About the Frequency & Wavelength Calculator

Every wave obeys c = f × λ: the wave speed equals the product of frequency and wavelength. In vacuum, electromagnetic waves all travel at the same speed c, so frequency and wavelength are perfect inverses — a 100 MHz radio wave spans 3 meters while a 100 GHz microwave spans 3 millimeters. The frequency of a wave never changes when it enters a new medium; instead the wavelength compresses as the wave slows.

Reading the spectrum

The band readout places your frequency on the electromagnetic spectrum. Radio waves are meters to kilometers long, infrared and visible light are hundreds of nanometers, and X-rays are smaller than atoms. This single equation — plus the speed of light — is what antenna designers, fiber-optic engineers, and astronomers all use daily.