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 __________.


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


201: What is a lighted safe water mark fitted with to aid in its identification?


209: The West Wind Drift is located __________.

    Y a. near 60°S
    N b. on each side of the Equatorial Current
    N c. in the North Atlantic between Greenland and Europe
    N d. in the South Pacific near 5°S

214: A sextant having an index error that is "on the arc" has a __________.

    N a. positive correction
    N b. dip error
    Y c. negative correction
    N d. semidiameter error

275: Which statement concerning illustration is correct? (Soundings and heights are in meters) (D010NG )

    Y a. The sunken wreck southwest of Beito Island shows the hull or superstructure above the sounding datum.
    N b. There is a 12-meter deep hole inside the 5-meter curve just west of Beito Island.
    N c. The position of the lightship is indicated by the center of the star on the symbol's mast.
    N d. Maury Lightship swings about her anchor on a circle with a 21-meter diameter.

320: Sometimes foreign charts are reproduced by NGA (NIMA). On such a chart, a wire-dragged, swept area may be shown in green or __________.

    N a. red
    N b. black
    Y c. purple
    N d. yellow

426: The wind speed and direction observed from a moving vessel is known as __________.

    N a. coordinate wind
    N b. true wind
    Y c. apparent wind
    N d. anemometer wind

430: The southeast trade winds actually blow toward the __________.

    N a. southeast
    N b. south
    N c. east
    Y d. northwest

437: 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 1856 EST (ZD +5)?

    N a. 22.4 feet (6.8 meters)
    Y b. 23.4 feet (7.2 meters)
    N c. 24.9 feet (7.6 meters)
    N d. 25.7 feet (7.8 meters)

484: The needle of an aneroid barometer points to 30.05 on the dial. This indicates that the barometric pressure is __________.

    Y a. 30.05 inches of mercury
    N b. 30.05 millimeters of mercury
    N c. 30.05 millibars
    N d. falling

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

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

524: An anemometer on a moving vessel measures __________.

    Y a. apparent wind speed only
    N b. true wind speed and true wind direction
    N c. true wind speed only
    N d. apparent wind speed and true wind direction

722: Which publication would describe the explosive anchorages in the ports on the east coast of the United States?

    N a. Sailing Directions
    N b. Pilot Rules for Inland Waters
    Y c. Coast Pilot
    N d. Notice to Mariners

745: Retrograde motion is the __________.

    N a. movement of the points of intersection of the planes of the ecliptic and the equator
    Y b. apparent westerly motion of a planet with respect to stars
    N c. movement of a superior planet in its orbit about the Sun
    N d. movement of the celestial north pole in an elliptical pattern in space

785: An amplitude of the Sun in high latitudes __________.

    N a. is most accurate before sunrise
    N b. is most accurate after sunset
    N c. should only be observed when the Sun's lower limb is above the horizon
    Y d. is most accurate when the Sun's center is observed on the visible horizon

867: Which ocean current is "warm" based on the latitude in which it originates and on the effect it has on climate?

    Y a. Kuroshio Current
    N b. Benguela Current
    N c. Peru Current
    N d. California Current

870: Vessels should maintain a sharp lookout, especially during December through March, when navigating the right whale's only known calving grounds which lie off the coasts of __________.

    N a. Nova Scotia
    N b. Maine and Massachusetts
    Y c. Georgia and NE Florida
    N d. California and Mexico

895: The ecliptic is __________.

    Y a. the path the Sun appears to take among the stars
    N b. the path the Earth appears to take among the stars
    N c. a diagram of the zodiac
    N d. a great circle on a gnomonic chart

912: The Light List Does NOT contain information on __________.

    N a. the Global Positioning System (GPS)
    Y b. aeronautical lights useful for marine navigation
    N c. radio beacon systems
    N d. radio direction finder calibration stations

922: How is the intensity of a light expressed in the Light Lists?

    N a. Luminous range
    N b. Geographic range
    Y c. Nominal range
    N d. Meteorological range

983: Error may be introduced into a magnetic compass by __________.

    N a. making a structural change to the vessel
    N b. a short circuit near the compass
    N c. belt buckles
    Y d. All of the above

1074: As the temperature for a given mass of air increases, the __________.

    N a. dew point increases
    N b. dew point decreases
    N c. relative humidity increases
    Y d. relative humidity decreases

1081: On a voyage along the coast of France, you sight a buoy with the top marks as shown. You are required to steer __________. (D026NG )

    N a. west of the buoy
    N b. east of the buoy
    Y c. south of the buoy
    N d. north of the buoy

1093: The Flinders bar on a magnetic compass compensates for the __________.

    Y a. induced magnetism in vertical soft iron
    N b. induced magnetism in horizontal soft iron
    N c. permanent magnetism in ship's steel
    N d. vessel's inclination from the vertical

1155: Which aid is NOT marked on a chart with a magenta circle?

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

1161: What is characteristic of an occulting light?

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

1222: On entering from seaward, a starboard side daymark will __________.

    N a. show a fixed red light if lighted
    N b. show a Morse (A) white light
    N c. be square in shape
    Y d. have an even number if numbered

1271: Which word indicates color variation in the characteristics of a light?

    N a. Opposing
    N b. Changing
    N c. Reversing
    Y d. Alternating

1342: An occluded front on a weather map is colored __________.

    N a. blue line
    Y b. purple line
    N c. dashed blue line
    N d. alternate red and blue line

1454: Atmospheric pressure may be measured with a(n) __________.

    N a. barograph
    N b. aneroid barometer
    N c. mercurial barometer
    Y d. All of the above

1464: A line of position derived from a loran reading is a section of a(n) __________.

    N a. straight line
    N b. arc
    N c. parabola
    Y d. hyperbola

1544: The height of a tide can be increased by __________.

    Y a. a storm surge
    N b. a high pressure area
    N c. the jet stream
    N d. a cold front

1659: The type of fog that occurs on clear nights with very light breezes and forms when the earth cools rapidly by radiation is known as __________.

    Y a. radiation fog
    N b. frontal fog
    N c. convection fog
    N d. advection fog

1698: When a high pressure system is centered north of your vessel in the Northern Hemisphere __________.

    N a. you should experience hot, moist, clear weather
    Y b. the wind direction is generally easterly
    N c. the winds should be from the southwest at your location
    N d. the winds should be brisk

1739: Which condition indicates that you are in a hurricane's dangerous semicircle in the Northern hemisphere?

    N a. A backing wind
    Y b. A veering wind
    N c. A norther
    N d. A strong, gusty wind

1783: You can follow the approach of a dangerous cyclonic storm by inspecting __________.

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

1791: The accuracy of an azimuth circle can be checked by __________.

    N a. sighting a terrestrial range in line and comparing the observed bearing against the charted bearing
    N b. aligning the relative bearing markings so that 000° is on the lubber's line and the line of sight passes over the center of the compass
    N c. ensuring that the alignment marks on the inner face of the circle are in line with those on the repeater on relative bearings of 000° and 090°
    Y d. comparing observed azimuths at different altitudes with computed values at the times of observation to see if the difference is constant

1809: What occurs when rising air cools to the dew point?

    N a. Advection fog forms
    N b. Humidity decreases
    N c. Winds increase
    Y d. Clouds form

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.

1996: When approaching a lock entrance, the visual signal displayed when a single lock is ready for entrance is a flashing __________.

    N a. red light
    Y b. green light
    N c. amber light
    N d. white light

2061: Fog is likely to occur when there is little difference between the dew point and the __________.

    N a. relative humidity
    Y b. air temperature
    N c. barometric pressure
    N d. absolute humidity

2103: The description "Racon" beside an illustration on a chart would mean a __________.

    N a. radar calibration beacon
    N b. circular radio beacon
    N c. radar conspicuous beacon
    Y d. radar transponder beacon

2127: Diagram number D037NG represents a movable dam. If there is high water and the wickets are down so that there is an unobstructed navigable pass through the dam, what light(s) will be shown at B if the lock walls and piers are not awash?

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

2164: The line connecting the points of the earth's surface where there is no dip is the __________.

    N a. agonic line
    Y b. magnetic equator
    N c. isodynamic
    N d. isopor

2176: The illustration represents a movable dam. If there is high water and the wickets are down so that there is an unobstructed navigable pass through the dam, what light(s) will be shown at D if the lock walls and piers are not awash? (D037NG )

    N a. Three red lights
    N b. Two red lights
    Y c. One red light
    N d. One amber light

2186: You have completed the magnetic compass adjustments on magnetic east and magnetic south. The vessel is now steady on magnetic west but the compass reads 266°. What action should be taken?

    N a. Adjust the compass with the athwartships magnets until the compass reads 268°.
    N b. Adjust the compass with the fore-and-aft magnets until the compass reads 270°.
    N c. Adjust the compass with the quadrantal spheres until the compass reads 274°.
    Y d. Adjust the compass with the fore-and-aft magnets until the compass reads 268°.

2191: The chart indicates the variation was 3°45'E in 1988, and the annual change is increasing 6'. If you use the chart in 1991 how much variation should you apply?

    N a. 3°27'E
    N b. 3°27'W
    N c. 3°45'E
    Y d. 4°03'E

2392: The point where the Sun is at maximum declination north or south is __________.

    N a. aphelion
    N b. perihelion
    N c. an equinox
    Y d. a solstice

2440: You are on course 357°T and take a relative bearing of a lighthouse of 180°. What is the true bearing to the lighthouse?

    N a. 003°
    N b. 227°
    Y c. 177°
    N d. 363°

2628: A drawbridge may use visual signals to acknowledge a vessel's request to open the draw. Which signal indicates that the draw will NOT be opened immediately?

    N a. A flashing amber light
    Y b. A fixed red light
    N c. A white flag raised and lowered vertically
    N d. A flashing white light

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

2803: Some locations maintain a zone time of -13. What are the Greenwich time and date if the zone time and date are 0152, 10 January?

    Y a. 1252, 9 January
    N b. 1452, 9 January
    N c. 0052, 11 January
    N d. 1452, 11 January

2803: Some locations maintain a zone time of -13. What are the Greenwich time and date if the zone time and date are 0152, 10 January?

    Y a. 1252, 9 January
    N b. 1452, 9 January
    N c. 0052, 11 January
    N d. 1452, 11 January

2869: A pillar buoy is indicated by which letter shown in the illustration? (D044NG )

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

3028: The channel under a bridge is marked with aids from the lateral system. The centerline of the channel is marked on the bridge with __________.

    N a. a yellow triangle
    N b. three white lights
    N c. a black-and-white diamond
    Y d. a red-and-white octagon

3060: What information is NOT found in the chart title?

    N a. Survey information
    N b. Scale
    Y c. Date of first edition
    N d. Projection

3074: ECDIS must give an alarm for which of the following cases?

    N a. When the speed of a dangerous target exceeds a set limit
    Y b. When the specified limit for deviation from the planned route is exceeded
    N c. If the ship's ETA has changed beyond the set limit
    N d. None of the above

3095: ECDIS must have the capability to preserve the record of the track for the previous __________.

    N a. 6 hours
    Y b. 12 hours
    N c. 18 hours
    N d. 24 hours