[Dx-qsl] TX9 QSL and German return postage issue

[Christian Buenger]

Hi John,

here in DL you can send a "standard" letter (up to 20gr) to a country 
outside EU for 1.55 EUR. This is also the value of 1 IRC. e.g. if you 
are buying IRCs here in DL you have to pay 1.55 EUR for one IRC.

This means that you can send a standard letter to a country outside EU 
using just 1 IRC (no matter where they come from - even unstamped ones 
are "good"). Did the letter have a rubberstamp or was it a "real" stamp? 
According to german postal rules the post office has to use rubber 
stamps if you are using an IRC for sending the letter.
	So they probably just collect the IRCs, use ordinary stamps and sell 
them afterwards. Another possibility could be that the post office does 
not know about the "rubber stamp rule"...

Hope this helps. I have send several letters to countries outside EU 
using just 1 IRC. 2 IRCs are definitely too much - at least here in DL.

I dont't know why they only ask for new IRCs. The german post has 
clarified that they still accept old IRCs. For my part I prefer old IRCs 
as they don't have an expiration date.

73
Christian, DL6KAC

John Becker wrote:
> For the last several years, we have been told that 2 IRCs were required
> for a direct response from Germany. Then the TX9 operation posted this
> on their website at http://www.df3cb.com/chesterfield/ :
> 
> "We QSL via the bureau and direct. If you send direct, a SAE (self
> addressed envelope) is required plus sufficient return postage. Postage
> rates are: 1 IRC (only new ones) or 1 Euro for letters within Europe and
> 1 IRC (only new ones) or 2 Euro or 2 US$ for letters outside of Europe."
> 
> I wondered why they were asking for only 1 IRC for replies outside of
> Europe. I thought perhaps they were going to mail the cards from some
> neighboring country where the postal rates are lower. I sent 1 new IRC
> with  my request and a few days ago I received my card, sent by airmail
> from Germany. The postage on the envelope was the usual 1.55 Euros.
> 
> Since many DX operations have managers in Germany, it would be great
> news if they have made some adjustment in their valuation of IRCs so
> that 1 is now enough. Can anyone here clarify this situation?
> 
> 73,
> 
> John, K9MM