plan position indicator
Quick Summary
A plan position indicator (PPI) is a type of radar display that presents a maplike view of the surrounding area. It uses polar coordinates to show both the range and angle of detected targets. The screen is typically dark until echo signals are received, at which point they appear as bright spots. This display technology has been crucial in radar operations since the early days, though modern systems often present processed information rather than raw data. Color coding is sometimes used on PPIs to convey additional details, such as echo strength or wind speed in weather radar applications.1
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