I haven’t used IRC’s when sending direct for a QSL mainly because my local post office doesn’t offer them. I also have had decent luck with sending $2 or 2 greenstamps or 2 GS as they are commonly referred.

In the US we can get an international stamp for just under $1. Return postage is usually $2 though I check QRZ or even email the other operator if they provide and email on QRZ before I sent direct. An advantage of emailing is I can also confirm I am indeed in their log before spending $3.

In most cases, $2 will work but sometimes they don’t want the cash or request an IRC. I had normally sent those via the bureau which are now just slowly starting to come in. For these exceptions or for folks not comfortable sending cash, and IRC is a viable option.

I have read in the Daily DX that the US post office now provides for ordering IRC’s online. The cost, at the time of this posting is $2.10 each which is the normal price + $1 priority mail shipping. I wouldn’t order just one but 10 of them would cost $22 and you don’t need to go out in the rain. The link, again at the time of this posting is Post Office IRCs. That link looks likely to change over time so you should be able to go to http://shop.usps.com and search for International Reply Coupon and select it from the search results.

So for those folks that want IRC’s and have run into issues in the past at their local post office, maybe this will work out better for you.

73 and good DX,
K2DSL