooks.htm#SERV

And IRC's are now $1.75 -- see USPS Publication 51

Also many European QSL Managers are now accepting Euro's
--
73 From The Signal In The Noise
Caveat Lector Ya All
---------------------------
wrote in message
. ..
On Sun, 07 Sep 2003 11:59:29 GMT, "Dee D. Flint"
wrote:

If you receive an IRC, simply take it to any post office and buy
sufficient
postage to reply to the QSL.

If life were only that simple. The postmaster at the U.S. post office
where I live has been trying to figure out what IRC's are for about
a year now. He told me that if he ever does figure it out, he'll let
me exchange them for stamps. I got tired of waiting and sold them.

Many U.S. post offices are fine when it comes to buying IRC's but
when it comes to exchanging one for stamps, forget it......

73, Jim KH2D

Many U.S. post offices are fine when it comes to buying IRC's but
when it comes to exchanging one for stamps, forget it......

I've gotten my best, fastest return QSL results using Bill Plum's foreign
postage stamps. He is quick to turn around an order. I usually go in on an
order with a friend of mine who's a DXer, so we save a bit on p/h charges
too.

I've gotten cards from Europe and Asia as quick as two weeks by using return
foreign postage. Since I don't always "need" a card that quickly, though, I
send most of mine through the bureau.

Jackie

Have your Post Office Clerk go to USPS URL:
http://www.usps.com/cpim/ftp/pubs/32html/32h-p.html

Have him/her read:
international reply coupon - A coupon that is exchangeable for postage
(representing the minimum postage on an unregistered air letter) at post
offices in member countries of the Universal Postal Union. The coupon is
sold by post offices worldwide.

Worked for me, after I reminded them that the USA was a member country of
the Universal Postal Union !! Hi Hi

All about postage at URL:
http://ac6v.com/callbooks.htm#SERV

And IRC's are now $1.75 -- see USPS Publication 51

Also many European QSL Managers are now accepting Euro's
--
73 From The Signal In The Noise
Caveat Lector Ya All
---------------------------
wrote in message
. ..
On Sun, 07 Sep 2003 11:59:29 GMT, "Dee D. Flint"
wrote:

If you receive an IRC, simply take it to any post office and buy
sufficient
postage to reply to the QSL.

If life were only that simple. The postmaster at the U.S. post office
where I live has been trying to figure out what IRC's are for about
a year now. He told me that if he ever does figure it out, he'll let
me exchange them for stamps. I got tired of waiting and sold them.

Many U.S. post offices are fine when it comes to buying IRC's but
when it comes to exchanging one for stamps, forget it......

73, Jim KH2D

On Sun, 07 Sep 2003 11:59:29 GMT, "Dee D. Flint"
wrote:

If you receive an IRC, simply take it to any post office and buy sufficient
postage to reply to the QSL.

If life were only that simple. The postmaster at the U.S. post office
where I live has been trying to figure out what IRC's are for about
a year now. He told me that if he ever does figure it out, he'll let
me exchange them for stamps. I got tired of waiting and sold them.

Many U.S. post offices are fine when it comes to buying IRC's but
when it comes to exchanging one for stamps, forget it......

73, Jim KH2D