[Elecraft] Blown trap?

[Vic Rosenthal 4X6GP/K2VCO]

Here is my somewhat off-topic question for today:

I have an R8 vertical, which does its bandswitching with a combination 
of stubs and traps. The other day I was transmitting CW on 40M with 
about 1200 watts and a normal SWR of less than 1.5:1. Suddenly the SWR 
went sky-high. Now the antenna doesn't work on 7 and 10 MHz, although it 
is fine on the higher bands. It looks to me like I blew the 30M trap. So:

1. Do you folks think this is a correct diagnosis? I will have to take 
the antenna down to be sure, and that won't be fun since it is on top of 
a 10-story building.

2. I have heard of this happening with the R8, although it is rated at 
1500W CW according to the manual. But I always thought the people it 
happened to were operating at high SWRs. Maybe these are 1500 MFJ watts, 
which, as everyone knows, are smaller than regular watts. Has anyone had 
a similar experience?

3. Should I have bought a KPA500 which wouldn't stress the antenna as 
much? :-)
-- 
73,
Vic, 4X6GP/K2VCO
Rehovot, Israel
http://www.qsl.net/k2vco/