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.


48: When should a navigator rely on the position of floating aids to navigation?


76: In the Northern Hemisphere, a wind that shifts counterclockwise is a __________.


115: The date is the same all over the world at __________.


142: Which nautical charts are intended for coastwise navigation outside of outlying reefs and shoals?

    N a. Approach charts
    Y b. General charts
    N c. Sailing charts
    N d. Coastal charts

278: You are underway on course 050°T and your maximum speed is 11 knots. The eye of a hurricane bears 070°T, 80 miles from your position. The hurricane is moving towards 270°T at 19 knots. If you maneuver at 11 knots to avoid the hurricane, what could be the maximum CPA?

    N a. 84 miles
    N b. 79 miles
    N c. 74 miles
    Y d. 66 miles

284: The marine sextant is subject to seven different types of errors, four of which may be corrected by the navigator. An error NOT correctable by the navigator is __________.

    N a. index error
    Y b. prismatic error
    N c. perpendicularity of the horizon glass
    N d. perpendicularity of the index mirror

299: Steady precipitation is typical of __________.

    N a. coming cold weather conditions
    Y b. a warm front weather condition
    N c. high pressure conditions
    N d. scattered cumulus clouds

313: The Loran-C receiver __________.

    N a. is not affected by interference
    N b. can be used at any distance with accuracy
    Y c. can be affected by interference
    N d. is reliable only from sunrise to sunset

465: When applying a dip correction to the sighted sextant angle (hs), you always subtract the dip because you are correcting __________.

    N a. hs to the visible horizon
    Y b. hs to the sensible horizon
    N c. hs to the celestial horizon
    N d. Ho to the celestial horizon

513: You are radar scanning for a buoy fitted with a racon. Which radar screen represents the presentation you should expect on the PPI? (D017NG )

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

539: You are underway on course 050°T and your maximum speed is 13 knots. The eye of a hurricane bears 120°T, 100 miles from your position. The hurricane is moving towards 265°T at 25 knots. What course should you steer at 13 knots to have the maximum CPA?

    Y a. 324°T
    N b. 306°T
    N c. 299°T
    N d. 276°T

571: The Coast Guard Captain of the Port has excluded all traffic from a section of a port, while a regatta is taking place. The buoys marking this exclusion area will be __________.

    N a. nun- or can-shaped to conform to the overall direction of navigation
    N b. yellow
    Y c. orange and white
    N d. marked with a spherical topmark

756: What is a common unit of measure for atmospheric pressure?

    N a. centimeters
    Y b. Inches
    N c. Degrees
    N d. Feet

756: What is a common unit of measure for atmospheric pressure?

    N a. centimeters
    Y b. Inches
    N c. Degrees
    N d. Feet

775: A sidereal day is shorter than a solar day. This difference is due to __________.

    N a. irregularities in the daily rotational rate of the Sun
    N b. the space motion of the solar system
    N c. the precession of the equinoxes
    Y d. the use of different reference points

821: In addition to monitoring channel 16, all Corps of Engineer locks may use as working channels __________.

    N a. 06, 12 and 22A
    N b. 01A, 05A and 07A
    Y c. 12, 13 and 14
    N d. 14, 24 and 28

838: A navigator fixing a vessel's position by radar __________.

    N a. must use information from targets forward of the beam
    N b. should never use radar bearings
    N c. should only use radar bearings when the range exceeds the distance to the horizon
    Y d. can use radar information from one object to fix the position

864: Uniform, grayish-white cloud sheets that cover large portions of the sky, and are responsible for a large percentage of the precipitation in the temperate latitudes, are called __________.

    Y a. altostratus
    N b. altocumulus
    N c. cirrostratus
    N d. cirrocumulus

908: From LAT 07°12'N, LONG 80°00'W, to LAT 47°12'S, LONG 169°18'E, the initial great circle course angle is 137.25°. How would you name this course?

    N a. N 137.25°E
    N b. S 137.25°E
    Y c. N 137.25°W
    N d. S 137.25°W

990: You plot a fix using three lines of position and find they intersect in a triangle. You should plot the position of the vessel __________.

    N a. outside of the triangle
    N b. anywhere in the triangle
    N c. on the line of position from the nearest object, between the other two lines of position
    Y d. in the geometric center of the triangle

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%

1141: What is characteristic of an isophase light?

    N a. 4 sec. flash, 2 sec. eclipse, 3 sec. flash, 2 sec. eclipse
    N b. 2 sec. flash, 5 sec. eclipse
    Y c. 1 sec. flash, 1 sec. eclipse
    N d. 6 sec. flash, 3 sec. eclipse

1176: After a cold front passes, the barometric pressure __________.

    N a. drops, and the temperature drops
    N b. drops, and the temperature rises
    Y c. rises, and the temperature drops
    N d. rises, and the temperature rises

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

1265: When reporting wind direction, you should give the direction in __________.

    Y a. true degrees
    N b. magnetic compass degrees
    N c. relative degrees
    N d. isobaric degrees

1288: Your vessel will be docking at Chester, PA, during the evening of 22 April 1983. The chart shows a depth of 20 feet (6.1 meters) at the pier. What will be the depth of water available at 2310 EST (ZD +5)?

    N a. 19.2 feet (5.9 meters)
    N b. 20.8 feet (6.3 meters)
    Y c. 24.7 feet (7.5 meters)
    N d. 25.8 feet (7.9 meters).

1372: You are enroute to Jacksonville, FL, from San Juan, P.R. There is a fresh N'ly wind blowing. As you cross the axis of the Gulf Stream you would expect to encounter __________.

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

1395: The lunar day is __________.

    Y a. longer than a solar day
    N b. shorter than a solar day
    N c. the same length as the solar day
    N d. longer than a solar day during the summer months and shorter in winter months

1398: Nimbostratus clouds are indicated by what number in illustration D039NG? (D039NG )

    Y a. 8
    N b. 6
    N c. 4
    N d. 1

1443: At the master gyrocompass, the compass card is attached to the __________.

    N a. spider element
    Y b. sensitive element
    N c. link arm
    N d. pickup transformer

1490: In the IALA Buoyage System, preferred-channel-to-port or preferred-channel-to-starboard buoys, when fitted with lights, will show a __________.

    N a. quick flashing light
    N b. long flashing light
    Y c. composite group flashing (2 + 1) light
    N d. group flashing

1537: Which sextant in illustration D043NG reads 29°47.5'? (D043NG )

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

1554: A slow rise in the barometric pressure forecasts __________.

    N a. rainy weather for the next 48 hours
    N b. high seas
    Y c. improving weather conditions
    N d. deteriorating weather conditions

1596: You are sailing south on the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) when you sight a red nun buoy with a yellow square painted on it. Which of the following is TRUE?

    Y a. You should leave the buoy on your port hand.
    N b. This buoy marks the end of the ICW in that geographic area.
    N c. The yellow is retroreflective material used to assist in sighting the buoy at night.
    N d. The yellow square is in error and it should be a yellow triangle.

1616: Which picture in illustration D034NG shows a Morse (A) light? (D034NG )

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

1691: Which of the following is associated with consistently high barometric pressure?

    Y a. The horse latitudes
    N b. The doldrums
    N c. The prevailing westerlies
    N d. The trade winds

1692: The force resulting from the earth's rotation that causes winds to deflect to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and to the left in the Southern Hemisphere is called __________.

    N a. pressure gradient
    Y b. Coriolis effect
    N c. aurora borealis
    N d. ballistic deflection

1736: Which statement is FALSE concerning the dangerous semicircle of a hurricane?

    N a. The actual wind speed is increased by the forward movement of the storm along its track
    N b. the direction of the wind and the sea might carry a vessel directly into the storm's path
    N c. The seas are higher
    Y d. The rain is heavier

1743: In the Northern Hemisphere, if your vessel is in a hurricane's navigable semicircle it should be positioned with the wind on the __________.

    Y a. starboard quarter, hold course and make as much speed as possible
    N b. port bow, hold course and make as much speed as possible until the hurricane has passed
    N c. port quarter, maintain course and make as much speed as possible
    N d. starboard bow and heave to until the hurricane has passed

1753: On a weather map, a large letter "H" means __________.

    Y a. a high pressure area with cool, dry air, and fair weather
    N b. a high pressure area with warm, moist air, and inclement weather
    N c. horse latitudes, with rough seas and strong winds
    N d. a heavy squall line near the "H"

1780: While in port, you can follow the approach of a dangerous cyclonic storm by inspecting __________.

    N a. the Coast Pilot or Sailing Directions
    N b. the National Weather Service Observing Handbook No.1, Marine Surface Observations
    Y c. a newspaper
    N d. the sky overhead

1805: A phenomenon where the atmospheric pressure is higher than that of other surrounding regions is called __________.

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

1826: The illustration represents a fixed C of E lock and dam. What navigational light(s) is(are) exhibited at the position indicated by the letter D in the illustration? (D036NG )

    N a. One red light
    Y b. Two green lights
    N c. Three green lights
    N d. No light

1879: A chart projection depicting the poles and a small area on either side of a connecting meridian, that is sometimes used for star charts, is the __________.

    N a. azimuthal gnomonic projection
    N b. Lambert conformal projection
    Y c. transverse Mercator projection
    N d. polyconic projection

1909: In the horizon system of coordinates what is equivalent to the equator on the Earth?

    N a. Prime vertical circle
    N b. Principal vertical circle
    N c. Parallels of altitude
    Y d. Horizon

2030: A vessel heading NE is on a course of __________.

    N a. 022.5°
    Y b. 045.0°
    N c. 067.5°
    N d. 090.0°

2226: Upper limb observations of the Moon are used more frequently than those of the Sun because of the location of the Moon in the sky and the __________.

    N a. lesser distance between the Earth and the Moon
    Y b. phase of the Moon
    N c. rapid change in declination of the Moon
    N d. effects of augmentation and horizontal parallax

2232: A vessel is heading magnetic north and its magnetic compass indicates a heading of 003°. Which action should be taken to remove this error during compass adjustment?

    N a. If the red ends are to starboard you should raise the athwartships tray.
    Y b. If the red ends are to starboard, and the athwartships tray is at the bottom, you should remove some magnets.
    N c. If the red ends are to port, and the athwartships tray is at the top, you should reverse the magnets.
    N d. If the red ends are to port, and the athwartships tray is at the top, you should lower the tray.

2243: Which aid is NOT marked on a chart with a magenta circle?

    N a. Radar station
    N b. Radar transponder beacon
    Y c. Aero light
    N d. Radio beacon

2254: A rock and sand structure extending from the bank of the river toward the channel is known as a __________.

    Y a. wingdam
    N b. towhead
    N c. cutoff
    N d. landwall

2296: A variable star is one that __________.

    Y a. exhibits a change in magnitude
    N b. has a changing declination
    N c. is increasing in SHA
    N d. is also known as a red giant

2352: When a superior planet is at 90° elongation, it is also at __________.

    N a. conjunction
    N b. opposition
    Y c. quadrature
    N d. transit

2480: You are on course 277°T and take a relative bearing of a lighthouse of 045°. What is the true bearing to the lighthouse?

    N a. 038°
    N b. 232°
    N c. 315°
    Y d. 322°

2625: Stormy weather is usually associated with regions of __________.

    N a. high barometric pressure
    N b. changing barometric pressure
    Y c. low barometric pressure
    N d. steady barometric pressure

2679: Under the U.S. Aids to Navigation System on the Western Rivers, a daymark on the right descending bank will __________.

    Y a. be green
    N b. have an odd number
    N c. indicate the gage reading
    N d. have yellow retroreflective markings

2711: Information about currents on the Pacific Coast of the U. S. are found in the __________.

    Y a. Tidal Current Tables
    N b. Nautical Almanac
    N c. Tide Tables
    N d. Ocean Current Tables

2776: For a well made and well maintained sextant, the maximum value of which correction is usually so small that it can be ignored?

    N a. Personal correction
    Y b. Instrument correction
    N c. Phase
    N d. Dip correction

2968: Some locations maintain a zone time of -13. What are the zone time and date if the Greenwich time and date are 0152, 10 January?

    N a. 0052, 9 January
    N b. 0258, 9 January
    Y c. 1452, 10 January
    N d. 0052, 11 January

2998: While navigating in fog off a coastline of steep cliffs, you hear the echo of the ships fog horn 3 1/2 seconds after the signal was sounded. What is the distance to the shore?

    Y a. 640 yards
    N b. 480 yards
    N c. 315 yards
    N d. 143 yards

3037: The letter H in illustration D006NG represents the __________.

    Y a. visible horizon
    N b. celestial horizon
    N c. geoidal horizon
    N d. refractive horizon