[Dx-qsl] Using IRCs bought from QSL managers

Fri Feb 1 17:18:25 EST 2008

Dear Paul & All,
Paul, IRCs are such a minefield that I dont think anyone one this reflector 
or even in any PO administration is going to be able to give you a 
catagorical universal answer.
IRC problems have been thrashed to death many times on this Reflector.
Paul, you described them best as a "nightmare" to use.
Trouble is they are so infrequently handled by PO desk clerks that they dont 
know the correct rules so make their own interpretations. So do the various 
administrations, come to that.
The english statement, at least, on the reverse side of the coupons clearly 
appears to me to state that it will cover the minimum airmail letter rate 
from *ANY* UPU country to *A* foreign country. (Would be better if it said 
ANY foreign country... more scope for mis-interpretation).
Personally, in over 30 years of DXing and QSLing, I've used re-circulated 
IRCs without any known problems. But nowadays I think the best advice is to 
avoid any IRC like the plague and only send them when specifically 
requested, and to places where mail theft is known to be a fine art. 
Otherwise I always use the good old faithful "green stamps".
Good Luck
Dave