Phase 2 of the spectrum repack, the second of 10 phases during which many TV stations across the country must move frequencies, began December 1 and will run through April 12, 2019.
Numerous tools are available to help the audiences of the 28 television stations in Wisconsin that are part of the repack stemming from the broadcast spectrum incentive auction.
The National Association of Broadcasters has built a website with resources to explain how the changes affect them.
For the audience:
–No new equipment is needed
–Over-the-air viewers will have to rescan their channels after a station changes frequencies
–The frequency change does not mean stations will be changing channels. All stations will remain on the same channels as they currently appear on your TV
Stations will have to communicate to viewers when the frequency change is happening so they know when they will have to rescan their television channels.
The website also lists the stations scheduled to change and the window of dates in which they will be making a change. Any station that knows the date of their changeover is asked to complete this form with their exact rescan day and time so NAB can update the TV Answers website with the most up-to-date information for viewers.
Most stations affected by the auction are changing frequencies and some are going off the air. The changes are happening in stages. The earliest stations in Wisconsin to be affected are five stations that are part of Phase 2 running from Dec. 1, 2018 to April 12, 2019. The last station affected is part of Phase 10 which starts in May 2020.
