Ameritron AL-1200
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| Frequency | 1.8-21.45 MHz (160-15 m incl. WARC bands standard); 10/12 m by licensed user modification |
| Bands | 160m, 80m, 40m, 30m, 20m, 17m, 15m, 12m, 10m |
| TX power | 1500 W (1500 W output (one-hour continuous carrier); up to 2500 W PEP two-tone. Single Eimac 3CX1200A7 ceramic triode with a rugged 50 W grid dissipation. ~85-100 W drive. 32 lb Peter Dahl Hypersil transformer; ~3 min warm-up) |
| Modes | SSB, CW, RTTY, SSTV |
| Weight | 34.5 kg (76.1 lb) |
| Year | 1990 |
| rf in | SO-239 |
| rf out | SO-239 |
| keying | amp relay/ALC |
| power req | 240 V AC |
The rugged single-tube legal-limit amplifier: 1500 watts from one Eimac 3CX1200A7, a ceramic tube whose generous 50-watt grid dissipation makes it famously hard to kill and forgiving of the kind of mismatches and over-drive that damage more delicate tubes. For an operator who wants legal power and durability above all, it is the bulletproof choice in Ameritron's line.
The 3CX1200A7 is an expensive ceramic tube - far pricier than the 3-500Z in the AL-82 - so re-tubing costs more, even if it happens rarely. It is large, heavy, and manually tuned, standard units cover 160-15 m plus the WARC bands, with 10/12 m by user modification, and as an MFJ-family product it is affected by the 2024 wind-down. The 8877-based AL-1500 is more efficient and needs less drive, at the cost of a more delicate grid.
The durability champion of Ameritron's single-tube amps: the 3CX1200A7's 50-watt grid makes the AL-1200 the one you have to try hard to break. It costs more to re-tube than the dual-3-500Z AL-82 but rewards you with near-indestructibility. Choose the AL-1500 instead only if you specifically want the 8877's efficiency and lower drive.
The Ameritron AL-1200 is the rugged single-tube route to legal-limit power. It makes a full 1500 watts of output from one Eimac 3CX1200A7, a ceramic tube chosen for durability above all: its grid is rated for 50 watts of dissipation - twice that of the 8877 used in the sibling AL-1500 - which makes it famously hard to damage and forgiving of the mismatches and over-drive that destroy more delicate tubes. Among operators it has a standing reputation as the 'bulletproof' Ameritron.
Mechanically it is the same amplifier as the two-tube AL-82 and the 8877-based AL-1500, differing only in the tube it carries - a relationship the community points out often. Compared with the AL-82's pair of 3-500Z triodes, the single ceramic tube runs cooler and lasts longer; compared with the AL-1500's 8877, it is far more forgiving, trading a little efficiency for a lot of robustness. It covers 160 through 15 meters including the WARC bands as standard, with 10 and 12 meters by licensed user modification, and carries its heavy-duty power supply on board.
The cost of that durability is the tube price: the 3CX1200A7 is an expensive ceramic device, much pricier than a pair of 3-500Z tubes, even though you should rarely need to replace it. It is large, heavy, and manually tuned, and as an MFJ-family product it is affected by the 2024 manufacturing wind-down. For the operator who values reliability over everything, the AL-1200 is the pick; for lowest tube cost choose the AL-82, and for efficiency the AL-1500.
Production status: MFJ Enterprises ceased manufacturing in May 2024, halting the Ameritron line. ITU Corporation acquired the Ameritron brand in June 2026 and is relocating production to Linton, Indiana, with full manufacturing expected to resume in late 2026 - so this model is currently out of production while the line is being revived.