Megahertz to kilohertz: channel numbers back to frequencies
What this conversion does
It multiplies by a thousand, taking a frequency out of the decimal notation used on a display and putting it into the whole numbers a channel plan is built from. A radio showing 446.00625 MHz is stored internally as 446006.25 kHz. The two figures differ only in where the decimal point sits, and the conversion is exact in both directions.
Why the channel spacing goes to five decimals
Licence-free two-way radios share a narrow slice of spectrum between many users, so the channels are packed tightly — twelve and a half kilohertz apart in the European allocation. Expressing that spacing in megahertz needs five decimal places, which is why a handheld displays a long fractional number. In kilohertz the same frequencies are whole numbers or halves, and the spacing is a readable twelve and a half.
Megahertz to kilohertz conversion table
Radio services with their frequencies in both notations, including the narrowband channels where the megahertz form runs out of comfortable digits.
| Megahertz (MHz) | Kilohertz (kHz) |
|---|---|
| 1 | 1000 |
| 10 | 10000 |
| 88.5 | 88500 |
| 100 | 100000 |
| 900 | 900000 |
| 2400 | 2400000 |
Where each unit is the natural one
A channel plan is arithmetic: channels are counted, spacing is added and subtracted, and the working figures want to be whole numbers, which is kilohertz. A dial is a label: the operator reads whatever the display shows, and the display uses megahertz because the digits are fewer. The conversion exists because the two views are needed by the same person on the same afternoon.
Shift the point, do not retype
Multiplying by a thousand moves the decimal point three places right. A value with five decimals, such as 446.00625, therefore becomes a value with two, 446006.25. Retyping the digits by hand is where the zeroes get lost.
Frequently asked questions
How do I convert megahertz to kilohertz?
Multiply by a thousand, which moves the decimal point three places to the right. So 446.00625 MHz is 446006.25 kHz, and a whole number such as 145 MHz is 145000 kHz.
Is 1 MHz the same as 1000 kHz?
Yes, exactly. The kilo prefix means a thousand, so a thousand kilohertz make one megahertz with no rounding. That single relationship is the whole conversion, in both directions.
Why does my radio show 446.00625 instead of whole numbers?
Because the channel spacing is twelve and a half kilohertz, and reading that in megahertz requires five decimal places. The radio is showing you a real frequency, not an approximation; it simply has more fractional digits than a broadcast dial would.
Can the converter handle a long decimal?
Yes, up to a generous digit limit, and the result keeps the full precision of the input. A frequency with five decimal places in megahertz converts to one with two in kilohertz, so no digits are lost at either end of the calculation.
What frequencies do walkie-talkies use?
It depends on the region. Europe reserves 446 MHz for licence-free handhelds, North America uses 462 and 467 MHz, and many other countries have their own allocations. All of them are quoted in megahertz on the packaging and in kilohertz in the technical tables.