Gary,
I totally agree with your comments using a TVS. That’s the right way to do it. Zener is a poorman’s junk box solution. Zeners can be found in junkbox, at least in my case and TVS are more specialty diodes :)
I use zener diodes in all my design radios and now on my QDX and QMX, no PA BBQ problems so far after my initial QDX PA hiccups.
73
Barb WB2CBA