I dropped W0RSR an email and it turn out he HAD worked 7O6T at exactly that same instant on 15 meters.

Let's all sing "It's a small, small world."

As I said in my firs message, ordinarily, I'd never think of trying to "fix" a busted QSO, but I guess the slim chance of grabbing a big one made me greedy.

I worked 7O6T just once, on 15 meters at the last minute of the operation, 2059Z on May 15, but the op copied me as W0RSR (unless by some weird coincidence, W0RSR was on the frequency at the same time).

On the operation's Web site in the "soapbox", I see a number of other folks trying to fix QSOs that aren't in the online log, but it says that you can only get into the soapbox if you've worked them at least once, so it's a bit of a Catch 22 for me.

Ordinarily, I'd never think of trying to fix a busted contact after the fact, but this was probably my only chance to work Yemen in my lifetime.

I've traveled with HTs, calculators, GPSRs and iThings, and always leave them in the carryon. The only time I had anything close to an incident was from the beanbag dashboard mount for my GPSR, which must look pretty strange on the X-Ray. But the operator looked up, yelled over to me "Do you have a GPS in there?" and that was the end of it.

Based just on the date, I'm guessing that's from the May, 1955 QST,  "The Z-Match Antenna Coupler" which someone might have too.

I'm thinking of experimenting with some antennas using open-wire feed line, but I see problems in simply getting the line out of the house.

The route to the nearest suitable outside wall is through an interior wall and then across a room with a ceiling full of ducts, pipes, and electrical, phone and network wiring.

A simple solution that occurs to me is to just run coax to a balun on the outside wall, and start the open-wire line at that point. It takes about 30' of coax to get to the outside wall.

Will this actually be a working solution?

After two more phone calls and one (unanswered) email, the replacement part arrived by UPS yesterday. Unfortunately, all the folks I'd usually call on to help me get this thing up are out of town for the long weekend.

Next week for sure 

http://www.atf.gov/firearms/faq/unlicensed-persons.html#potato-gun-classification

Q: How do I obtain a classification from ATF for my “potato gun?”

Any person desiring a classification of a “potato gun,” “spud gun” or similar device must submit a written request (not e-mail) to the Director and include a complete and accurate description of the device, the name and address of the manufacturer or importer, the purpose for which it is intended, and such photographs, diagrams, or drawings as may be necessary to make a classification. A final determination may require physical examination of the device. Such requests for classification should be submitted to: Bureau of ATF, Firearms Technology Branch.

In the US, 50.0 to 50.1 MHz is CW only

http://www.arrl.org/files/file/Hambands_color.pdf

Activity that I see at http://hamspots.net/6/ is mostly centered around 50.276 MHz

Sure it can. See http://hamspots.net/6/for activity captured by the "reverse beacon network."
Most US activity is on 50.276 (absolutely NOT on 50.076 as some people have tried).

It's important to also disable Window's own feeble Internet time service. On XP, open "Date and Time Properties," go to the "Internet Time" tab and make sure that "Automatically synchronize with an Internet time server" is not checked.

Since the only other options are either telephone support or no support, I'd think that email would be the preferred method, since the messages can be answered by anyone, and at their leisure. Phone support requires that the responder be available right now, and be stuck on the phone for as long as the contact lasts.

I've actually had a very good experience with HyGain/MFJ email tech support with this same antenna. There were a number of discrepancies between the parts supplied and the instructions in the printed manual, and again between the printed manual and the PDF on the Web site. Responses to my questions were fast and accurate.

My current call and the call I held when I briefly lived in New Jersey, W2HIR, were "randomly" issued when I moved into the area, and both have been previously issued. I was able to find the original owners by posting a query in the USENET group "rec.radio.amateur.misc" and people with access to old callbooks or other records were able to find them.

Since I had a 1x3 when first licensed (K3OCN), the FCC gave me another 1x3 each time I moved and since they aren't making any new letters of the alphabet, they had to give me one that had been previously owned.

It's still a lot easier than sorting, boxing up your cards, filling out the paperwork and shipping it all to the ARRL.

Field checking is always an option if you really want to avoid LOTW, but with international postage rates being what they are, and bureau turnaround times being what they are, I found that getting set up for LOTW was no big deal.

I suppose. I wasn't expecting the part to arrive over night, but a confirming email would have been nice.

As it is, all I have is my own personal recollection of a phone conversation with an anonymous guy on the other end.

He shows up in a search for folks who file "Form 990-N (e-Postcard) Information"