When you are in 3rd person view, a big red flashing beacon hovers above and behind your Mech.
It attracts enemy attention. If your lance is attempting to stealthily flank around the enemy, that beacon will likely tip off the enemy, ruin the strategy, and end up with most of the enemy team's fire focused on you and your team mates.
The big red beacon also marks you out as probably a less experienced player - potentially an easy kill - and therefore is something of a munitions magnet.
You can stow your Noob Beacon by hitting F4 and going back to first person view.
In first person view, you will also benefit from other very useful pilot **** such as a mini map showing the locations of your team and the enemy, weapon and ammunition readouts, and more.
Edited by Appogee, 21 August 2013 - 02:58 AM.