PAPA is hosting TWO celebrations to close out 2025. Our traditional Fiesta Norte in Arcadia and Fiesta Del Sur in San Marcos area.

Scroll to the bottom for a couple of video from Fiesta Del Sur.

Fiesta Norte

Congrats to Mike KN6LJF, winner of the Fiesta Norte Grand Prize, a 4Kw battery and inverter!

We kicked off the holiday season with the Fiesta Norte on December 14. Thank you RJ, KM6AVH for finding a new location for PAPA, Villa Catrina in Arcadia. Oh boy the food was good, our room was just the right size and most of all, the staff was just the best you can ask for.

I didn’t do a head count but there must have been 60 to 70 PAPA friends and members from as far as Las Vegas… I’m pretty sure nobody drove farther than Mikey KJ7IYC.

We missed Cecil who was out with an injured back, however Darren WD6USN did an excellent job as MC, introducing our net controllers, presenting a recap of the accomplishments in 2025 as far as repeaters go, and a look ahead for 2026. Len WA6QHD took us back in time to the very beginning of the PAPA System. I don’t know about you, but I enjoy hearing how things came to be what they are now and I totally enjoyed Len’s talk.

Did you hear about Operation Cover Up? PAPA members Kevin K4HD, Jason KN6SBR, Scott N6ZAR, Richard W6SFX and Logan KD6LLB headed up a drive to collect jackets, blankets and sleeping bags for unhoused folks in our community. They collected about 80 items to hand out. Eighty. EIGHTY!!! Eighty items that PAPA members brought to help those less fortunate. You may have heard Kevin on the air with third party traffic after Fiesta Norte as he went about distributing the items. I think we can be proud of this effort.

Raffle? Of course, what did you think? Mike, KN6LJF won the 4Kw battery and inverter. Brian, WA6JFK won the Bioenno 80Ah battery, AND the AnyTome 578 with bluetooth remote mic AND a Bioenno 6Ah battery. The Grab-n-Go Radio from Impulse Electronics found a new home with Fred, KD6DKH.

Thank you Steve WD8CIK for setting up the PA System and RJ KM6AVH for taking pictures. And of course all who attended and made this an excellent Fiesta Norte for2025.

On to a prosperous 2026 de Ivo KO6BKX

Congrats to our Fiesta Norte Winners…

Mike, KN6LJF: 4Kw Battery & Inverter
Brian, WA6JFK: Bioenno 80Ah Battery
Fred, KD6DKH: Grab-N-Go Radio
Brian, WA6JFK: Anytone AT-D578 & Bluetooth Mic Tri-Band Mobile
Bill, KQ6BIL: BLF-1215 Battery, Controller & 80w Solar Panel
Gilbert, KK6YBX: BLF-1215 Battery, Controller & 80w Solar Panel
Monte, KE6GQO: BLF-1215 Battery, Controller & 80w Solar Panel
Fred, KD6DKH: BLF-1215 Battery, Controller & 80w Solar Panel
Larry, KE6MAE: BLF-1215 Battery, Controller & 80w Solar Panel
Gene, KI6BYA: ICOM ID-5100
Michael, KJ7IYC: BLF-1209 Battery, Controller & 40w Solar Panel… TWICE!
Benny, K6BJF: BLF-1209 Battery, Controller & 40w Solar Panel
David, KC6N: BLF-1209 Battery, Controller & 40w Solar Panel (well, his wife actually)
Bryan, WT6T: BLF-1209 Battery, Controller & 40w Solar Panel
Mike, KN6LJF: Anytone AT-D5888 Tri-Band Mobile
Steve, WD8CIK: 12v Tabletop Power Supply
Darren, WD6USN: BLF-1206 Battery & Charger
Brian, WA6JFK: BLF-1206 Battery & Charger
Corbin, N6CAA: BLF-1206 Battery & Charger
Larry, KE6MAE: BLF-1206 Battery & Charger
George, N6VNI: BLF-1206 Battery & Charger
Gilbert, KK6YBX: XUMspot Elite 3.5 LCD Hotspot