Actually, we will have to re-scan for many GTA channels once the dust settles over the repack realignment. According to 
https://www.rabbitears.info/repackmap.php
These channels will have new homes:
7 CKNY Huntsville
8 CFTO Toronto
9 CKVR Barrie
9 WHAM Rochester
11 Global Bancroft
11 Global Muskoka
13 CKWS Kingston
14 CITS Burlington
16 WNYO Buffalo
16 CITY-2 Woodstock
17 Global Toronto
18 OMNI1 Toronto
21 WROC Rochester
22 TVO Belleville
22 WXXI Rochester
23 Global Paris
24 WPXJ Batavia
26 OMNI2 Toronto
28 CHCH Muskoka
29 Global Durham [CHEX2] Oshawa
29 CKVP Fonthill
30 CITY Toronto
31 WNED Buffalo
34 WKBW Buffalo
36 WUTV Buffalo 
 

Last edited by andysradio (April 16, 2017 3:13 pm)

I'm usually up on most things OTA, but I have to admit this one somehow completely eluded me. And believe me, this looks to be a very big deal, the largest change since the full conversion from analog to HD a few years ago. And all because wireless cell phone companies are demanding more space for their signals.
 
It's actually been in the planning since around 2013, when the idea was first announced by the FCC. And the spectrum auction just finished recently, with the U.S. regulator laying out the timetable last week. (I have no idea where the CRTC stands on this, but since many Canadian stations are affected, including several here in Toronto, we obviously must have been involved, as well.)
 
From my limited technical knowledge, I’m very afraid this may turn out to be one giant fustercluck. It has all the elements. A staggered timetable, a lot of uncertainty, stations getting in each other's way during the lengthy transition, and a whopping 957 stations being forced to relocate against their will. Add to that articles that indicate some stations may actually lower their ERP with the move, putting already fragile and weak digital signals into potential non-receivable mode for those of us more than 100 km away from the border.
 
The roll out starts with tests in Sept. 2018 and continues gradually until 2020. And I can only wonder what the general public will make of the mandated public service announcements and crawls that must be shown every quarter of the day beginning a month before each channel shifts. Those who don’t understand this stuff will likely be worried they’re losing their stations, prompting what’s sure to be a flood of angry calls to affiliates all over the U.S.
 
And then there’s this, from the Communications Law Center in the U.S.:
 
“Given the FCC’s announcement that 957 stations will be involuntarily changing channels and that 30 more will be voluntarily moving to a VHF channel in return for an auction payment, the TV industry and its viewers are about to see a level of technical disruption that may be unprecedented. 
 
“During the transition to digital TV, the far longer time frame, awarding of simulcast channels (from a larger TV band), and ability to ultimately operate a station’s final digital facilities on its original analog channel made for a transition that was complex and difficult, but orderly.  With the stated 39-month repack time frame, the numerous deadlines listed above, and the number of stations squeezing into a now much smaller TV band, the repack has the potential to be a much more frenzied affair.
 
It’s going to be a crazy time for TV stations…”
 
Not to mention for over-the-air viewers like many who gather here.. 

I wondered about some of the smaller channels, as well. Didn't the CRTC order the big guys to keep their OTA feeds alive and well or lose mandatory cable carriage and priority channel positioning? If memory serves, Bell & Rogers wanted to shut down a number of their TXs in more remote locations, insisting it wasn't worth the hydro and maintenance to keep them running for the number of people getting their signals that way. Complaints rolled in and the Commission said the status quo must remain,

And wasn't it just a few months ago that TVO was forced to reverse its decision of letting a number of their rural sticks go dark, keeping only Toronto lit? 

If those rules are still in place and unless the CRTC changes its mind, when  ATSC 3.0 comes to pass, I guess it's rock meet hard place, and they'll have to pony up the money to do it whether they want to or not. And my guess would be they'd rather not, especially since they run cable and satellite conglomerates that are losing subs to the Internet and OTA on an ongoing basis. 

For the moment - and the foreseeable future, since I rarely watch Canadian TV beyond the news - my real concern is for U.S. border stations and how this change will affect reception in The GTA.  

I think you're right about that, but if I recall correctly, the threat was that they would lose their preferred positions on cable if they shut down their over-the-air signals. OTA stations get priority on the lower tier which, for reasons I can't fathom given the creation of a little thing called a remote control, seems to still be important. The logic appears to be that if you're no longer technically over the air, you're no longer entitled to that special treatment and your competitors can theoretically put you wherever they want.

Thus CFTO could supposedly wind up in the 100s or higher on Rogers if Bell abandoned Channel 9, while City TV could be in the nosebleed section and lose their longtime spot at Channel 7 on Bell if they turned off their TX on the CN Tower.

I could be entirely wrong about this, but I seem to remember this was the threat to keep OTA alive when everything went digital. 

Ive now read that Ch 26 WNYB from Jamestown NY will switch to VHF?

The station will switch to low VHF channel 5 in 2017 or 2018 as part of the FCC's spectrum incentive auction.[url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WNYB#cite_note-5][5]

Talk about going backwards.  They will need a whole new antenna system and us in southern ontario probably wont receive it very well anymore.[/url]
 

RadioActive wrote:

Channel 26 only comes in sporadically at the castle here in northern North York. But it's one of the oddest HD stations I've ever seen. It's the only one I've heard of that has its HD signal on subcarrier 26.2, instead of the main channel. Never been sure why they did that. If the repack means some of the main network Buffalo affiliates come in better OTA in Toronto as a result of the change, I'm all for it. 

Just wish there was a better timeline on this thing.    

Yes weird channel along with some of the programming although 26-3 Light TV isnt too bad.  They have a massive 1500ft tower on a hill near Erie which is insane.