[Dx-qsl] When to use IRCs

Tue May 16 09:57:06 EDT 2006

I just got the June 2006 issue of QST here in Osaka and read the
Bernie's well-written IRC article (pp. 85-86). In JA land Japan Post
has already announced that new IRCs will be coming in July. 
I've never received IRCs yet for a QSL because I've never played the
role of QSL manager/issuer for a DXpedition. IRCs are equivalent for
JPY130 stamps (covers worldwide delivery of a letter no heavier than 25
grams via air mail) in JA land though you need to pay JPY150 each.
I almost always use USD1 bills to US QSL managers and US2ドル to Canadian
managers. IRC looks cheaper for German QSL managers (you all know how
much Deutsche Post wants for a letter - EUR1.55 to Japan), because I
think in the current exchange rate the EUR1.55 is pretty close to USD2
(it's around USD1.99.)
Just a suggestion - W/EU to JA cost JPY110 per each letter envelope.
XE.com's currency converter says as of 13:53:53UTC 15-MAY-2006 USD1.00
is about JPY110.123. So USD1 is not necessarily sufficient for covering
up the cost of QSLing in Japan; USD2 is much appreciated.
I only have two IRCs in stock; probably for some German managers, maybe
for the Fussball-Weltmeisterschaft or the Soccer World Cup 2006. No
more IRC purchase until I see the new one in July.
73
// Kenji Rikitake, JJ1BDX(/3) 
// USD: US Dollar, EUR: Euro, JPY: Japanese Yen as in ISO4217 Currency Codes