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Our Area
In South Eastern Spain on the Costa Calida and Costa Blanca unfortunately the signals for the main UK TV channels are rather weak, being their weakest in the Alicante area. This means we have to use rather large dishes usually from 1.35m to 2.2m in size depending where the client lives and what stations they can or can't live without. (We have on occasion fitted 1m dishes with special receivers where space or building limitations apply. This limits BBC and ITV choice to BBC1, ITV1 and ITV3 between midday and 11pm)
Channel Overview
In general there are around 300+ TV and 100+ Radio stations in English available without subscription on the Astra and Eurobird group of satellites clustered between 28.2 and 28.5 degrees East of South and therefore available with a free to air satellite receiver. These include approximately 10 News channels, 10 Movie Channels, 12 Music Channels, 6 Childrens Channles and many more, plus a few Indian, and Arabic channels. Of course BBC1, ITV1 and ITV 3, are available, with BBC 2,3,4, ITV 2,4, Channel 4, Film4 and Channel 5 available depending on dish size and area (see below). Fiver, Five US and Sky3 are available with a Sky receiver and card. Regional variations of BBC and ITV are available e.g. Granada, Meridian etc. For further details of free channels available go to
AND 
Dish size and Area
1.35m Dish (Offset)
West of Cartagena
BBC1, BBC2, ITV1,2,3,4 Channel 4 + 1, Channel4 HD, Channel 5 24 hrs a day. Channel 4 SD, 2pm to midnight. BBC 3,4 8pm to midnight.
East of Cartagena
BBC1, BBC2, ITV1,3, Channel 4 HD, Channel 5 24 hrs a day. ITV 2,4, Channel 4 +1 2pm to midnight. NO BBC3,4, Channel 4 SD
1.4m Dish (Prime Focus)
West of Cartagena
BBC1, BBC2, ITV1,2,3,4 Channel 4 +1, Channel 4 HD, Channel 5 24hrs a day. Channel 4 SD 2pm to midnight. BBC3,4, 8pm to midnight. CBBC, CBeebies midday to 8pm.
East of Cartagena
BBC1, BBC2, ITV1,2,3,4, Channel4 HD, Channel 5 24hrs a day. Channel 4 + 1 10am to midnight. Channel 4 SD 8pm to 11pm, BBC3,4, 8pm to midnight. CBBC, CBeebies 7pm to 8pm.
1.9m Dish (Prime Focus)
West of Cartagena
BBC1, BBC2, ITV1,2,3,4, Channel 4, Channel 4 +1, Channel 5 24hrs a day. BBC3,4 8pm to 2am. CBBC, CBeebies 10am to 8pm.
East of Cartagena
BBC1, BBC2, ITV1,2,3,4, Channel 4 HD, Channel 4 + 1, Channel 5 24hrs a day. Channel 4 SD, mid afternoon to midnight, BBC3,4, 8pm to midnight. CBBC, CBeebies mid afternoon to 8pm.
PLEASE NOTE: These are approximate times and erring on the side of caution, also BBC and ITV regional programming varies. Times above are for BBC1 Northern Ireland and ITV1 Central South, the strongest signals for these operators.
THE ABOVE TIMES ARE FOR GENERAL WEATHER CONDITIONS (In our part of Spain mainly clear and Sunny!!). Rain and damp air WILL affect the signals,with BBC 2,3,4, Channel 4 SD disappearing first i.e. the weakest signals. If it is absolutely teaming it down with rain ALL dishes will possibly lose all of the signals.
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