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Digits
Frequency counters usually have a readout of six decimal digits. The digits display a total of the actual signal cycles counted. If the digits settle down to a steady number, the signal you're reading is stable. If it changes, the signal's frequency may be changing or the signal may be noisy.
Range
The counter counts the signal cycles during a time period, such as .1, 1 or 10 seconds. The .1 second, or high-frequency range, updates rapidly but has accuracy of only 10 Hertz. The medium one-second range and low 10-second ranges update more slowly but have accuracies of 1 and .1 Hertz, respectively.
Dithering
Even if you're measuring a very stable frequency, the readout's rightmost digit may alternate plus or minus one number. This is called dithering and is the result of the measured signal and the frequency counter's internal clock being slightly out of sync.