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On Monday evening (June 15th), I was honored to be the Emcee for the Vicksburg Amateur Radio Club’s surprise program. In a previous meeting there, Malcolm Keown W5XX mentioned that he had confirmed with ARRL that he broke the all-time record for the longest continuously elected Section Manger. Malcolm had served as Vice Director for the Delta Division but was elected as Section Manager for Mississippi on March 1, 1998. He surpassed the New Mexico SM Bill Mader K8TE on April 2, 2026, making him the longest serving SM in the history of the American Radio Relay League. As I had dinner during the fellowship period before the gavel dropped, I wondered how can the Club honor this career-long record of service to both the League and to amateur radio in the Magnolia State.

Back in 2013 when George Thomas, W5JDX of Jackson MS was named the winner of the 2013 Special Achievement Award for his work on Amateur Logic TV and Ham Nation, I organized a dinner to recognize this once in a lifetime honor. (I guess there might have been a repeat winner but you get my point.) What could we do to positively recognize W5XX in this case?

So I approached my friend and VARC President Chris AF5OQ about doing a surprise program the next month. I’d find an old vinyl “record” album and bring a small hammer. Malcolm could then could literally “break a record” to symbolize his achievement. Thus, the plan was hatched!

I’ve written a more detailed rendition of the events over on the VARC website. I encourage you to click on that link and read the details. To be brief, a really good time was had by all. Here’s the specific event, captured on video. I brought along an antique ball peen hammer I inherited from my father in-law for Malcolm to use. Even though he is a retired engineer from the Corps of Engineers in Vicksburg, the look on Malcolm’s face at the very end of this video shows he’s not familiar with how the peen end of the hammer is a most effective tool, especially in metal working. A flimsy vinyl album didn’t stand a chance. Nonetheless, even as his mobility has waned since a recent injury from a fall, W5XX operates “ball peen mode” very, very well!

It was my honor to serve as Emcee for this surprise program. Malcolm was given the broken record pieces in the box set case as a momento. He told us that it would go right next to his Lifetime Membership Award from VARC that is in his shack. Here is a picture of the boxset I found at a local Goodwill Store for $0.48 which I rounded up to one dollar. It’s called, Beautiful Music, Beautiful Memories, which is highly appropriate for this event. The video clip of the key moment follows.