i used to live in Benidorm up until 2010 and I always remember bbc2 being a bad signal even on the 2.4mtr dishes. usually you could get it in morning and that was it. ive since been back there recently to move a friend in an apt that has a 1.9 dish and ive noticed bbc2 is 24hrs so he can also get bbc3 and 4 now. has the signal changed over the last 2yrs?

Not sure about your question, but good to see you back on the forum.
Did you get that Royal Mail job back in the UK? (assuming you're back working if visiting Benidorm again)

The main UK channels were moved to a dfferent Sat which has given better signals but all this could change again later in the year when they move again to another.
Watch this space and do not change anything or spend any money on new equipment etc until we know what and when the changes happen.

Correcto.
Many channels like BBC ITV C4s that previously required a large dish to receive, can now be received 24/7 even on smaller dishes.
This is because they moved from their old satellite to a temporary satellite in Feb 2012 - whose reception has been improved.
But this may change come late summer when they move from their temporary satellite to their new home.

C5 I and C4Hd are already on their new satellite , and require about at least a 1m (ideally a 1.1m) dish in Benidorm to receive.

What BBC ITV C4s will require on their new satellite will be guesswork until they actually move and sytart to transmit.

But even so, there are still some Sky pay channels that still required the larger dish for reception...many Sky Movie channels for example.

Had The Guy in yesterday to tweak my system. I now receive all free channels on an 80 cm dish in Oliva.
Long may it last!

But surely guys It's All Over ......

From what I've read BBC AND even ITV are moving to different satellites which have a tighter focus which does not include Spain.

When in my apartment at Playa Flamenca (near Torreveja) two weeks ago
I 'lost' BBC1 and BBC2. (even tough at the time BBC1HD and (sometimes) BBC2HD were still available. (1.2 meter dish)

I do wonder whever I'm being over pessimistic because I really would miss
satellite (British) radio on my occasional visits.

But what will the British Residents do ?

Well in some areas of Spain, like between Alicante and Valencia, the first new satellite with its "tighter focus which does not include Spain" is available on a 1m dish! So bang goes that theory that the new satellites UK beam will not be available in Spain!

It is a waiting game to see what reception of new satellite number 2 is like in Spain, and until it has been launched, tested, positioned and transmitting, no-one will know for sure.

There have been no changes to BBC channels on satellite recently, so your loss will be down to an issue with your own system, be it dish alignment, dish is warped, dish is simply not installed correctly, poor cabling, or bad weather.

Move to an area where there is good satellite reception?
If people really really really want to stay in Spain, and still get their TV via satellite, and the new satellites mean that in some areas of Spain that is not possible, then one solution is to move to an area where it is available! But again, which areas will not be known until new satellite number 2 is operational.

Or go for a poorer quality internet service (see the other very long thread!)

I´m having no end of problems tuning in my dish (1m) looks like a new LNB is in order.Anybody have a recommendation of a good choice for Xativa area?

Reception issues can be down to a number of things, from dish alignment, dish is warped, cabling, poor receiver, LNB skew, lnb distance from the dish face, and yes type of LNB.

The inverto ultra black range are very good all over Spain

(I am in the Xativa area tomorrow PM if you want me to drop one off for you - if you do then PM or email me)

If it's just radio that you are really concerned about, and you have internet, then on-line BBC iPlayer
will do the job for you, no problem (even with poor quality internet ).
UK TV requires at least 3MB of good quality internet .
The free internet program "FilmOn SD", has an excellent facility that allows you to program in advance all main UK TV channels that you want, and they are kept on "Cloud", so that once they are programmed, you can switch the computer off and they will be recorded for when you want them! The quality is excellent (NOT SD!), but there is a monthly charge which is very reasonable. I use the 50 Hrs a month for 9.95 euros option and find that's more than enough for my needs, 'cos I'm not glued to the telly (90 Hrs is 14.95!). The beauty of this, is that it's monthly, so you don't pay when you aren't there!
You can try it out when you come to Spain (3 Hrs, 1.0 euro ).

I appreciate all of the advice comments BUT for a non resident who only uses an apartment maybe 6 weeks or so a year then internet is too expensive- hence the satellite dish option. Pay once then use when needed !

Sorry, I should have included that you could investigate a "4G Dongle" to solve the radio problem while you are here.
The post was really one answer to your post #6, "What will the British residents do?"