Time for the conspiracy theorists to start a story about collusion between the IPU/ITU/LOTW forces !! But, if enough folks get on the LOTW bandwagon, then we will have no use for IRC's. Now, who has the oldest IRC in their possession ??
73, Dick, W1KSZ -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of FireBrick Sent: Tuesday, March 15, 2005 5:58 PM To: DXBase List; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; Steven Wheatley KU9C Subject: [Dxbase] the New Large IRC's will expire in 2006 I found this on the cluster. BIG PROBLEM COMING SOON WITH THE 'NEW-TYPE' IRC's...... AS YOU KNOW, DXers HAVE USED IRC's AS INTERNATIONAL QSL CURRENCY FOR DECADES. THEN THE INTERNATIONAL POSTAL UNION BROUGHT OUT THE NEW, LARGER TYPE IRC's IN 2000, THAT ARE DESIGNED TO HAVE A 'SELL-BY' DATE ON THEM, SO THAT THEY BECOME WORTHLESS IF NOT REDEEMED IN SIX YEARS. NOT GOOD NEWS FOR HAMS, AS MANY OF THE EXCELLENT OLD-TYPE IRC's HAD BEEN IN CIRCULATION FOR OVER 30 YEARS WITHOUT PROBLEM. FROM 2000 WE WERE TOLD, THEY WOULD BE ISSUED WITH A SIX-YEAR EXPIRY DATE. OK, THAT WAS BAD NEWS BACK IN 2000. BUT NOW IT'S 2005. SO WHAT YEAR DO YOU RECKON THAT NEW SIX-YEAR IRC's BEING SOLD TODAY SHOULD EXPIRE? ( BET YOU THOUGHT IT WOULD BE 2011, DIDN'T YOU? ) NO SIR. THE BAD NEW IS, THAT ALL 'NEW' IRC'S EXPIRE IN 2006 !! ALL OF THEM! THAT MEANS THAT THE 'SIX-YEAR' COUPONS THAT YOU BUY TODAY WILL BECOME WORTHLESS IN A MATTER OF MONTHS, AND ALL MONEY PAID WILL BE LOST UNLESS THE IRC IS CASHED IMMEDIATELY BEFORE THE DEADLINE IN 2006. AS FAR AS I CAN FIND OUT FROM POST OFFICES IN THE UK AT LEAST, ALL STOCKS OF IRC's WERE PRINTED WITH THE SAME EXPIRY DATE - 2006. I GUESS WE ALL THOUGHT THAT THE EXPIRY DATE WOULD TRACK THE DATE OF SALE, ALWAYS MOVING FORWARD BY A MONTH AT A TIME. BUT NO, THE EXPIRY DATE HAS REMAINED FIXED AT 2006 WHILST TIME HAS PASSED, MAKING THE 'SIX YEAR' IRC's NOW ONLY ONE-YEAR IRC's. IT APPEARS THAT WE'VE BEEN RIPPED-OFF. AND WORSE THAN THAT, THE VALUE OF THE IRC AS AN 'INTERNATIONAL PROMISE OF VALUE' HAS BEEN BADLY ERODED. WHAT ARE WE GOING TO USE IN FUTURE? 73 Paul G4XTA @ GB7SAN.#78.GBR.EU ----------------------------------------------------- It's only a hobby ... only a hobby ... only a hobby ... only ----------------------------------------------------- W9OL, Bill H. in Chicagoland ______________________________________________________________ Dxbase mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/dxbase Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[email protected]
