Topband: ICE 196 Receiver Protector

[N1BUG]

>
> Excuse me if this has been asked.  I was wondering if anyone on here has
> ever used or is currently using the ICE 196 Receiver Protector?  What's your
> opinion?
I have been using them for some time. I suspect they protect receivers 
OK.  I did have to put a bandpass filter ahead of mine. On nights with 
very good propagation I found my noise floor would rise, sometimes by 40 
dB or more! Investigation revealed this did not happen with the ICE 196 
removed, and did not happen with a band pass filter in front of the ICE 
196. It seems to be ionospheric propagated signals overloading the 
protector. I found some extremly strong MW BC and SW BC up around 5 to 6 
MHz on the nights this was happening. This is with 500 to 600 foot 
Beverages. I do not have any nearby BC stations.

73,
Paul N1BUG