How does a frequency counter work?

A frequency counter measures the number of oscillations or oscillations per second of an electrical signal and displays this in Hertz (Hz). The device uses a time base reference oscillator, which is very precise, to determine the length of a measurement interval. During this interval, the frequency counter counts the number of oscillations of the input signal. After the measurement interval has expired, the device calculates the frequency based on the number of oscillations counted and the duration of the measurement interval. The accuracy of the frequency counter depends on the precision of the time base reference oscillator. Modern frequency counters can measure very high frequencies with great accuracy and are an indispensable tool in the area of ​​amateur radio to precisely determine the frequency of transmitters or other signal sources.