OK, I'll have a go at some definitions - bear in mind that I became a spotter at MAN in 1968, so these are local (and old) expressions:
Reggie spotter = takes down registrations no matter what, including wings piled up in hangars (I have witnessed this). There was also one guy at LGW who used to collect the codes on airport equipment too...
Dot spotter = collects registrations from overflights. This was a derogatory term in my day as the only help you had was an airband radio and the listings in enthusiast mags. Not like now with radarboxes, acars etc. Many purists would not collect dots as you often could not be 100% sure with the tie-up.
Bum spotter (ah, innocent days) = any newbie with less than 1000 reggies in his collection. Any spotter who still needed any BEA Tridents (LHR), Viscounts (MAN) or 1-11s (MAN).
Cribber = you always get em - cheats who would log aircraft without actually being sure they had seen them. Also used as a term of general abuse to friends, as in "you're just a cribber!"
Great days...
Last edited by oldlag53; 29th Jan 2009 at 08:43.
Reason: additions