[Dx-qsl] saw this on the cluster, can anyone confirm????

Tue Mar 15 17:36:38 EST 2005

(from G4XBA's writing via W9OL's posting)
> BIG PROBLEM COMING SOON WITH THE 'NEW-TYPE' IRC's......

This is not a ripping-off; it's simply how IRC works. I once posted a
message here that all current 'new' IRCs will expire by 31-DEC-2006, so
far I've learned from the one sold in Japan. Maybe I need to buy some
*really-new* ones soon to confirm the situation.
I guess we need to post a monthly notice of the new IRC expiration date
in QSLing-related mailing lists? :-p (kinda bad joke I know - please
don't do this.)
When you exchange an IRC, Japan Post will give you back the stamps of
JPY130 worth, while you've got to pay JPY150 for each one. This means
you lose JPY20 when you get a refund for each IRC here in JA land. (You
can't get monetary refund BTW for an IRC - you only can get stamps.)
> WHAT ARE WE GOING TO USE IN FUTURE?

LoTW to avoid exchanging P2P currency for the QSLing - or at least
migrating into another economic system.
No currency in the world has a fixed value these days (since the
collapse of Bretton Woods System of fixed-adjustable exchange rates in
August 1971 when President Nixon declared halting gold convertibility).
The value of IRC varies - so does the USD, JPY, EUR, and other
currencies.
My apology for using big words. I'm no economist. :-)
73
// Kenji Rikitake, JJ1BDX(/3)