Since going back to M6MMM on a couple of recent HF activations, QSL cards have been arriving by mail (a couple last week and one this morning) The card this morning was from Japan after my recent Grt Orme activation. I’ve had Dollar bills in envelopes before now, however, included was a UPU (coupon?) which I’m unsure what to do with?
73 Mike
2E0YYY
In reply to 2E0YYY:Hi Mike, The UPU coupon can be exchanged for postage at your PO
73’s John
In reply to G4WSX:
In reply to 2E0YYY:Hi Mike, The UPU coupon can be exchanged for
postage at your PO
Many thanks John.
73 Mike
2E0YYY
In reply to 2E0YYY:
The full official explanation can be found here -
http://www2.royalmail.com/reply-sender
A timely reminder to those of us who keep a ready supply of IRCs that they may “self destruct” at the end of the year! However, those in my shack state an expiry date of 31/12/2013, so who do you believe?
73 de Les, G3VQO
In reply to G3VQO:
I’ve always thought it a bit presumptive that you could send a dollar bill or two to someone and they would use that for the return postage on a QSL card. That assumes that the person you are requesting a QSL card from is an avid enough QSLer that the odd dollar bill is of use to them.
What are you meant to do if you don’t QSL? I know what I did with them but I wonder what the expected course of action is?
Andy
M0FMF/p
In reply to MM0FMF:
Being an avid HF contester, ive had my fair share of QSL’s. My dollars get either saved up and exchanged for £’s. or send them in qsl’s that ive requested.
My local post office took some time to gets to grips with the IRC’s (international reply coupons) but we got there in the end.
Why no QSL andy? Does that include electronic format too?
Some guys i know have that many qsl requests that they employ a qsl manager 
Adriam
In reply to MM0FMF:
quite a few times I have wondered why I didn’t get the expected card in return for my two bucks, even not after a looong wait. Sometimes I googled for the call in question to see if I could find any specific information about the operator himself or the fact why he doesn’t qsl. In a few cases I ended up with a picture of the operator, in one specific case with a picture where the callsign holder raised a glass cheering into the lens in a way which led me to the conclusion that the drink must have been purchased with nothing else than my two bucks
73 Bernhard DL4CW
In reply to MM0TAI:
Why no QSL andy? Does that include electronic format too?
Electronic format?
I can’t even find Andy on qrz.com!
73 Mike
2E0YYY
In reply to 2E0YYY:
I can’t even find Andy on qrz.com!
Correct. It took some effort to expunge myself from all sorts of online callbooks. The simple reason is if you are ex-callbook people cannot send an unsolicited QSL. Or it’s much harder for them.
I’ve been ex-directory for 3+ years now. No more greenstamps arrive anymore so no more disappointed people.
Andy
M0FMF/p
In reply to MM0FMF:
people cannot send an unsolicited QSL. Or it’s much harder for them.
I guess folks might use send-via-bureau as a default route, and then the bureau would get to do whatever it is they do with cards for which they don’t have envelopes…
73, Rick M0LEP
In reply to G3VQO
A timely reminder to those of us who keep a ready supply of IRCs that
they may “self destruct” at the end of the year! However,
those in my shack state an expiry date of 31/12/2013, so who do you
believe?
I have had all sorts of problems in the past trying to obtain IRCs locally (Swindon). My local PO tried to sell me some that were 2 years out of date and then couldn’t obtain any of the then newer ones. The staff at one of the main local PO’s just looked at me blankly when I asked for a couple of International Reply Coupons. Another PO manager in a nearby town did have 5 in stock, but refused to sell me all of them and restricted me to 2! Finally, I did find a supply in Swindon, but they only ever had the odd one or two in stock at any one time. Must admit that some Green Stamps I have sent have obviously gone into the coffers of their recipients, as I have never received cards from these few despite their ‘100% QSL’ guarantee on QRZ.
Although it’s nice to have that physical card come through the post, EQSL does seem to be the way to go. Instant, cheap & you can print them out too.
Jonathan
M6HBS
In reply to M6HBS:
I have had all sorts of problems in the past trying to obtain IRCs
locally (Swindon). My local PO tried to sell me some that were 2 years
out of date and then couldn’t obtain any of the then newer ones. The
staff at one of the main local PO’s just looked at me blankly when I
asked for a couple of International Reply Coupons. Another PO manager
in a nearby town did have 5 in stock, but refused to sell me all of
them and restricted me to 2! Finally, I did find a supply in Swindon,
but they only ever had the odd one or two in stock at any one time.
Must admit that some Green Stamps I have sent have obviously gone into
the coffers of their recipients, as I have never received cards from
these few despite their ‘100% QSL’ guarantee on QRZ.
Hi Jonathan,
Well, I’m glad it’s not just me who is having difficulty in getting IRCs! I have not been able to buy any for over a year. The two remaining Post Offices in Tewkesbury say they cannot order them any more, and the main Post Office in the town says they are no longer available anywhere. The Cheltenham Post Office says they are permanently “out of stock”. I emailed the Post Office HQ via their web site, asking where I could order a supply, but no reply was forthcoming.
I have given up now. The alternative is to send dollar bills, but most QSL Managers now demand TWO dollars for a QSL, which is very expensive … especially when you add on the outgoing postage.
eQSLs are OK, up to a point, but they are not accepted by the ARRL for DXCC credit.
73,
Walt (G3NYY)
In reply to G3NYY:
Guys I know an rsgb / personal qsl manager that often sends emails out asking for people to buy his excess IRC’s, if any one is interested, email me mm0tai at live dot com and I will pass on the info. They are a bit cheaper than the post office.
As for e-qsl, I tried it but just can’t put my finger on why I don’t like it.
I really like LOTW, its a small hassle getting your license verified but after that it’s pretty easy. Some logging programs can be set to upload your log securely automatically. I prefer to do it manually as I can make a back up of the files at the same time.
Did anybody read in qrz.com that Ham Radio Deluxe has been bought over by an American software company details are sketchy at the minute as to what they are going to do with it, ie continue as dontationware or make it a commercial product.
What do other members use for logging in the shack?
Adrian
Mm0tai
you better make that actually mm0tai at live dot co dot uk
In reply to M0LEP:
I guess folks might use send-via-bureau as a default route, and then
the bureau would get to do whatever it is they do with cards for which they
don’t have envelopes…
In my case the sub-manager knows to place the cards straight into his recycling bin rather than keeping them for 3 months then dumping them.
Andy
MM0FMF
(back home, gate closed behind me)
In reply to MM0TAI:
Did anybody read in qrz.com that Ham Radio Deluxe has been bought over
I met the author many years back. After that experience I decided I’d rather go elsewhere for such programs! 
I was prepared to even pay, then I discovered fldigi and have been compiling that for my own use ever since.
Open source is the way to go!
Andy
MM0FMF
In reply to MM0FMF:
I met the author many years back. After that experience I decided I’d
rather go elsewhere for such programs!
Funny that. I had exactly the same experience! Since then, I would not touch that program with a barge-pole.
Re QSLs … it is, of course, your prerogative to choose not to QSL. However, as a courtesy, you might consider putting a QRZ.com entry up, simply stating “I neither collect nor send QSL cards”. No need to put any name/address details, but you would save would-be QSL-ers and QSL sub-managers a lot of time and expense. Just a thought. 
73,
Walt (G3NYY)
In reply to G3NYY:
I think this is a good idea, but I can’t amend my entry in QRZ. This appears to be because I am listed by ofcom as “details withheld”, so even though I am a registered member I can’t actually do anything.
I would be interested to know if others have the same problem. I think Andy (MM0FMF) mentioned that he was similarly listed; if this has the same effect as it appears to have on my listing he will not be able to follow Walt’s suggestion, either.
73,
Rod
In reply to M0JLA:
Rod I don’t think that’s correct, entries to qrz.com have no verification process, so how you are listed with ofcom won’t make any difference.
Anybody can make a page with any call they like (some pirates actually do). So you should be able to set up your own page with your call and state ‘no qsl’ and keep your address off it too.
Give me a mail if you need any help setting yours up, I’ve done a few now going through the 3 license changes.
Adrian
Mm0tai
In reply to M0JLA:
You should be able to create an entry on QRZ.com, Rod.
Do a search for M0JLA on the main QRZ.com page. It will say the callsign is not listed, but on the third line you should find an invitation to add it to the database. Press the button and follow the instructions. You do not need to enter details in every field.
73,
Walt (G3NYY)
In reply to G3NYY:
Adrian and Walt,
Thanks for the pointers.
I logged in as M0JLA and followed Walt’s path to establish a form but it requires surname and full address. This I have bypassed by inserting Withheld but when I save I get the message “Sorry, you are not authorized to update the database for this callsign.” This is the same message I had before at a different stage, without the form.
Any ideas on how to proceed?
73,
Rod