Abstract: With this method and equipment the sensitivity of receivers, whose gain control criterion is a constant noise signal level, can be controlled independently of the received data signal, so that the reception of long datastreams is possible. For this purpose a diode (D1) is provided, whose anode is connected to a voltage source, and whose cathode is connected with a current source (Q4) and with the cathode of a second diode (D2) whose anode is connected to a capacitor (C12). A voltage is applied across the capacitor (C12) which is smaller in the rest state than a second voltage applied via the first diode (D1), so that the second diode (D2) is reverse-biased. After reception of a data signal a discharge pulse (EP) is generated dependent on an output of a signal detector, through which the second voltage is reduced to a value that is smaller than the first voltage.