Following a referendum in 1974, the Ellice Islands elected to become independent from the Gilbert Islands.
The newly independent entity of Tuvalu was added to the DXCC List in December 1975, with QSOs counting from 1976-01-01.
QST December 1975 announced the following:
"On January 1, 1976, an administrative separation will be made in what currently is, and has been, the Gilbert and Ellice Colony. The Ellice Isands will become a Crown Colony, completely separate and no longer a part of the Gilbert and Ellice Colony.. The name will be known as Tuvalu, It is expected that the prefix for stations operating from Tuvalu will be VR8. DXCC credits for Tuvalu will be for contacts made January 1, 1976, or after."
Location map (credit: WorldAtlas.com):
Islands map (By CIA - CIA World Fact Book, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1265386):
Prefix: VR8, T2 from October 1978.
Ranking in "Most Wanted" league.
The IOTA reference for Tuvalu is OC-015.
Whitelisting
Tuvalu Islands is a whitelisted DXCC entity. The following table lists stations known to have been QRV from <> Islands and which are thought to be good for DXCC credit.
The callsigns below are the only ones that Club Log will map to <>. These callsigns have been taken from QSL cards and other sources.
Callsigns that are not listed below, or QSOs outside the exception date range, will not be mapped to Tuvalu but will be mapped as INVALID.
Please advise any missing valid <> callsigns to Alan, 5B4AHJ, or via the Help Desk.
Call | Date/Note (follow callsign links to see exact dates, QSLs and additional notes) |
VR8A | 1976 - January |
VR8B | 1976 - January |
1976 - March/April | |
VR8N | 1977 - April/May |
VR8O | 1978 - February until October |
T2O | 1978 - October/November QSL required |
T2T | 1979 - February/March. |
T2AAA | 1979 - April until 1980 October |
T2AAB | Information required, not whitelisted |
T2AAC | 1981 - February QSL required |
T2AAD | 1980 - October/Novenber |
T2AAE | 1980 - October |
T2AAF | 1980 - November |
T2XYL | 1980 - January until 1981 - January |
T2GSH | 1981 - January until 1984 - May |
T2ETA, T2VEL | 1981 - October |
T2GMM | 1982 - January/February QSL required |
T2AGD | 1982 - August |
T26FIC | 1983 - info/QSL required, not whitelisted. |
T2ADX, T2RAA, T2RTY, T2YKC | 1983 - October |
T2ITA | 1983 - December to 1987 - August |
T2ADE | 1985 - June -to September |
T21ZK | 1986 - March |
T2ARY | 1986 - October |
T20EE | 1988 - August QSL required |
T20AA | 1987 - August until 2000 - April |
T22JJ, T28RR, T25TT | 1988 - March |
T22VU | 1988 - April |
T20LJ | 1988 - October QSL required |
T28RK | 1988 - October/November QSL required |
T20JT | 1989 - April QSL required |
T27RA | 1989 - May QSL required |
T26LP | 1989 - June |
T28RW | 1989 - June and November QSLs |
T29GN | 1989 - December |
T20FW, T29HC | 1990 - January QSL required |
T20JH | 1990 - June |
T22KY | 1990 - December QSL required |
T21CE, T22YL, T23XX | 1991 - January/February |
T20WW | 1991 - September - November |
T20VJ, T20XV | 1991 - October |
T29HC, T29HC/QRP | 1992 - January QSL required |
T26DX, T26JA | 1992 - February |
T20CB | 1992 - September |
T21XO (T21XO/P), T25AO (T25AO/P, T28IO (T28IO/P) | 1993 - January |
T24JJ | 1993 - January |
T29HC, T29HC/QRP | 1994 - January |
T24JJ | 1994 - February |
T20JC | 1992 - March to 1994 - August |
T20CC | 1994 - February QSL required |
T20XC | 1994 - December to 1995 - February |
T20XC | 1995 - June |
T28RW, T26LP | 1996 - October |
T22MS | 1997 - March/April QSL required |
T24JA, T2DX | 1998 - October |
T20FW | 1999 - January |
T20HC, T20HC/QRP | 1999 - January/February QSL required |
T22JY, T22KJ, T22TK, T22VE | 1999 - May |
T24DX | 1999 - August/September |
T2DX | 1999 - October |
T2DX | 2000 - October |
T20CK | 2000 - December to 2001 - January |
T2DX | 2001 - October |
T2T, T2SIX | 2001 - November |
T20HC, T20HC/QRP | 2002 - February QSL required |
T2X | 2002 - April to June (dates needed). |
T2DA, T23A, T25A, T26U | 2002 - April/May |
T2DX | 2002 - Octo |
T22MY, T2YL | 2003 - June |
T20MW | 2003 - October |
T20VB | 2003 - October/November |
T20HC, T20HC/QRP | 2004 - February QSL required |
T20DX | 2004 - August QSL required |
T20AH | 2004 - October |
T20HC, T20HC/QRP | 2007 - February QSL required |
T22V | 2007 - December/2008 - January |
T20HC, T20HC/QRP | 2008 - April QSL required |
T22ZL | 2008 - October |
T20HC, T20HC/QRP | 2009- February QSL required |
T27A, T27OU | 2009 - February/March |
T2UF | 2009 - March/April |
T2G | 2009 - September QSL required |
T209DX | 2009 - September |
T2A | 2010 - April |
T2XG | 2011 - May |
T2T, T2V | 2011 - November/December |
T2TT | 2012 - March/April |
T2GM | 2013 - March |
T2YY | 2013 - March/April |
T2RG | 2015 - May/June |
T2TK | 2015 - September, on going - resident |
T2GC | 2015 - September/October |
T2XX | 2015 - November |
T2TT | 2015 - November/December |
T2COW | 2016 - July/August |
T2TP | 2016 - August, on going, a resident. |
T2R | 2016 - September/October |
T2J | 2016 - October |
T2AT | 2016 - October, on going, a resident. |
T2AQ, T2QR, T2TT | 2017 - March/April |
T2AR | 2017 - June/July |
T2R, T2AR | 2019 - June/July |
T22T | 2023 - August |
T2C | 2023 - October |
T2M, T2X | 2024 - September |
T2BT | Dates not yet announced. |
The ones that didn't count for Tuvalu | |
VR1C, VR1S | QRV before 1976-01-01 |
Acknowledgements and references
Anthony Quest G4UZN
Holger Hannemann ZL3IO
Les Nouvelles DX - VR8 - Tuvalu
Wikipedia - Gilbert and Ellis Islands