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

[Keith]

While I was at the Texas Stamp Dealers Association show in Richardson, 
Texas today, I talked with two stamp dealers about the fate of the 
International Reply Coupon. The first dealer was quick to say "nobody 
uses IRCs anymore; therefore, it is unlikely to find IRCs at a local 
post office." I responded that amateur radio operators still use them. 
He agreed that IRCs should be available from the United States Postal 
Service website. The second stamp dealer agreed that using postage 
stamps from the foreign country instead of IRCs is a possibility; 
however, he cautioned that you have to verify the correct postage in the 
correct currency from that country; for example, many European countries 
now use the Euro rather than their traditional currency. Stamps 
denominated in a discontinued currency will not be honored for current 
postage.

Keith

R. Keith Parris
Electronics Engineering Technologist
Technical Writer: Electronics and Telecommunications Industries
Local Hardware Store: Sales Advisor / Consultant
Amateur Radio Operator -- WB5RBA
Photographer: Digital and Celluloid Film
Woodworker: Small Projects
View Keith Parris's profile on LinkedIn 
<http://www.linkedin.com/in/keithparris>
Blog: 
http://keithparris-wb5rba.weebly.com/networking-in-dallas--fort-worth-texas.html
The Online Technical Writing Net 
http://www.onlinetechnicalwriting.net/?p=31
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/parrisrk
Twitter: @RKeithParris
On 12/7/2012 7:11 PM, Fred Atkinson, WB4AEJ wrote:
> 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
> ______________________________________________________________
> QCWA mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/qcwa
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:QCWA at mailman.qth.net
>
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>