Bummer dude!

After a nice day of casual DXing yesterday (and a few new ones on my DXCC totals) I was geared up for the WPX-SSB contest.  During the first contact at 0000 hours, the VFO Knob on my FT-990 froze.  It simply wold not turn at all.  At first I thought it was a set screw that might have come loose, but after removing the knob, i physically could not move the shaft.  I have a service manual for FT-990 and it's the rotary shaft encoder that froze up. 

I obviously was not going to be contesting this weekend. While I can use CAT control to change frequencies via computer, it's not real helpful in contests when you search and pounce.  I'm basically OFF-THE-AIR.

I've had the Ft-990 for 17 years.  It's been in for repair twice.  Always somewhat minor issues.  Last year I sent it to Brian Cambell, WA4GEG, in Tennessee.  He did a fantastic job repairing a dead audio circuit, and doing a touch up on alignment.  I wrote him with my issue and he replied promptly:

You may be able to loosen it back up with a little penetrating oil applied to the encoder shaft bushing (remove rubber tire from VFO knob, loosen the Allen set screw and remove the knob.) Apply a drop or two of penetrating oil to the encoder shaft busing area every hour or so for a 24 hour period if necessary (stand the radio on its rear panel -- front panel looking up.)

> Do you still work on 990's???

I stopped working on them due to the parts problem. And these days I have my hands full in supporting the 4 versions of the FT-1000 series rigs.

If you can't get the encoder shaft loosened up and working, you might check with Beltronics and see if they still have any FT-990 VFO shaft-encoders or the ability to modify the set for a different replacement encoder:

So we'll try the oil and see if it works today.  Otherwise, it may be time to find money for a new radio.  I have my eyes on the FT-950.

Oh, I hit the 15,000 logged QSO on the radio earlier in the day.