Many owners of Humax Freesat HD receivers may suddenly find that Channel 4 HD on channel 104 now displays a “No Signal” message, even though most other channels continue to work normally.

This problem has become increasingly common following major changes to the way Channel 4 HD is broadcast on the Astra satellites at 28.2° East.

For many viewers, particularly those watching UK TV in Spain, the issue can appear confusing because BBC channels, ITV channels and even other HD services may still work perfectly.

However, the problem is usually not caused by faulty equipment or poor dish alignment.

Instead, the issue is mainly linked to Channel 4 HD moving from a single national satellite feed to multiple regional HD variations.

What Changed With Channel 4 HD?

Previously, Channel 4 HD was broadcast as one main UK-wide HD channel using a relatively easy-to-receive satellite signal across much of Europe.

This allowed many viewers in Spain to receive Channel 4 HD successfully using moderate-sized satellite dishes.

However, Channel 4 have introduced six separate regional HD versions of the channel.

While this improved regional advertising and local programming within the UK, it also introduced significant reception problems for viewers outside Britain.

Five of the six new regional HD streams are now transmitted using much weaker UK spot beam satellite signals.

These spot beam signals are designed primarily for reception inside the British Isles and become far harder to receive further south in Europe.

Why Humax Boxes Show “No Signal”

Humax Freesat receivers use postcode information entered during installation to decide which regional channels appear in the Freesat channel list.

Following the Channel 4 HD regionalisation changes, many Humax boxes began automatically assigning one of the newer weaker regional HD versions to channel 104.

The problem is that many satellite dishes in Spain are simply not large enough to receive these weaker spot beam signals reliably.

As a result, users may experience:

• “No Signal” warnings
• Blank screens
• Intermittent reception
• Pixelation
• Audio dropouts

Meanwhile, standard definition Channel 4 channels often continue working because SD versions may still use stronger and easier-to-receive satellite beams.

Dish Size and Location Matter

This issue especially affects viewers in Spain because UK satellite signals become progressively weaker the further south you travel.

Reception requirements vary considerably depending on location:

• Northern Spain generally receives stronger signals
• Central Spain may require larger dishes
• Southern Spain often struggles most with UK spot beam channels

Many dish installations that worked perfectly several years ago may now struggle with newer UK satellite transmission patterns.

The weaker regional Channel 4 HD signals often require:

• Larger dishes
• Better alignment
• Higher quality LNBs
• More accurate installation

During periods of bad weather, heat or humidity, the weaker signals may disappear entirely.

Possible Solutions

Some Humax users may be able to improve reception by changing the Freesat regional settings or using a different UK postcode during setup.

This can sometimes force the receiver to select the one remaining easier-to-receive regional HD variation instead of one of the weaker spot beam versions.

Other users may choose to manually tune alternative Channel 4 HD channels outside the Freesat programme guide.

You can however add Channel 4 HD channel to your Freesat HD setup box and continue to watch Channel 4 in HD.

This is the process how to add Channel 4 HD channels to your Humax Freesat set top box

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However, for many viewers in Spain, particularly in southern regions, the only reliable long-term solution may involve upgrading to a larger satellite dish.