Definitions for "PLAN POSITION INDICATOR"
Keywords:  ppi, azimuth, radar, radial, maplike
It is a radarscope over which the wave of an object reflecting radar shows its bearing and the distance from the radar detector by making a spot of light to appear on a screen that represents a map of the area around the detector.
( PPI) A conventional radar display of the location of targets on a horizontal plane. The display contains concentric radial distance circles centered on the radar site to indicate the range of the target and radial lines emanating from the origin to indicate the azimuth, for the determination of the direction of the target from the radar site.
(DOD, NATO) A cathode ray tube on which radar returns are so displayed as to bear the same relationship to the transmitter as the objects giving rise to them.