[QCWA] IRCs Are A Thing Of The Past / My Solution

[Fred Atkinson, WB4AEJ]

Folks,

      I was just reading on the QRZ Web site that IRCs (International 
Reply Coupons) are going to be a thing of the past as of January 
13th, 2013. The Postal Service is axing them.

      Some people said there was no alternative to the use of IRCs 
and were all panicky because of the impact it would have on their QSL 
chasing efforts.

      I say that's not true.  I came up with an alternative to that 
years ago and I used it in a non-ham related way.  But it should work 
well for hams.

      Find your local stamp collectors store [or find one on the 
Internet] that sells foreign postage stamps.  Buy the correct amounts 
of postage for the countries you want to work.

      When you work a new country, pull up that country's postal site 
and find out the cost in their local currency for mailing an 
international letter.

      When you prepare your Self-Addressed-Stamped-Envelope (SASE) 
(yes, stamped but with the correct foreign postage, not U.S. 
postage), put enough foreign postage on it for that nation's 
international letter rate.

      Then put your filled out QSL card and the SASE in another 
envelope.  Address it to the foreign station, put enough U.S. postage 
to get it to its destination, and then drop it in the mail.

      This is even easier for the foreign station because he/she 
doesn't have to go cash in your IRCs at his/her local post 
office.  They just fill out their QSL card, put it in your SASE, and 
drop your SASE in the outgoing mail.

      I've never found a stamp store in the area where I now 
live.  However, I did find one today on the Internet.  The URL is: 
http://www.mesastamps.com (Mesa Stamps in Mesa, Arizona) .  I tried 
to check them out on the Better Business Bureau (BBB) web site but 
they didn't show up.  That usually means that the BBB has received no 
complaints against them.

      I can't recommend Mesa Stamps because I've never used them.

      I was using a stamp store in the Washington, DC area when I did 
this.  But I don't now remember their name. They were a small 
operation and may no longer be around.  They were local to me and I 
went to their store when I needed foreign postage.

      If any of our QSL chasers should try my method, I would like to 
find out how well it works for them.  If you use mesastamps.com, I'd 
be interested in finding out how well they do business with you.

      If you find any other stamp dealers that you use, let me know 
about them, too (if they work out well, availability of postage for 
different countries, etc.).

      73,




                                                                        Fred, 
WB4AEJ