The present invention relates to a device and method that digitally replicates the analog processing that is normally associated with an instantaneous frequency measurement device. Specifically, the present relates to a digital frequency measurement device comprising: a filter, where the filter receives an input RF signal and transmits an output signal centered around a desired frequency; a limiting amplifier downstream of the filter, where the amplifier receives and amplifies the output signal; a deserializer downstream of the amplifier that continuously samples the output signal from the limiting amplifier; and a digital frequency measurement processor (DFM), where the DFM receives data at a rate of 1/16 of the deserializer sample rate. The DFM transforms the data into multiples stages that are combined in order to produce an estimate of the input signal, where the DFM is implemented through a digital processing device.