kHz to MHz Converter

How to convert kilohertz to megahertz?

Converting kilohertz to megahertz is essential for radio engineering, audio processing, sonar, shortwave broadcasting, AM and FM radio band planning, and any RF design that spans both ranges. One megahertz equals exactly 1,000 kilohertz by SI definition, so dividing kHz by 1,000 yields MHz. Common references: 540 to 1,600 kHz is the AM broadcast band (0.54 to 1.6 MHz); 88,000 to 108,000 kHz is the FM band (88 to 108 MHz); and 2,400,000 kHz is the WiFi 2.4-GHz band when expressed in kHz. Our calculator gives precise decimal results.

f_(MHz) = f_(kHz) / 1,000

Example

Convert 1,000 kilohertz to megahertz:

How many MHz in a kilohertz?

There are exactly 0.001 megahertz in one kilohertz, or one-thousandth of a megahertz. This is because the SI prefix 'mega' means million while 'kilo' means thousand, so mega is one thousand times kilo. Examples: 100 kHz is 0.1 MHz, 500 kHz is 0.5 MHz, 1,000 kHz is exactly 1 MHz, and 5,000 kHz is 5 MHz. Below 1,000 kHz, expressing values in kHz is usually clearer; above 1,000 kHz, megahertz produce tidier numbers in spec sheets and band plans.

How many kHz in a megahertz?

There are exactly 1,000 kilohertz in one megahertz, by SI definition. So 1 MHz is 1,000 kHz, 2 MHz is 2,000 kHz, 10 MHz is 10,000 kHz, and 100 MHz is 100,000 kHz. The relationship is exact and never rounded. Mental conversion is trivial: shift the decimal three places. Radio amateurs constantly switch between units depending on the band: HF shortwave is usually discussed in kHz (3,500 kHz for the 80-meter band), while VHF is discussed in MHz (144 MHz for the 2-meter band).

What is the conversion formula?

The formula is MHz = kHz divided by 1,000. The reverse is kHz = MHz multiplied by 1,000. So 2,500 kHz divided by 1,000 equals 2.5 MHz, and 7.2 MHz times 1,000 equals 7,200 kHz. This is an exact SI metric-prefix conversion with no measurement uncertainty, so the answer preserves whatever precision your input provides. Radio operators, broadcast engineers, and amateur radio hobbyists use this conversion constantly when band plans mix the two units in regulatory documents.

What uses kHz vs MHz frequencies?

Kilohertz frequencies dominate longer-wavelength applications: AM broadcast radio (540 to 1,600 kHz), longwave broadcasting in Europe (148 to 283 kHz), some sonar systems (20 to 200 kHz), and induction heating. Megahertz frequencies cover shortwave radio (3 to 30 MHz), FM radio (88 to 108 MHz), VHF television (54 to 216 MHz), aircraft communications (118 to 137 MHz), and most amateur radio bands. The boundary at 30 MHz traditionally separates HF (high frequency, in MHz) from VHF (very high frequency, also MHz but with different propagation behavior).

Why do AM radio stations use kHz?

AM broadcasting was assigned the medium-wave band of 540 to 1,600 kHz when commercial radio launched in the 1920s, before frequencies above a few MHz could be easily generated. The lower frequencies provide long-range nighttime sky-wave propagation, letting AM signals cover hundreds of miles after dark. Each AM channel is 10 kHz wide in North America (9 kHz in Europe), so the band fits 107 to 117 channels depending on region. Stations are identified by their carrier frequency, like 'AM 1010' meaning 1,010 kHz.

How is FM radio quoted in MHz?

FM radio occupies the 88 to 108 MHz band in most countries, with each channel 200 kHz wide in North America and 100 kHz wide in many other regions. Station identifications like '96.5 FM' mean 96.5 MHz, which equals 96,500 kHz. The higher FM band carries audio in much higher fidelity than AM thanks to wider channel width and frequency-modulation immunity to amplitude noise. FM relies on line-of-sight propagation, giving local coverage of 30 to 60 miles depending on transmitter power and antenna height.

What is Hertz?

Hertz (Hz) is the SI unit of frequency, defined as one cycle or event per second. It was named for Heinrich Hertz, who in 1887 first generated and detected radio waves experimentally, confirming Maxwell's electromagnetic theory. One hertz is one cycle per second; one kilohertz is 1,000 cycles per second; one megahertz is one million; one gigahertz is one billion. Hertz applies to any periodic phenomenon: radio signals, electrical AC, sound waves, mechanical vibrations, processor clocks, and display refresh rates are all expressed in Hz or its multiples.

Popular kilohertz to megahertz conversion table