Terms aero

[Arcc]

Hi

Sorry for my English.

When i play with "liberation" or other, my wingman say  " Spike at 11 o'clock" or " mud spike ..."

If i translate with a  translator.. it is not good. I suppose that he want to indicate to me a target..

But really.

Thank you

Christian

[Silver_Dragon]

Welcome

"Spike at 11 o´clock" & " mud spike" has Military Brevity code... That has standard NATO radio coms, and never need translate them. You need learn the code context.

More info here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multi-service_tactical_brevity_code

and here:
https://www.alssa.mil/Portals/9/Documents/mttps/brevity_2025.pdf?ver=cm6IQtKGlwVtQPbVyTxsYg%3D%3D

check here for a help list about the BC:
https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/es/files/3339186/

Edited Wednesday at 04:44 PM by Silver_Dragon

[Weta43]

12 hours ago, Arcc said:

Hi

Sorry for my English.

When i play with "liberation" or other, my wingman say  " Spike at 11 o'clock" or " mud spike ..."

If i translate with a  translator.. it is not good. I suppose that he want to indicate to me a target..

But really.

Thank you

Christian

Perhaps it's from that early radar receivers use oscilloscopes screens that literally gave you a 'spike' for a radar target:

Figure 3: Circular display of German Wurzburg radar; AT marking target ‘blips

 

Figure 2. Screen display of British 1940 ‘Chain Home’ radar, showing four aircraft represented by downward-pointing ‘blips’. The upward-pointing trace is a marker which can be moved along by turning a pointer moving over a scale which shows the target’s range. (Image credit: Plate V, J.G Crowther and R Whiddington, Science at War, London: HMSO, 1947; Crown Copyright now expired)

 

Dreams and Visions: The Development of Military Radar Iconography and User Reaction, 1935-45 – Technology's Stories

[Arcc]

thanks to both of you.  I have some reading to do.

Christian

[Raven (Elysian Angel)]

When you do, keep in mind that DCS’s wingmen don’t know the difference between ‘nails’ and ‘spike’, and will (incorrectly) call out ‘spike’ when it’s actually ‘nails’.

[Kang]

On 11/5/2025 at 5:43 PM, Silver_Dragon said:

Welcome

"Spike at 11 o´clock" & " mud spike" has Military Brevity code... That has standard NATO radio coms, and never need translate them. You need learn the code context.

[...]
check here for a help list about the BC:
https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/es/files/3339186/

I like that list, it can be added to your kneeboard and it has the common and important ones. You'll find there are a lot more, but they are rarely used in DCS. Also, do feel free to ask if you come across something more obscure!