Modern radars show synthetic symbols on a map, but the classic display types still shape the jargon — and they make visible what jamming does to a radar.
| Display | Shows | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| A-scope | amplitude against range, in one direction | tracking radars, alignment, analysis of echoes and jamming |
| B-scope | range (vertical) against azimuth (horizontal), rectangular | fighter radars: a sector ahead of the aircraft |
| PPI (Plan Position Indicator) | range and azimuth in polar coordinates, radar in the centre | surveillance, air traffic control, ships |
| RHI (Range Height Indicator) | range against height | height finders (2D and 3D radar), weather radar |
On a PPI, noise jamming (Noise jamming) is immediately recognisable as a strobe: a radial band of noise in the direction of the jammer. The radar then knows where the jammer is (the bearing), but not how far — the noise fills every range cell. If the jammer also gets in through the side lobes (Main lobes, side lobes and back lobes), the strobe becomes a wide sector or even a completely filled screen. Two radars that each see a strobe can locate the jammer together by cross-bearing (Triangulation). False targets (Deceptive jamming), by contrast, look like extra, seemingly real plots on a PPI.
Radartutorial.eu: radar displays.