Pete VE5VA says:
....SSB contact with TZ6NU which isn't likely because I already have
TZ and don't do SSB anyway. A more careful examination of the card
revealed that it wasn't for me. It is made out to IK4PMA.
The wierdest part is that the back of the card is addressed to IK4PMA
and has the correct CANADIAN postage on it so I can just chuck it in
the mail. Seems to me that this is going about it the long way round?
People say a lot of rude things about F6FNU, and some of them are probably
justified. But not everythng he does is immoral. He sends cards promptly,
and he saves money by cutting the corners off the envelopes and sending cards
via a cheaper rate (still airmail). He also does things like the above,
where he relies on the good faith of an intermediary to save himself $$.
The last time I had a card from him, he also sent along a card for another W,
in an envelope that I think he (FNU) had written out, with a note on it that
said "for direct QSL pse send $1 or IRCs". In this case, he had obviously
received a card from someone without any return postage, and rather than
just ditching it, he had me send it on (I had to supply the 29c stamp, as I
remember...).
Romeo 3W3RR did some stuff like this - I got my first card from him via
another W5 who received several, with a request to send them on, although
I'm not sure now whether Romeo supplied the postage or not. In this case
I had indeed sent a $ or two, and didn't begrudge Romeo the $$, but this
system does rely on the responsibility of the intermediate ham.
I also remember getting a card from HL5BDS (S. Shetlands), where he included
cards and unstamped envelopes for half a dozen Ws, but included several IRCs
in return for my putting stamps on the envelopes and mailing them.
So in the case Pete mentions, I would suspect that the Italian ham did not
send any return postage, and FNU had a VE stamp sitting around, so stuck
it on postcard style for Pete to return it the long way round. The system
breaks down if Pete decides instead to soak off the stamp and trash the
card, but fortunately all DXers (esp ones who never use SSB, as in his
case) are gentlepersons.
Derek aa5bt
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