W2AGW - December 7, 2002

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Howard W. 'Howie' Wolfe Harrington Park, NJ Life Member #243 Born: April 29, 1907

Howie, W2AGE,has worked all countries except CR8, FI8 and P5 QST - October 2000

Services will be hold on Monday December 9th for Howard Wolfe, W2AGW, who passed away on December 7th, at the age of 95. In lieu of flowers, the family request a donation, in Howard's name, to the Cyctic Fibrosis Foundation % Paige Bolton 108 Oweno Rd. Mahwah,NJ 07430

Howie was first licensed in Brooklyn, NY as 2AGW in 1926. His first DX QSO was with a station from Britain in the early 1930s.

For many years Howie never owned a microphone and rarely operated anywhere but 20 meters except for DX contest. For many years W2AGW dominated the top spot on the DXCC honor roll and he was always the last person standing at Dayton when they did the DX countdown at the annual dinner.

According to Howie his crowning DX achievement was a QSO with AC4RF on December 19, 1949. Bob Ford had been making brief appearances on the air for several days and Howie never thought he would make it. When he finally made the QSO it was all he could do to not fall out of his chair! Needless to say this was also his favorite DXpedition of all time. Howie was one of only a hand full of DXers ever to work AC3, AC4, and AC5 without the benefit of DXpeditions.

Howie once ran for Director of the ARRL's Hudson Division which produced the only tie in a division level election in the League's history.

Howie was one of the founders of the NJDXA, server as Secretary/ Treasurer for many years and also server as President. He was an active member and attended meeting until very recently. He actively served the QSL bureau for 40 years.

Although Howie's DX accomplishments were legion, he never boasted, and was always there to help anyone new to the hobby or DXing. He was polite to everyone and was a true friend. He was a one-of-a-kind, it is the end of an era.

Wolfe, W2AGW, of Harrington Park, New Jersey, died December 7. He was 95. "Howie was one of the 'true blue DXers!'" said QST "How's DX?" Editor Bernie McClenny, W3UR. Wolfe had worked every possible DXCC entity except Damao Diu (CR8)--which was deleted (he worked French Indo China, FI8, also now on the deleted list, but never got a QSL card). First licensed as 2AGW in Brooklyn, New York in 1926, Wolfe was a member of the ARRL and the North Jersey DX Association. A couple of years ago in QST, McClenny noted that Wolfe was "always the last man standing in the DXCC count up" at the Dayton DX dinner. CW was his favorite mode. Friends may post tributes to the NJDXA's W2AGW memorial page

Karl Duerk W8ZY, Harold Striker W8WZ, Howard Wolf W2AGW, Frank Lucas W3CRA

Here is a photo of Frank Lucas W3CRA. I believe it was
taken at the Dayton Hamvention in 1959. Don Karvonen K8MFO