Topband: To clamp or NOT...that IS the question

[Don Kirk]

Jim,

Getting directly back to your original question, I built a KD9SV preamp,
and it has clamp diodes included in the design (I did not add them, they
were part of the original design by KD9SV).  Does you KD9SV preamp already
have clamp diodes protecting its input, and if so you have already answered
your own question about adding clamp diodes to protect it (no reason to add
them if you already have them).

If you go one step more and follow the advice that others have provided
here, you might consider removing the clamp diodes (if you have them) based
on their comments, but please understand that the gain of you RX antenna is
approximately -36.3 dbi (based on the dimensions you told me), and it's
very possible that you will not encounter the same kind of problems (using
clamp diodes) as those using beverage RX antennas on 160 meters just due to
the greatly reduced signal strength that your RX antenna provides compared
with a full size beverage.

That's all I'm saying on this topic, over and out.

Don (wd8dsb)