[Dx-qsl] IRC's

[Casey Bell]

When I found out Switzerland's Postal System required 2
IRC's for
postage to the US, I contacted the UPU and asked what you
asked.  Reply
was they can do pretty much as they wish!  The way they
actually get
around the "1 IRC" rule is the fact that they have many
classes of mail
in many countries.  Mail between two European countries is
a different
class than mail from a given European country to the US.
Casey/KQ4YI

n7dc@cs.com wrote:

> The question is : Why (and how do they get away with it ) do countries require more than one IRC to mail a regular envelope?   IRCs are just that "Internantional" and part of the International postal agreements.  All parties who signed that portion of the agreement, agreed that 1 coupon would cover the postage for one envelope of surface mail. If I send a card and an IRC with a SAE, to any place in the world (a country -part of the agreement) then they are required to accept the IRC and mail the darn thing.   If you want your card airmail, then its between you and the receiver as to how you would pay for that.  If the local post office accepts 2 IRCs for an airmail stamp, I guess thats ok too.  Two certainly should cover the costs (plus a bit more).  But, by agreement, only one is required, and no amateur should be asking for two to cover postage, nor should his postoffice require more than one. I used IRCs, as a short wave listener, back in the 50s and 60s, for postage to short wave
> stations, but have probably used only 3 or 4 maximum in the 40 years I have been a ham.  I use the bureau whenever possible.  Time is NOT of the essance.  It is a hobby, not a life-threatening event  If the guy doesnt use the bureau, just wait for the next one that does.  If the country doesnt have a bureau, find a ham that has a manager that does.  As to the last, I simply dont understand why anyone would use a manager that wont use a bureau for the dx cards.  Its taken me 17 years to eventually get 327 confirmed from this QTH, but so what.  I plan to live to 100 at least  Plenty of time left.  And I havent gone to the poor house, keeping up with cards.
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