Yes YorkieTalk chat does work. I looked back and saw that you had been in earlier and had said hello but I wasn't around at the time. The people in there with the @ at the side of the name are chat operators/moderators and aren't always there but are signed in, so it always looks like chat has a few people to talk to but we're not always there. Also, sometimes when people come in and don't speak then their presence goes unnoticed.
Next time you come in shout hi and hopefully someone will be around.