Wavelength to Frequency Converter (and back)
The wavelength to frequency calculator calculates frequency for a given wavelength and vice versa. The converter supports centimeters (cm), inches (in), feet (ft) or meters (m). Type in a number, press the Enter key and the converter will display your conversion.
RF signals have a wavelength associated with them. Yes, that’s an actual physical length measurable in feet or meters. You might wonder how energy made of electric and magnetic fields can have a physical dimension.
Radio signals are made by devices that output oscillating voltages. The voltage rises to a positive peak, drops to a negative and then comes back to zero. That is one cycle. This happens over and over again, very quickly. The number of times this happens in a second is called the frequency (measured in Hertz). Antennas send this oscillating voltage out into the air where it travels at the speed of light (186,282 miles/second). Picture yourself flipping a rope and watching the wave travel away from you. That’s what’s happening, only much faster. The wavelength comes from looking at how far the wave travels in the time it takes to make one cycle. Here’s an example:
1GHz = 1,000,000,000 cycles/second or .000000001 seconds/cycle
Speed of light 186,282 miles/second x .000000001 seconds/cycle = .00186 miles/cycle = 11.8 inches/cycle
RF engineers use this dimension when they design RF circuits. The number lets them force the electricity to do certain things by controlling conductor dimensions.
