Refer to figures.

The instrument indicated is an Omni-Bearing Indicator (OBI). OBI has a selector to dial in the required bearing, a Course Deviation Indicator (CDI) hinged at the top of the instrument to show degrees of displacement from the selected bearing and a TO/FROM window, which indicates whether the selected bearing is a QDR (magnetic bearing from the station or radial) or a QDM (magnetic bearing to the station). Full scale deflection on the CDI indicates you are 10º right or 10º left off the selected bearing (each line corresponds to 2º of deflection).

On this figure, a bearing of 210º has been selected. The TO/FROM window shows that the bearing concerned is 210º TO the beacon, in other words the QDM. Thus, the desired QDR/radial to be followed is 030º.

The CDI is centred, thus, the aircraft is exactly on the 210º QDM or 030º QDR/radial, i.e. the aircraft is Northeast off the VOR station.