ZAU CTLR EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING THE LACK OF BACKUP FREQS AVAILABLE AT THE FACILITY WHEN A STUCK MIKE CAUSES FREQ BLOCKAGE.

Narrative

I WAS WORKING THE PULLMAN (PMM) HIGH ALT SECTOR IN THE NE AREA AT ZAU. ACR X WAS AN OVERFLT FROM DTW TO MSN. ACR X BLOCKED MY FREQ (126.12) WITH A STUCK MIKE. IT WAS AT THE TAIL END OF THE INBOUND RUSH TO ORD. I WAS TALKING TO 10 OR MORE ACFT WITH 15 OR MORE DATA BLOCKS ON MY SCOPE (I AM NOT SURE OF THE EXACT NUMBERS; I WAS VERY BUSY). I IMMEDIATELY INFORMED MY SUPVR OF THE SITUATION. I ASKED FOR A BACKUP FREQ TO USE. UNFORTUNATELY; THE ONLY BACKUP FREQ (128.65) HAD BEEN RELEASED TO ANOTHER AREA. WE HAD NO OTHER FREQ TO USE. AFTER SEVERAL MINS HAD PASSED; I GAVE UP ON THE SUPVR MAKING A DECISION. I ASKED THE SUPVR TO CLOSE A LOW ALT SECTOR AND GIVE ME THAT SECTOR'S FREQ (128.5). UNFORTUNATELY; I WAS UNABLE TO SELECT THE FREQ AT MY SECTOR. THE SUPVR DID NOT KNOW HOW TO MOVE THE FREQ TO MAKE IT AVAILABLE TO ME. FINALLY; SOMEONE MOVED 128.5 SO THAT IT WAS AVAILABLE TO BE SELECTED AT MY SECTOR USING VSCS. I THEN HAD ANOTHER SECTOR SEND AN ACFT TO 126.12 AND BROADCAST IN THE BLIND FOR ALL ACFT TO CHANGE TO 128.5. ALL OF THIS TOOK FROM 3-6 MINS. DURING THAT TIME; I HAD NO CONTACT WITH ANY ACFT IN MY SECTOR. LUCKILY; THERE WERE NO CONFLICTIONS. I SPENT SEVERAL MINS SCRAMBLING TO REGAIN CTL OF MY SECTOR. IT IS RIDICULOUS THAT WE ONLY HAVE 1 BACKUP FREQ FOR SEVERAL AREAS. IT WAS ONLY LUCK THAT PREVENTED A MAJOR CATASTROPHE AT MY SECTOR. THE FREQS WE USE ROUTINELY HAVE PROBS. WX TENDS TO WORSEN THESE PROBS. YRS AGO; WE HAD SEVERAL BACKUP FREQS TO CHOOSE FROM. NOW; WE ARE LUCKY IF THERE IS 1 AVAILABLE.