USCG General Navigation: Master's License

This is an interactive test. Read each question and select the proper answer by clicking on the appropriate answer. If a "Y" appears, your choice is correct. If a "N" appears, more study may be in order.


4: Gyrocompass repeaters reproduce the indications of the master gyrocompass. They are __________.


61: Red lights may appear on __________.


90: When the moon is new or full, which type of tides occur?


90: When the moon is new or full, which type of tides occur?

    N a. Neap
    Y b. Spring
    N c. Diurnal
    N d. Apogean

194: The horizon glass of a sextant is __________.

    Y a. silvered on its half nearer the frame
    N b. mounted on the index arm
    N c. between the horizon and the shade glasses
    N d. All of the above

251: A mid-channel buoy, if lighted, will show a __________.

    N a. fixed red light
    Y b. Morse (A) white light
    N c. green light
    N d. flashing red light

301: In the U.S. Aids to Navigation System, lateral aids as seen entering from seaward will display lights with which characteristic?

    N a. Flashing
    N b. Occulting
    N c. Quick Flashing
    Y d. All of the above

355: During the month of October the Sun's declination is __________.

    N a. north and increasing
    N b. north and decreasing
    Y c. south and increasing
    N d. south and decreasing

381: A nun buoy will __________.

    N a. be green in color
    Y b. have an even number
    N c. be left to port when entering from seaward
    N d. be cylindrical in shape

428: A buoy bears 178°T at 3000 yards (2700 meters). What is the course to make good to leave the buoy 100 yards (90 meters) to starboard?

    N a. 174°T
    Y b. 176°T
    N c. 178°T
    N d. 180°T

502: A gnomonic projection is based on a(n) __________.

    Y a. plane tangent at one point
    N b. cylinder tangent at the equator
    N c. cone tangent at one parallel
    N d. infinite series of cones tangent at selected parallels

592: To measure distance on a Mercator chart between the parallels of LAT 34°30'N and LAT 31°30'N, which 30 mile scale should be used?

    N a. 33°00'N to 33°30'N
    N b. 32°30'N to 33°00'N
    Y c. 32°45'N to 33°15'N
    N d. 32°15'N to 32°45'N

636: Tropical cyclones are classified by form and intensity. Which system does not have closed isobars?

    N a. Hurricane
    Y b. Tropical disturbance
    N c. Tropical depression
    N d. Cyclone

650: What classification of tropical cyclone would have closed isobars, counter clockwise rotary circulation, and sustained winds between 34 and 63 knots?

    N a. A tropical disturbance
    N b. A tropical depression
    Y c. A tropical storm
    N d. A hurricane

661: Under the IALA Buoyage Systems, safe water marks may show a __________.

    N a. composite group-flashing, Fl(2 + 1), red light
    N b. composite group-flashing, Fl(2 + 1), green light
    N c. quick-flashing, Q(9)15s, white light
    Y d. white Morse (A) light

692: Which publication should you check for complete information on Puget Sound weather conditions?

    N a. Sailing Directions
    N b. Light List
    Y c. Coast Pilot
    N d. Chart of the area

768: The wind velocity is higher in the dangerous semicircle of a tropical cyclone because of the __________.

    Y a. wind circulation and forward motion of the storm
    N b. extension of the low pressure ridge
    N c. recurvature effect
    N d. direction of circulation and pressure gradient

770: You are plotting a running fix in an area where there is a determinable current. How should this current be treated in determining the position?

    Y a. The course and speed made good should be determined and used to advance the LOP.
    N b. The drift should be added to the ship's speed.
    N c. The current should be ignored.
    N d. The set should be applied to the second bearing.

1004: A low, uniform layer of cloud resembling fog, but not resting on the ground, is called __________.

    N a. cumulus
    N b. nimbus
    Y c. stratus
    N d. cirrus

1006: An air mass is termed "warm" if __________.

    N a. it is above 70°F
    Y b. the ground over which it moves is cooler than the air
    N c. it originated in a high pressure area
    N d. it originated in a low pressure area

1038: You are preparing a weather report form, WS Form B-80. The dry bulb thermometer reads 54°F, and the wet bulb thermometer reads 50°F. How would you encode the air temperature groups in the report? (D041NG )

    N a. 1054/, 2050/
    Y b. 10122, 2008/
    N c. 1054/, 2047/
    N d. 054//, 047//

1044: The dry-bulb temperature is 78°F and the wet-bulb temperature is 62°F. What is the relative humidity?

    N a. 16%
    N b. 24%
    Y c. 39%
    N d. 79%

1055: The radius of a circle of equal altitude for a body equals the body's __________.

    N a. declination
    N b. polar distance
    N c. altitude
    Y d. zenith distance

1128: In 1981, when would Jupiter and Saturn be visible in temperate latitudes for both evening and morning stars?

    N a. 10 January
    Y b. 27 March
    N c. 22 June
    N d. 8 October

1257: What will be the velocity of the tidal current 1.0 mile southwest of Lewis Pt., RI, at 1501 EST (ZD +5) on 4 April 1983?

    Y a. 0.7 knot
    N b. 1.4 knots
    N c. 1.6 knots
    N d. 1.9 knots

1262: A safe water daymark has what shape?

    N a. Triangular
    N b. Diamond
    N c. Circular
    Y d. Octagonal

1278: The difference between the heights of low and high tide is the __________.

    N a. depth
    N b. distance
    Y c. range
    N d. period

1320: You are enroute to Savannah, GA, from Recife, Brazil. There is a strong N'ly wind blowing. As you cross the axis of the Gulf Stream you would expect to encounter __________.

    Y a. steeper waves, closer together
    N b. smoother seas and warmer water
    N c. cirrus clouds
    N d. long swells

1324: When daylight savings time is kept, the time of tide and current calculations must be adjusted. One way of doing this is to __________.

    Y a. add one hour to the times listed under the reference stations
    N b. subtract one hour from the time differences listed for the subordinate stations
    N c. apply no correction as the times in the reference stations are adjusted for daylight savings time
    N d. add 15° to the standard meridian when calculating the time difference

1332: The longitude of the upper vertex of a great circle track is 169°E. What is the longitude of the lower vertex?

    N a. 076°E
    N b. 169°W
    N c. 101°W
    Y d. 011°W

1360: Which type of cloud is composed entirely of ice crystals and is found at very high altitudes?

    N a. Cumulus
    Y b. Cirrus
    N c. Stratus
    N d. Nimbostratus

1448: Spring tides occur when the __________.

    N a. Moon is in its first quarter or third quarter phase
    N b. Sun and Moon are in quadrature
    N c. Moon's declination is maximum and opposite to that of the Sun
    Y d. Moon is new or full

1496: In a microbarograph, the pen should be checked and the inkwell filled __________.

    Y a. each time the chart is changed
    N b. once per month
    N c. once per week
    N d. daily

1510: During daylight savings time the meridian used for determining the time is located farther __________.

    N a. west
    Y b. east
    N c. east in west longitude and west in east longitude
    N d. west in west longitude and east in east longitude

1543: The distance between the surface of the water and the tidal datum is the __________.

    Y a. height of tide
    N b. charted depth
    N c. actual water depth
    N d. range of tide

1568: You are approaching a vertical lift bridge. You know the span is fully open when __________.

    N a. three white lights in a vertical line are lit
    N b. a red light starts to flash at about 60 times a minute
    N c. a yellow light is illuminated on the bridge pier
    Y d. there is a range of green lights under the lift span

1623: Which of the following statements is FALSE?

    N a. An anemometer measures wind speed.
    N b. A barometer measures atmospheric pressure.
    N c. A thermometer measures temperature.
    Y d. A psychrometer measures wind pressure.

1711: An instrument that indicates wind direction is known as a(n) __________.

    Y a. weather vane, wind vane or wind sock
    N b. hydrometer
    N c. hygrometer
    N d. sling psychrometer

1727: What enables you to estimate the bearing of a storm's center?

    Y a. Buys Ballot's Law
    N b. An educated guess
    N c. Pascal's Law
    N d. The left-hand rule

1795: Which weather element cannot be measured accurately while on board a moving vessel?

    N a. Relative humidity
    Y b. Cloud base height
    N c. Temperature
    N d. Atmospheric pressure

1797: A phenomenon where the atmospheric pressure is higher than that of other surrounding regions is called __________.

    Y a. a high pressure area
    N b. a low front or an occluded front
    N c. the "trade winds"
    N d. the "doldrums"

1862: What is the relative bearing of an object broad on the starboard quarter?

    N a. 090°
    N b. 105°
    Y c. 135°
    N d. 150°

1928: "Rotation" is the __________.

    N a. wobbling of the Earth about its axis
    N b. motion of bodies in the solar system relative to the stars
    N c. motion of a celestial body in its orbit
    Y d. spinning of a celestial body about its axis

1946: When making landfall at night, you can determine if a light is a major light or an offshore buoy by __________.

    N a. the intensity of the light
    Y b. checking the period and characteristics against the Light List
    N c. the color, because the buoy will have only a red or a green light
    N d. Any of the above can be used to identify the light.

2211: What is the length of a nautical mile?

    N a. 1,850 meters
    Y b. 6,076 feet
    N c. 5,280 feet
    N d. 2,000 yards

2258: The primary use of apparent time in marine navigation is to __________.

    N a. calculate sunrise or sunset
    N b. determine zone time
    N c. enter an almanac
    Y d. determine the time of meridian transit

2300: When a magnetic compass is not in use for a prolonged period of time it should __________.

    Y a. be shielded from direct sunlight
    N b. be locked into a constant heading
    N c. have any air bubbles replaced with nitrogen
    N d. have the compensating magnets removed

2394: A vessel is heading magnetic east and its magnetic compass indicates a heading of 093°. What action should be taken to remove this error during compass adjustment?

    N a. If the red ends of the magnets are aft, and the fore-and-aft tray is at the top, you should remove some magnets.
    N b. If the red ends of the magnet are aft, and the fore-and-aft tray is at the bottom, you should reverse the magnets.
    Y c. If the red ends of the magnets are aft you should raise the fore-and-aft tray.
    N d. If the blue ends of the magnets are forward you should remove some magnets from the fore-and-aft tray.

2452: The permanent magnetism of a vessel may change in strength due to __________.

    N a. the nature of the cargo being carried
    N b. changes in heading
    Y c. major structural repair
    N d. All of the above

2624: You must construct a Mercator plotting sheet on a piece of paper measuring 30" by 32". The area includes latitudes 31°10'S to 37°40'S and longitudes 007°00'W to 001°00'E. Allow a one-half inch neat line on all sides. What is the maximum distance between each degree of longitude that will permit the area of the plotting sheet to be drawn within the stated limitation?

    Y a. 3.69 inches
    N b. 3.52 inches
    N c. 3.38 inches
    N d. 3.26 inches

2642: Local sidereal time is equal to the __________.

    N a. GHA of Aries minus 180°
    N b. SHA of Aries
    Y c. LHA of Aries
    N d. right ascension of Aries plus 180°

2675: When you are steering on a pair of range lights and find the upper light is in line above the lower light, you should __________.

    N a. come left
    Y b. continue on the present course
    N c. come right
    N d. wait until the lights are no longer in a vertical line

2694: What is the equivalent of 10°48' in time units?

    N a. 2 min. 39 sec.
    N b. 20 min. 12 sec.
    Y c. 43 min. 12 sec.
    N d. 50 min. 12 sec.

2772: The direction in which a vessel should be steered between two points is the __________.

    Y a. course
    N b. heading
    N c. bearing
    N d. course over the ground

2792: You take a bearing of 142° and 259° of two objects. Which bearing of a third object will give the best fix?

    N a. 081°
    N b. 238°
    Y c. 201°
    N d. 234°

2798: A can buoy is indicated by which letter in illustration D044NG?

    Y a. A
    N b. B
    N c. C
    N d. D

2895: A white buoy with an orange rectangle on it is a(n) __________.

    N a. junction buoy
    N b. safe water buoy
    Y c. informational buoy
    N d. All of the above

2910: You are taking bearings on two known objects ashore. The BEST fix is obtained when the angle between the lines of position is __________.

    N a. 60°
    N b. 45°
    Y c. 90°
    N d. 30°

2937: The depth of the water is indicated on a chart as 32 meters. This is equal to __________.

    N a. 11.50 fathoms
    N b. 12.62 fathoms
    Y c. 17.50 fathoms
    N d. 104.99 fathoms

3072: ECDIS must give an alarm for which of the following cases?

    N a. When the specified limit for deviation from the planned route is exceeded
    N b. If the ship, within a specified time set by the watch officer, is going to cross a safety contour
    N c. If the ship, within a specified time set by the watch officer, is going to cross the boundary of a prohibited area
    Y d. All of the above