[Elecraft] Elecraft Digest, Vol 128, Issue 42

[Dauer, Edward]

Thanks everyone; very helpful replies.

Ted, KN1CBR



>Message: 16
>Date: Thu, 25 Dec 2014 17:33:57 -0700
>From: Richard Solomon <w1ksz at earthlink.net>
>To: elecraft at mailman.qth.net
>Subject: Re: [Elecraft] IRCs
>Message-ID: <549CACF5.8020005 at earthlink.net>
>Content-Type: text/plain; charset=windows-1252; format=flowed
>
>The USPS may no longer sell them, but as members of the UPU they are
>required
>to accept them. Of course that means trying to convince your local
>Postal Clerk !!
>
>As for buying them, they are available on the secondary market, from DX
>stations
>and QSL mangers quite frequently and much cheaper.
>
>Just in the last week I have seen two adds on the eHam swap page.
>
>73 es HH, Dick, W1KSZ
>
>------------------------------
>
>Message: 17
>Date: Thu, 25 Dec 2014 20:08:29 -0500
>From: "Joe Subich, W4TV" <lists at subich.com>
>To: elecraft at mailman.qth.net
>Subject: Re: [Elecraft] IRCs
>Message-ID: <549CB50D.5090208 at subich.com>
>Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8; format=flowed
>
>
>> What I have not been able to find out is whether an IRC purchased in
>> country A (e.g. Canada) and sent to country B (e.g. some DX entity
>> that's part of the international postal union) can be used in country
>> B to pay for return QSL postage from B to country C (the USA) - that
>> is, a country other than the one where the IRC was purchased.
>
>Yes, according to UPU regulations, an IRC purchased in any country may
>be redeemed in any other country for one unit of first class (air mail)
>postage to any place in the world.
>
>BTW, the lowest cost I've found is Swiss Post at 20 CHF for 20 IRCs.
>At current exchange rates (http://www.oanda.com/currency/converter/)
>that's about $1.05 each!
>
>73,
>
>   ... Joe, W4TV
>
>
>
>
>------------------------------
>
>Message: 18
>Date: Fri, 26 Dec 2014 02:02:36 +0000
>From: Michael Adams <mda at n1en.org>
>To: "elecraft at mailman.qth.net" <elecraft at mailman.qth.net>
>Subject: Re: [Elecraft] IRCs
>Message-ID: <1419559356367.66932 at n1en.org>
>Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
>
>Just be careful about buying from Swiss Post.
>
>The batch of IRCs I received from SwissPost were marked only with a
>simple "SU" on the left side, and not the full postmark-like stamp that
>is apparently required for an IRC to be fully valid.
>
>-- 
>Michael / N1EN
>
>________________________________________
>From: Elecraft <elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net> on behalf of Joe
>Subich, W4TV <lists at subich.com>
>Sent: Thursday, December 25, 2014 8:08 PM
>To: elecraft at mailman.qth.net
>Subject: Re: [Elecraft] IRCs
>
>> What I have not been able to find out is whether an IRC purchased in
>> country A (e.g. Canada) and sent to country B (e.g. some DX entity
>> that's part of the international postal union) can be used in country
>> B to pay for return QSL postage from B to country C (the USA) - that
>> is, a country other than the one where the IRC was purchased.
>
>Yes, according to UPU regulations, an IRC purchased in any country may
>be redeemed in any other country for one unit of first class (air mail)
>postage to any place in the world.
>
>BTW, the lowest cost I've found is Swiss Post at 20 CHF for 20 IRCs.
>At current exchange rates (http://www.oanda.com/currency/converter/)
>that's about $1.05 each!
>
>73,
>
>   ... Joe, W4TV
>
>
>------------------------------
>
>Message: 19
>Date: Thu, 25 Dec 2014 21:32:34 -0500
>From: "Joe Subich, W4TV" <lists at subich.com>
>To: elecraft at mailman.qth.net
>Subject: Re: [Elecraft] IRCs
>Message-ID: <549CC8C2.2010005 at subich.com>
>Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8; format=flowed
>
>
>The postmark is *optional* - that is what "(facultative)" in the
>origination box means.
>
>The full translation is:
>   Home country control fingerprint (optional) or
>   Issuing country postmark (optional)
>
>The issuing country identification (e.g., SU) is sufficient.  Any clerk
>that refuses to honor unpostmarked IRCs needs to be taught remedial
>French and be given an "attitude adjustment."
>
>73,
>
>    ... Joe, W4TV