[Hallicrafters] Green Stamps Take A Licking!

[Duane Fischer, W8DBF]

Hi All,

Lately I have had the enjoyment of having some extended 20 meter QSO's with 
Hams in Romania, Ecuador, Sicily, Canary Islands, Bulgaria, Denmark and 
several other countries. The topic of vanishing QSL cards from the United 
States to 'wherever' came up a number of times.

I mail my QSL cards by direct airmail, not through the various QSL bureaus. 
After the ARRL 8Th District bureau in Ohio destroyed eighteen months of QSL 
cards they were supposed to mail to me, but ... "OOPS! Gee W8DBF, we are 
just volunteers ..." Enough said. For further commentary consult the June 
2003 issue of QST in the editorial department!

It is proper procedure to include several "green stamps" when sending a QSL 
card to another country, that is, if you expect one in return. A "green 
stamp" in this instance meaning a one dollar bill. The amount one includes 
to be determined by how badly you want their card, the economic strength of 
the country, whether said country has a professional postal system etc. Some 
Hams, and frankly I wish "ALL" did, include the number of green stamps to 
include with your SASE in thier QRZ.COM data.

It is no secret that theft of airmail letters and QSL cards from the USA is 
a big problem in many countries. A Ham in Romania told me today that 
yesterday he received a QSL from the USA with three dollars "still" inside 
the envelope, a rarity. He told me it is quite common for him to receive 
envelopes cut open, some with the QSL still there, many totally empty. I 
sent him my QSL via airmail on April 3, 2008 with three green stamps well 
hidden inside a second envelope, but it never arrived.

What do you serious DX'ers suggest as a viable alternative to green stamps 
where George Washington has wings? How can I send my QSL by direct airmail, 
no bureau, to a Ham in Spain or Argentina or Norway and get one back if I do 
not include return postage? Many countries reject the IRC, (International 
Reply Coupon), or so I am told. Most overseas Hams will not return a QSL 
unless the sender includes a SASE with green stamps.

I am also told that sophisticated scanning equipment now exists that "sees" 
through envelopes to reveal the contents, even if said contents is paper. 
Part of the anti terrorism protection by many larger countries mail systems. 
However, many small countries also seem to have some way of knowing which 
envelopes to select and open to get the green stamps lurking inside!

So what is a Ham to do? Work out an overseas airmail deal with the Pigeon 
Postal Carriers Union" to deliver direct and bypass the postal guys or print 
some bogus five dollar bills with the mug of Susan B. Anthony on them that 
not even we totally blind dudes can stand to look at!

As far as I can tell, the overall world Ham population regards the E-QSL 
about the same as recycled toilet paper!

So you DX dudes, how do we Hams send our QSL cards direct to an overseas Ham 
and get his/her QSL card back, and still pay them something to compensate 
them for return postage?

Thanks!


Duane Fischer, W8DBF - WPE8CXO
E-Mail: dfischer at usol.com
Hallicrafters web site: www.w9wze.net
HHRP web site: hhrp.w9wze.net