How are radio frequency bands defined?

The ITU divides the radio spectrum into bands by decade of frequency. Each band spans a factor of ten, for example VHF from 30 to 300 MHz and UHF from 300 MHz to 3 GHz. The bands are named by abbreviation, from ELF (extremely low frequency) up to EHF (extremely high frequency).

How do I convert frequency to wavelength?

Wavelength equals the speed of light divided by frequency. The speed of light is about 299,792,458 metres per second. So a 100 MHz FM signal has a wavelength of roughly 3 metres, and a 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi signal about 12.5 centimetres.

What is each band used for?

VLF and LF carry navigation and time signals; MF handles AM radio; HF covers shortwave and amateur radio; VHF runs FM radio and TV; UHF carries mobile phones, Wi-Fi, and GPS; SHF and EHF handle satellite, radar, and 5G millimetre-wave links.

Why do lower frequencies travel further?

Lower-frequency, longer-wavelength signals diffract around obstacles and the curve of the Earth, and HF bands can reflect off the ionosphere for global propagation. Higher frequencies travel in straighter lines, carry more data, but are blocked more easily by terrain, buildings, and rain.

What is the relationship between wavelength and antenna size?

Efficient antennas are sized in proportion to wavelength, often a quarter or half of it. Long-wavelength VLF signals need enormous antennas, while short-wavelength microwave links use small dishes and patch antennas, which is why higher bands suit compact devices.

Radio Frequency Band Reference

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The radio spectrum is divided by the ITU into bands, each spanning a factor of ten in frequency and named with a familiar abbreviation — VHF, UHF, SHF, and so on. This reference lists every band with its frequency range, wavelength range, and the services that typically use it, and converts any frequency you enter into its band and exact wavelength.

How it works

Frequency and wavelength are inversely related through the speed of light:

λ = c / f
c = 299,792,458 m/s   (speed of light in vacuum)

So wavelength in metres equals the speed of light divided by frequency in hertz. The ITU bands each cover one decade of frequency:

VLF  3–30 kHz      LF   30–300 kHz     MF  300 kHz–3 MHz
HF   3–30 MHz      VHF  30–300 MHz     UHF 300 MHz–3 GHz
SHF  3–30 GHz      EHF  30–300 GHz

(ELF and SLF/ULF cover everything below 3 kHz.) The tool finds which decade your frequency falls in and reports the band plus the computed wavelength.

Why band matters

Lower bands (VLF–HF) have long wavelengths, diffract around obstacles, and travel far — used for navigation, time, AM, and shortwave.
Higher bands (UHF–EHF) have short wavelengths, carry more data, and need line of sight — used for Wi-Fi, GPS, satellite, radar, and 5G.

For example, a 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi signal sits in the UHF band with a wavelength of about 12.5 cm, while a 100 MHz FM station is in VHF at about 3 m.