[Dx-qsl] When to use IRCs

[Ron Notarius WN3VAW]

As of today (mid-May) I wouldn't be too worried -- YET -- about using existing IRC's.

Now, if you're sending off a request NOW to a big expedition, who are going to take a few months to get QSL cards printed & processed, then there is some concern.  In these situations, it behooves said expedition's QSL manager to immediately exchange IRC's, or immediately sell them off for cash, or whatever.

As the rest of the year flashes by, this will become a bigger and bigger concern.  I'd conservatively say that after September, existing IRC's should be exchanged and not sent to managers, unless they're known for fast turn-arounds.  By November, I wouldn't even do that.

Of course, that's also assuming that the situation doesn't change and that the new IRC's for the next half decade are available starting the middle of this year.  The UPU could also decree that the expiration date has been extended... which opens up several new balls of wax, so let's not go there.

YMMV, VWPBL(STn!)

73, ron wn3vaw
From: Peter W2IRT <w2irt at comcast.net>
Date: Mon May 15 14:20:25 CDT 2006
To: Tom Wylie <tom at gm4fdm.com>, Richard DiDonna <nn3w at cox.net>
Cc: QSL Info <dx-qsl at mailman.qth.net>
Subject: Re: [Dx-qsl] When to use IRCs

At 03:12 PM 05/15/2006, Tom Wylie wrote:
>Remember all IRCs expiore on 31 December this year so please do not 
>send them to a QSL manager
>during December otherwise he may not be able to exchange them before 
>the deadline.    I figure that $1 or $2

I'm curious to know if the post office will redeem old-for-new 
(doubtful, but you never know until the new ones are out and your ask).

I use mint stamps for the most part and have pretty good luck. I 
would say I have much better response with mint stamps than with G$ 
or IRCs, although I do use all three methods.




Cheers,

Peter,
W2IRT 



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