Frequency ↔ Wavelength Converter

Calculator for wavelength from frequency and vice versa (in air/vacuum)

Converts between frequency and wavelength using c = λ×f, either in vacuum/air or in a custom medium given by relative permittivity. In addition to direct conversion it computes quarter- and half-wave antenna element lengths for a given frequency, and lists reference tables of standard radio bands and amateur radio bands with their corresponding wavelength ranges.

Basic relationship: c = λ × f, where c ≈ 299 792 458 m/s (speed of light)
Applications: Antenna design, radio bands, microwave engineering, optics
Step 1: Calculation Mode
Step 2: Input Parameters

Speed of light: c₀ = 299 792 458 m/s (vacuum)
Wavelength: λ = c / f
Frequency: f = c / λ
In medium: c = c₀ / √εᵣ (slowdown in dielectric)
In medium: λₘ = λ₀ / √εᵣ (wavelength shortening)

For practical purposes in air, you can use the approximation c ≈ 300 000 000 m/s = 300 Mm/s

Half-wave (λ/2 dipole): L = λ / 2 × k
Quarter-wave (λ/4 monopole): L = λ / 4 × k
Correction factor k: 0.95 - 0.97 (due to end effects)
Practical λ/2: L ≈ 142.5 / f[MHz] (meters)
Practical λ/4: L ≈ 71.25 / f[MHz] (meters)

Example: For 144 MHz (2m band):
λ/2 dipole: ~142.5/144 ≈ 0.99 m = 99 cm
λ/4 monopole: ~71.25/144 ≈ 0.49 m = 49 cm

Band Name Frequency Range Wavelength Typical Use
VLF Very Low Frequency 3 - 30 kHz 100 - 10 km Navigation, military communications
LF Low Frequency 30 - 300 kHz 10 - 1 km Long-wave broadcasting, navigation
MF Medium Frequency 300 kHz - 3 MHz 1000 - 100 m Medium-wave AM broadcasting
HF High Frequency 3 - 30 MHz 100 - 10 m Short-wave broadcasting, amateur radio
VHF Very High Frequency 30 - 300 MHz 10 - 1 m FM radio, TV, amateur radio (2m)
UHF Ultra High Frequency 300 MHz - 3 GHz 100 - 10 cm TV, mobile phones, WiFi, GPS
SHF Super High Frequency 3 - 30 GHz 10 - 1 cm Satellite communication, radar, 5G
EHF Extremely High Frequency 30 - 300 GHz 10 - 1 mm Radar, radio astronomy, 5G mmWave

Broadcasting:
AM Long Wave148.5 - 283.5 kHzλ ≈ 1-2 km
AM Medium Wave526.5 - 1606.5 kHzλ ≈ 200-600 m
FM Radio88 - 108 MHzλ ≈ 2.8 - 3.4 m
DAB Radio174 - 240 MHzλ ≈ 1.25 - 1.7 m
DVB-T (Digital TV)470 - 790 MHzλ ≈ 38 - 64 cm
Mobile & Wireless:
GSM 900880 - 960 MHzλ ≈ 33 cm
LTE 800791 - 862 MHzλ ≈ 35 cm
5G Sub-6 (n78)3.4 - 3.8 GHzλ ≈ 8 cm
WiFi 2.4 GHz2.4 - 2.5 GHzλ ≈ 12.5 cm
WiFi 5 GHz5.15 - 5.85 GHzλ ≈ 5 - 6 cm
WiFi 6E (6 GHz)5.925 - 7.125 GHzλ ≈ 4 - 5 cm
Bluetooth2.4 - 2.485 GHzλ ≈ 12.5 cm
Navigation & GNSS:
GPS L11575.42 MHzλ ≈ 19 cm
GPS L21227.6 MHzλ ≈ 24.4 cm
Galileo E11575.42 MHzλ ≈ 19 cm
GLONASS L11598 - 1606 MHzλ ≈ 18.7 cm
Aviation:
VOR Navigation108 - 117.975 MHzλ ≈ 2.5 m
Aircraft Comms118 - 137 MHzλ ≈ 2.2 m
Emergency 121.5121.5 MHzλ ≈ 2.47 m
ADS-B1090 MHzλ ≈ 27.5 cm
Marine:
VHF Marine156 - 162 MHzλ ≈ 1.9 m
Marine Ch. 16 (Emergency)156.8 MHzλ ≈ 1.91 m
AIS (Ship Tracking)161.975 / 162.025 MHzλ ≈ 1.85 m
Public Services:
TETRA (Police/Emergency)380 - 430 MHzλ ≈ 70 cm
PMR446446 MHzλ ≈ 67 cm
CB Radio26.965 - 27.405 MHzλ ≈ 11 m
IoT & ISM:
NFC13.56 MHzλ ≈ 22 m
ISM 433 MHz433.05 - 434.79 MHzλ ≈ 69 cm
RFID UHF865 - 868 MHzλ ≈ 34.5 cm
LoRa EU868863 - 870 MHzλ ≈ 34.5 cm
Zigbee/Thread2.4 GHzλ ≈ 12.5 cm
Satellite:
Iridium1616 - 1626.5 MHzλ ≈ 18.5 cm
Globalstar1610 - 1618.725 MHzλ ≈ 18.5 cm
Inmarsat L-band1525 - 1559 MHzλ ≈ 19.5 cm
Amateur Radio Bands:

Note: ITU Region 1 (Europe/CZ/EU)

160m1.8 - 2.0 MHzλ ≈ 160 m
80m3.5 - 3.8 MHzλ ≈ 80 m
40m7.0 - 7.2 MHzλ ≈ 40 m
20m14.0 - 14.35 MHzλ ≈ 20 m
10m28 - 29.7 MHzλ ≈ 10 m
2m144 - 146 MHzλ ≈ 2 m
70cm430 - 440 MHzλ ≈ 70 cm
23cm1240 - 1300 MHzλ ≈ 23 cm
© 2020 fotoventus.cz