Within the framework of the Argentine-German satellite photo-interpretation and climatology project “Perito Moreno”, the province of Tierra del Fuego, Antarctica and the South Atlantic Islands participated for the first time in 1995. In this scientific activity in Antarctica, local scientists such as Dr. Jorge Strelin, from CADIC, were incorporated into the program and a chain of Refuges was established in the area of the glaciers of the San Martín Base (WAP ARG-Ø8).
The objective was to support the actions aimed at crossing the Antarctic below the Antarctic Circle, at the height of the Argentine Base San Martin, and also to annually install a scientific shelter so that it could be used by the members of that Polar exploration. A snowmobile provided by Tierra del Fuego (WAP ARG-23) would also be added to the project to facilitate the mobility of the Research Team. Thus, from the incipient provincial Antarctic organization, the construction of a shelter specially conceived for the area was designed, tendered and supervised.
Its main characteristic was its ability to be transported by helicopter, in two modules and with great ease of installation. It consisted of two cubes of fiberglass and resin, prepared to be hooked from the air and then placed on sleds and secured in the ground. The first of these shelters was named “Ona” in homage to one of the best-known communities of the native peoples who inhabited the South of Tierra del Fuego. 
In the following years, the construction of new shelters in homage to other native peoples of Tierra del Fuego would continue. (Picture aside, shows three Ona Indians in furs, one with a child, encountered in Patagonia at the end of the Belgian Antarctic Expedition)
The “Ona Refuge Hut” (68° 06’ South, 67° 01′ 32” West) was finally placed in 1995 on the glacier near the Argentine Base San Martin, was transported to Margarita Bay by the Icebreaker Almirante Irizar and landed and placed by Sea King helicopters equipped with the Q-5. In its design, the need to accommodate at least a group of four scientists was particularly important, allowing for work facilities with a field laboratory, rationing and rest with four bunk beds. It also had a bathroom.
Ona Refuge was opened in 1995 and it is located 4.5 kilometres (2.8 mi) from San Martín Base on the glaciers of the Fallières Coast. The shelter has a capacity for four people, food for 30 days, fuel, gas and first aid kit and it’s still active.
TNX to Alejandro Bertotto, Antarctic specialist
As far as WAP knows, no one has never operate Ham Radio from Ona Refuge (pic above) so it remains unnumbered on WAP-WADA Directory as WAP ARG-NEW