Frequency to Wavelength Conversion

Convert frequency and wavelength with velocity factor

Target Variable

Required Parameters

Frequency

Velocity factor

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Quick Answer

Wavelength (λ) = Velocity / Frequency. In a vacuum, velocity is the speed of light (c). In a cable or PCB, waves travel slower, requiring a Velocity Factor (VF) between 0.5 and 0.9.

Documentation

Calculateur de Frequence vers Longueur d'Onde

Convertissez entre frequence et longueur d'onde pour les ondes electromagnetiques.

Formule

longueur d'onde = c / f

Outils Associes

Calculateur de Reactance
Calculateur d'Impedance de Piste

Design Notes

Never assume signals travel at the speed of light over a PCB or through a coaxial cable. For example, standard FR4 PCB material has a VF of roughly 0.45 to 0.55 depending on the trace geometry. This means a 1 GHz signal, which has a 30 cm wavelength in air, will only have a ~15 cm wavelength on your PCB. If you are designing quarter-wave matching stubs or length-matching high speed lines, using the correct velocity factor is critical.

Common Mistakes

1
Using c (300,000 km/s) for calculations inside coax cables. RG-58 coax typically has a VF of 0.66, meaning the wave is 34% slower.
2
Confusing Hz with MHz/GHz resulting in calculation errors off by millions. Always use base SI units or keep track of the scientific notation.
3
Ignoring the effect of dielectric loading. Exposing a trace to air vs encapsulating it in conformal coating changes the local velocity factor.

Engineering Handbox

1. Convert Frequency: 2.4 GHz = 2,400,000,000 Hz 2. Base Wavelength (Air): λ = c / f = 299,792,458 / 2.4e9 = 12.49 cm 3. Apply Velocity Factor: 12.49 cm × 0.66 = 8.24 cm

VerificationThe wavelength inside the RG-58 coax is 8.24 cm. A quarter-wave stub should be ~2.06 cm.

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