Kees,
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Good info.
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Shipping small items up to 3.5 ounces using first class mail within the USA costs $0.73.
Same as sending a letter to your mother.
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We could ship a QMX+ main board with the auto-stuffed surface mount parts installed (2.5 oz) for $0.73
It's just the right width to fit comfortably into a standard business envelope.
Know however that surface mount caps and resistors could fracture if flexed, especially on such a large board.
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From ?
"Maximum weight for First-Class Mail letters is 3.5 oz; for large First-Class Mail envelopes, the maximum weight is 13 oz"
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From? ??
"The Postal Service does not permit pens, pencils, key rings, bottle caps, and other similar odd-shaped items in letter-size or flat-size paper envelopes unless they are wrapped within the other contents of the envelope to streamline the shape of the mailpiece and to prevent damage during postal processing. If an odd-shaped item is not properly wrapped, it could burst through the envelope and cause injury to employees and damage to USPS processing equipment. Odd-shaped items that are properly wrapped within paper envelopes and sent at letter prices may be subject to the nonmachinable surcharge for First-Class Mail letters or the nonmachinable prices for USPS Marketing Mail letters."
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I once worked on a line-scan camera interface that was used in a Siemens mail sorting machine
to catch an image of each letter as it flew past.? The guys debugging the software needed us
to?also create a camera simulator that fed canned images of mail into their computer
for testing, as time on the big warehouse sized sorting machine was expensive.
Also, after a few dozen times through the machine their test mail was pretty well shredded.
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Jerry, KE7ER
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On Wed, Mar 19, 2025 at 04:47 PM, Kees T wrote:
For those contemplating a group buy as a service to others and are amazed at the high International postage rates, let me state a few facts having shipped 100's of ham radio parts/kits all over the world.
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1. Don't use the USPS online charts to determine the costs
2. Use PayPal so you can print shipping labels and Customs forms. The buyer must specify for "Goods or Merchandise" and yes that means PayPal will rightfully take a small cut.. I have no affiliation with PayPal but do remember when you had to get foreign bank check clearances to sell stuff overseas which was a real pain.
3. PayPal uses ShipStation for the actual shipping. This means you will be given a selection of shipping options, "Global Post", Global Expedited, etc. Select the one that meets your needs and pay. The address label you printed will have a USA tracking number and barcode to a USA Customs Clearing House where it will be shipped first. The label also has an International tracking number for when your package is in an overseas country.
4. On the customs form you will be asked for a Hamonization code so the government can track what comes into and out of the USA. Use code 8531.90.30.00 which means "electronics board with parts" and there is no Customs charge.
5. Shipments within the USA for say 5 ounces for a 7 Band DXFT8 Kit will cost $6 at the Post Office or $4.71 using ShipStation via PayPal and you get an easy to use shipping label and records. That's a much better deal in my mind.
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All it requires is a volunteer to do the group buy and you too can join in the fun. My plate is full.
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73 Kees K5BCQ
