Update in case anyone else new cares:
So it took me a while but I finally figured out why my work "disappeared" - I got paid! I have it set to an old address I don't use and checked it only to see I've gotten more than one.
Basically, I had assumed they my hashrate was so low that I'd be months between payouts, but I actually got in the queue with nothing more than a pod miner. All my prior confusion was simply because my first payout coincided with that random down time.
Makes me wonder if a "total btc paid" line to the miner stats would be helpful.
Anyway, FYI
Minerbobbert:
I'm only a Junior here but I've been hashing and reading Forums for quite some time now... and like you, I read everything I could lay my eyes on when I first started. It was only recently that I got enough knowledge (hopefully) and courage to contribute to this Forum... I remember that early on (I think it was one of the GS threads) that you and (was it?) your son had so much trouble getting the software to run the hardware... might even have been a Raspberry Pi controller(?) - that seems so long ago now...Anyways, I've been here at this pool since Feb/Mar - back in the days when the tab read [7PH] ckpool.org ZERO FEE...
A few pages back, -ck explained that small miners were at about 11 block solves per payout. I think my payouts at that time had been at 11 or 12 solves. So I figured he was talking about me. Then came a 7 then a 5... You get the idea. When I first started here, I think I guessed or calculated that my first payout in would be in October... obviously the pool has been growing... and you always have the freedom of choice. Mine here - small payments. Mine solo, but only as a lottery. Or mine both if you can.
I don't think you and I are likely to get rich on ANY pool with our 2-PACs and Pods and their hash rates, but I've been mining here long enough to know that you will be welcome and from my calculations anyways, I make more BTC here than any other pool that I've tried. I've even tried mining sh*tcoins->BTC and am honest enough to admit that I did it - but it was always less BTC in the end. So now that you've `discovered' your payments, I'd imagine your already pretty clear on how the pool works, so I'm just checking in to say `hey'... and if your not clear on something, ask away... there are good people here. Know that you're in a good place.