Here is the easy way to find what channels you will get with your Over-the-Air (OTA) Antenna. Go here to find out what channels and TV shows by the hour that you might be able to get to your location using your postal code. www.ontvtonight.ca/guide/
Keep in mind that all these channels are possible, but that doesn’t mean that you will get them all. Your reception of the signal for the TV broadcast station will depend on signal strength, line of sight, obstructions, weather, the direction of the broadcast tower(s), and the range of your OTA antenna.
Here are the best areas and locations from your OTA antenna direction that you have to be in order to get OTA TV channels. In the worst case scenario if you are in a valley or have tall buildings/structures impeding the line of sight to the broadcast signal then your reception will be poor. Expect to get about 6 OTA channels at the most. The best news is that the City of Toronto slopes upward and that means better reception because of the line of sight to the broadcasting towers. If you are close to Lake Ontario and are in a tall building with your OTA antenna aiming at the CN Tower with an 80-mile range then you will get great reception from several signal towers in Canada and the USA (Buffalo, NY). These situations will give your more than 15 OTA channels. To get the most channels you need to test the signal from the best possible area closest to a major broadcast tower. In Southern Ontario, Canada there are 3 major towers. This area is known as the Golden Horseshoe of Southern Ontario and gives users of OTA the best service in Canada and North Eastern Buffalo.
Here are the best areas and locations from your OTA antenna direction that you have to be in order to get OTA TV channels. In the worst case scenario if you are in a valley or have tall buildings/structures impeding the line of sight to the broadcast signal then your reception will be poor. Expect to get about 6 OTA channels at the most. The best news is that the City of Toronto slopes upward and that means better reception because of the line of sight to the broadcasting towers. If you are close to Lake Ontario and are in a tall building with your OTA antenna aiming at the CN Tower with an 80-mile range then you will get great reception from several signal towers in Canada and the USA (Buffalo, NY). These situations will give your more than 15 OTA channels. To get the most channels you need to test the signal from the best possible area closest to a major broadcast tower. In Southern Ontario, Canada there are 3 major towers. This area is known as the Golden Horseshoe of Southern Ontario and gives users of OTA the best service in Canada and North Eastern Buffalo.
In the city of Toronto, there is the CN Tower which broadcasts the most channels in Ontario. You will get CBC (English) on channel 5/20, CTV (CFTO) on channel 9, TVO on channel 19, CBC (French) on channel 25, OMNI 1 on channel 40, Global on channel 41, OMNI 2 on channel 47, and CityTV on channel 57/44. The next tower is in Hamilton which broadcasts CHCH on channel 11-1, CTV two on channel 35-1 and yesTV HD on channel 36-1. Then we go across Lake Ontario to North Western Buffalo, NY, USA where there is the Grand Island Tower and the American channels are CBS on channel 4-1, LAFF on channel 4-2, StarRay 15-1, PBS on channel 17-1, PBS thinkbright on channel 17-2, PBS Kids on channel 17-3, The CW on channel 23-1, Bounce on channel 23-2, FOX29 on channel 29-1, TBD on channel 29-2, CHARGE! on channel 29-3. You can also get more USA channels with a stronger OTA antenna (80-mile range) will get NBC on 2-1, ABC on channel 7-1. Other channels which can be possible are ANTENNA TV on channel 2-2, Justice on channel 2-3, ESCAPE on channel 7-3, GRIT on channel 7-4. There are a good number of channels which are possible to receive Over the Air. This doesn’t mean that you will get them all. The chances are very good that you get at least 15 channels. The longer range antenna, direct line of sight, higher and unobstructed areas well get more channels. Channels furthest away will come in and go out depending on atmospheric conditions.
