Joe W3HNK at Dayton 88

I had my first QSO with Joe Arcure in February of 1957 when we were both novices. Over the years we had many QSOs and it wasn't until 1988 that we met at the Dayton Hamvention. Joe is one of those people who never sees a stranger and will keep you laughing. This was my first visit to Dayton and I had my wife, Monty along. She was not exactly thrilled about it and stayed in the stands of the main arena reading a book most of the time. That was until I brought Joe up to meet her and she joined us as we walked through the flea market area. She was NOT bored after meeting Joe. He has that affect on people.

In 1979, the CQ DX Awards Committee, voted Joe Arcure to the DX Hall of Fame. It was created as an honor for those very few amateurs who have made exceptional contributions to the DXing hobby. The Committee stipulated that this honor would be reserved for those who have served DX over a long period of time at a considerable personal sacrifice, those who have given their time, energy and resources with no thought of personal gain.

Joe & Monty in Flea Market

The first DXer elected to the Hall of Fame was Gus M. Browning, W4BPD, the greatest of the worldwide DXpedition operators, who received the honor in November, 1967. The second recipient was the immortal Jack Cummings, W2CTN, the world's premier QSL Manager, in March, 1968.

W3HNK began his career as a QSL Manager in 1963, steadily adding on new callsigns until he passed the 150 mark in mid-1977, at which time it was estimated that he had filled out over 1 million cards for eager DXers. He is now past his second million. Joe is not only a world-class, champion QSL Manager, but a first class operator and DXer in his own right. He holds WAZ, WAC, WAS and has over 320 countries confirmed.. despite the fact that, except for an assist from his XYL Esther, he handles all the cards personally. Believe me, he can fill out cards and talk at the same time !!

He and Esther have been married over 40 years and have 2 sons, Joseph and Paul, ( Joseph passed away of cancer in 1994 ) Joe and Esther live in West Chester, Pennsylvania ( somewhere not far away is the famous BOX 73, Edgemont, PA. ) Joe belongs to the Masonic Order and is employed by the Sun Oil Company (Sunoco) but not for long since he will retire this November.

In past years, Joe has been manager for hundreds of stations including: 5A3TX, CR6LF, CT1UA, CT1UE, CT2AK, EA8JJ, EL2CB, EP2DX, FGØDYM, KH6XX, KP4AST, KP4Q, LZ1BW, NP4A, OY5NS, UD6DKW, VP2EEG, VP2E, VP5DX, VS6DD, YS1GMV, W4GSM/HC8.

1X5AA, 4S7DA, AP2TJ, BV2BI, C51A, CM8TW, CO3CL, CO8TW, CO5GV, CT1BOH, CT4NH, CW6V, CX5X, CX6VM, EA8AK, EK6GC, ER5GB, ER5WU, ES5MC, EW1TZ, EW3LB, EY1ZA, FM5BH, FS5UQ, HL5KY, HL5BTF, HR1SAX, KP2A, KP4KD/HK3, NP3D, NP4A, OM7DX, P3A, P4ØE, PJ7UQ, RA2FZ, RA9CKQ, RW9QA, RW9RF, RW9WA, RX9FM, RAØFU, RSØF, SM7CRW, TE1C, TIØC, TI1C, TI2CF, TI3CF, TI4CF, UA9CUA, UA9OS, UAØAZ, UAØMF, UAØFZ, UG6GAW, UK7F, UK8FF, UK8OO, UN5J, UN7FK, UN7FZ, UP6F, UPØF, US7ZL, USØHZ, UT5JDS, VP2VFW, VP5JM, VP9AD, VU2ZAP, WP4C, YO3AC, YS1RRD, Z24S, ZP5PT, ZPØR, ZPØZ, ZS4PB

Email from W7XP ( 5A3TX ), 08/25/97:

"I agree with everything that you said about Joe. During the period that he was handling the 5A3TX QSL's we used to exchange audio tapes (no E-mail then) and we got to know each other pretty well. When I returned home from 5A3TX, my wife and I dropped by and visited Joe and he is every bit the congenial host as he is the QSL manager."

73's
Carl W7XP (ex-5A3TX)

DE CO3CL, Jose - 01/07/1998

Hi friends,

I have read some messages from last days of december as a recognition to Joe (W3HNK), and about his activity as a manager of many OM stations. Also I visited the Joe's Web and found some opinions and points of view about it. I am one of the stations from the Joe's list and want to give you my opinion.

That's right!, Joe is one of the best, or the best manager in the world. I have talk with other OMs who are helped by Joe in the QSL managment and the general criterion is that he is very, very efficient and rapid in his job. When the stations have some months with Joe, the jump in the countries confirmed is so high that everybody is very pleased with him.

But I know another aspect from Joe which is very touching, and I want to speak about it. I know other OMs who have been helped by Joe in the free mode, and he is not the manager for them. Joe, without any economical gain, gets the confirmations for them, without any contribution.

BUT I don't want to speak about Joe as a QSL manager. I want to speak about other characteristics:
Joe as a friend.

Believe me, my friends, in the list of great events of my life, I have written the day when I met Joe. He is a best friend, a very good person, endowed of humanity, and fraternity and brotherhood. He always is ready to give anyone his energy to solve a problem, to give helping hand.

When I began to exchange info with him, he satisfied me also, that I began to call him "Godfather". But later, when I learned his great qualities, I changed it to "God & Father". I appreciate his enormous effort and dedication to help everybody, and his love to my country and his friendship.

My greatest wish is to give my right hand to Joe and Esther, his wife.

Jose (CO3CL) via DX Reflector VE7TCP

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Joe's # 1 TIP !

This is a Self Addressed Stamped Envelope
Please send one of these to Joe if you want a card !

Links2Go Callsigns

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Story by Wayne, K5MB (ex K5HYB)

Portions of this story taken from CQ Magazine, Dec-1979

You can contact Joe via w3hnk@aol.com

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