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.
10: The wind at Frying Pan shoals has been northwesterly at an average velocity of 22 knots. The predicted set and drift of the rotary current are 125° at 0.6 knot. What current should you expect?
Y a. 119° at 0.9 knot N b. 172° at 1.1 knots N c. 225° at 0.6 knot N d. 340° at 0.4 knot 55: Your longitude is 179°59'W. The LMT at this longitude is 23h 56m on the 4th day of the month. Six minutes later, your position is 179°59'E longitude. Your LMT and date are __________.
N a. 00h 02m on the 4th N b. 00h 02m on the 5th N c. 23h 50m on the 5th Y d. 00h 02m on the 6th 59: For navigational purposes, each great circle on the Earth has a length of __________.
N a. 3,600 miles N b. 5,400 miles N c. 12,500 miles Y d. 21,600 miles 71: A preferred-channel buoy may be __________.
Y a. lettered N b. spherical N c. showing a white light N d. All of the above 115: The date is the same all over the world at __________.
N a. 0000 GMT Y b. 1200 GMT N c. 0000 LMT for an observer at 90°E longitude N d. no time 189: While steering a course of 150°T, you wish to observe the Sun for a speed check. What would the azimuth have to be?
N a. 060°T N b. 090°T Y c. 150°T N d. 240°T 220: At 0000 you fix your position and plot a new DR track line. At 0200 you again fix your position and it is 0.5 mile east of your DR. Which statement is TRUE?
N a. The current is westerly at 0.5 knot. N b. You must increase speed to compensate for the current. N c. The current cannot be determined. Y d. The drift is 0.25 knot. 255: On March 17, at 0500 zone time, you cross the 180th meridian steaming eastward to west longitude. What is your local time?
N a. You are in -12 time zone. N b. It is 1700, March 18. Y c. It is 0500, March 16. N d. It is 0500, March 18. 316: According to Buys Ballot's law, when an observer in the Northern Hemisphere experiences a northwest wind, the center of low pressure is located to the __________.
Y a. northeast N b. west-southwest N c. northwest N d. south-southeast 339: The wind at Frying Pan shoals has been north-northeasterly at an average velocity of 30 knots. The predicted set and drift of the rotary current are 355° at 0.8 knot. What current should you expect?
N a. 010° at 1.1 knots N b. 047° at 0.3 knot Y c. 325° at 0.7 knot N d. 279° at 1.0 knot 411: When entering from seaward, a buoy displaying a single-flashing red light would indicate __________.
N a. a junction with the preferred channel to the left N b. a sharp turn in the channel to the right Y c. the starboard side of the channel N d. a wreck to be left on the vessel's port side 431: When a buoy marks a channel bifurcation, the preferred channel is NOT indicated by __________.
N a. the shape of an unlighted buoy N b. the light color of a lighted buoy N c. the color of the topmost band Y d. whether the number is odd or even 458: The prevailing westerlies of the Southern Hemisphere blow 18-30 knots __________.
Y a. all year long N b. during the summer months only N c. during the winter only N d. during spring only 665: 17 degrees of latitude is equal to __________.
N a. 68 miles N b. 510 miles Y c. 1020 miles N d. 4080 miles 680: The apparent wind's speed can be zero, but only when two conditions are present. One condition is that the true __________.
N a. wind must be on the beam N b. wind's speed must be zero N c. wind must be from dead ahead Y d. wind's speed equals the ship's speed 682: Which table is NOT found in the U.S. Coast Pilots?
N a. Climatological table Y b. Luminous range table N c. Meteorological table N d. Coastwise distance table 696: The diurnal pressure variation is most noticeable in the __________.
N a. polar regions N b. horse latitudes N c. roaring forties Y d. doldrums 724: Which statement concerning GPS is TRUE?
N a. It cannot be used in all parts of the world. N b. There are 12 functioning GPS satellites at present. Y c. It may be suspended without warning. N d. Two position lines are used to give a 2D fix. 781: The IALA Buoyage Systems do NOT apply to __________.
N a. the sides and centerlines of navigable channels N b. natural dangers and other obstructions, such as wrecks Y c. lighthouses and lightships N d. areas in which navigation may be subject to regulation 796: Cyclones tend to move __________.
N a. perpendicular to the isobars in their warm sectors Y b. parallel to the isobars in their warm sectors N c. parallel to the line of the cold front N d. perpendicular to the line of the cold front 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 878: At 0600 ZT on 31 January, your position is LAT 00°49'S, LONG 84°27'E. You are preparing a weather report form, WS Form B-80. How should you encode the first three groups after the call sign if you estimate the wind? (D041NG )
N a. 30243, 90008, 30848 N b. 31003, 99049, 38427 Y c. 31003, 99008, 30844 N d. 31063, 99049, 58427 897: What current flows southward along the west coast of the United States and causes extensive fog in that area?
N a. Davidson Current N b. North Pacific Current N c. Alaska Current Y d. California Current 980: When the declination of the Moon is 0°12.5'S, you can expect some tidal currents in Gulf Coast ports to __________.
N a. have either a double ebb or a double flood Y b. become weak and variable N c. become reversing currents N d. exceed the predicted velocities 1009: You are preparing a weather report form, WS Form B-80. The dry bulb thermometer reads 34°F, and the wet bulb thermometer reads 31°F. Using the ships code card, how would you encode the air temperature groups in the report? (D041NG )
N a. 10340, 2127/ N b. 10111, 2104/ Y c. 10011, 2104/ N d. 10340, 2031/ 1019: You are preparing a weather report form, WS Form B-80. The dry bulb thermometer reads 30°F (-1°), and the wet bulb thermometer reads 28°F (-2°C). Using the Ships Code Card, how would you encode the air temperature groups in the report? (D041NG )
N a. 10011, 2003/ N b. 11300, 2124/ N c. 11011, 2124/ Y d. 11011, 2104/ 1045: The Light List shows that a navigational light has a nominal range of 15 miles and a height above water of 40 feet (12.2 meters). Your height of eye is 25 feet (7.6 meters) and the visibility is 5 miles. At about what range will you FIRST sight the light?
N a. 6.2 miles Y b. 9.5 miles N c. 12.9 miles N d. 14.2 miles 1049: At 0000 you fix your position and change course to 270°T. At 0030 you again fix your position, and it is 0.5 mile east of your DR. Which statement is TRUE?
N a. The set is 090°, drift 0.5 knot. Y b. The set is 090°, drift 1.0 knot. N c. The set is 270°, drift 0.5 knot. N d. The set is 270°, drift 1.0 knot. 1088: Which statement about an estimated position is TRUE?
N a. It is more reliable than a fix based on radar bearings. Y b. It may be based on a single LOP or questionable data. N c. When a 3-LOP fix plots in a triangle, the center of the triangle is the estimated position. N d. It is usually based on soundings. 1175: Solid green arrows on the main body of a pilot chart indicate __________.
N a. prevailing wind directions Y b. prevailing ocean current directions N c. probable surface current flow N d. shortest great circle routes 1231: Some lights used as aids to marine navigation have a red sector to indicate a danger area. How are the limits of a colored sector of light listed in the Light List?
N a. Geographical positions outlining the area of the sector N b. True bearings as observed from the light toward a vessel Y c. True bearings as observed from a vessel toward the light N d. Bearings given in the Light List are always magnetic 1261: A light having characteristics which include color variations is defined as __________.
N a. switching Y b. alternating N c. oscillating N d. fluctuating 1329: Yesterday your chronometer read 03h 01m 56s at the 1500 GMT time tick. Today your chronometer read 03h 01m 54s at the 1500 GMT time tick. What is the chronometer rate?
N a. 1m 54s fast N b. 2s fast Y c. -2s N d. +2s 1353: The difference in degrees between true north and magnetic north is called __________.
Y a. variation N b. deviation N c. drift N d. compass error 1376: What is typical of warm front weather conditions?
N a. An increase in pressure N b. A wind shift from southwest to northwest N c. Scattered cumulus clouds Y d. Steady precipitation 1409: You are enroute to assist vessel A. Vessel A is underway at 5.5 knots on course 033°T, and bears 284°T, 43 miles from you. What is the time to intercept if you make 16 knots?
N a. 2h 16m N b. 2h 22m Y c. 2h 34m N d. 2h 42m 1459: In a tropical cyclone, in the Northern Hemisphere, a vessel hove to with the wind shifting counterclockwise is __________.
N a. ahead of the storm center N b. in the dangerous semicircle Y c. in the navigable semicircle N d. directly in the approach path of the storm 1551: In order to get the maximum benefit from the Gulf Stream, on a voyage between Houston and Philadelphia, you should navigate __________.
Y a. about 75 miles east of Ormond Beach, FL N b. close inshore between Jupiter Inlet and Fowey Rocks, FL N c. along the 50-fathom curve while off the east coast of Florida N d. about 10 miles east of Cape Canaveral, FL 1576: You are entering an east coast port and see a buoy with a yellow triangle painted on it. This indicates __________.
Y a. you are in the vicinity of the ICW N b. the buoy is a special mark N c. the buoy is off station N d. the buoy designates a sharp turn in the channel 1597: The dense black cumulonimbus clouds surrounding the eye of a hurricane are called __________.
N a. spiral rainbands Y b. cloud walls N c. funnel clouds N d. cyclonic spirals 1626: Which instrument is used to measure the relative humidity of the air?
N a. A hydrometer Y b. A hygrometer N c. A spectrometer N d. A barograph 1685: Squall lines with an almost unbroken line of threatening dark clouds and sharp changes in wind direction, generally precede a(n) __________.
N a. slow-moving warm front Y b. fast-moving cold front N c. stationary front N d. occluded front 1770: A Doppler speed log indicates speed over ground __________.
N a. at all times Y b. in the bottom return mode N c. in the volume reverberation mode N d. only when there is no current 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 1858: A white buoy with an orange cross within a diamond marked on it indicates __________.
N a. danger Y b. vessels are excluded from the area N c. an anchorage area N d. operating restrictions are in effect 1875: The position labeled "E" was plotted because __________. (D051NG )
N a. a dead reckoning position is plotted within a half-hour of each course change N b. the position is a running fix Y c. a dead reckoning position is plotted for each speed change N d. the vessel's position was fixed at 1145 1941: IN REGION A of the IALA Buoyage System, when entering from seaward, the starboard side of a channel would be marked by a __________.
N a. red can buoy N b. red conical buoy N c. green can buoy Y d. green conical buoy 1961: What kind of pressure systems travel in tropical waves?
N a. Subsurface pressure N b. Terrastatic pressure N c. High pressure Y d. Low pressure 2060: What is the relative bearing of an object broad on the starboard quarter?
N a. 045° N b. 090° Y c. 135° N d. 225° 2147: What lights would you see on the Illinois waterway when any wickets of the dam or bear traps are open, or partially open, which may cause a set in the current conditions in the upper lock approach?
N a. Green over blue Y b. Red over amber (yellow) N c. Red over green N d. None of the above 2161: Yesterday your chronometer read 03h 01m 56s at the 1500 GMT time tick. Today your chronometer read 03h 01m 58s at the 1500 GMT time tick. What is the chronometer error?
N a. 03h 01m 58s fast Y b. 01m 58s fast N c. +2s N d. -2s 2199: Denebola is found in what constellation?
N a. Hydrus Y b. Leo N c. Centaurus N d. Aquila 2292: The points on the earth's surface where the magnetic dip is 90° are __________.
N a. along the magnetic equator N b. connected by the isoclinal line N c. the isopors Y d. the magnetic poles 2370: In the United States, short-range radio navigational warnings are broadcast by the __________.
Y a. Coast Guard N b. Corps of Engineers N c. NOAA N d. harbor master of the nearest port 2585: The letter D as shown represents the __________. (D006NG )
N a. visible horizon Y b. geometrical horizon N c. sensible horizon N d. celestial horizon 2618: You must draw a plotting sheet covering latitudes 38°N to 43°N and longitudes 179°E to 178°W. If the distance between each degree of longitude is 5 inches, what is the distance between latitude 38°N and latitude 43°N?
N a. 29.0 inches N b. 29.6 inches N c. 32.1 inches Y d. 32.8 inches 2695: 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?
N a. The drift should be added to the ship's speed. N b. The current should be ignored. Y c. The course and speed made good should be determined and used to advance the LOP. N d. The set should be applied to the second bearing. 2858: While navigating in fog off a coastline of steep cliffs, you hear the echo of the ships fog horn 2 1/2 seconds after the signal was sounded. What is the distance to the shore?
N a. 225 yards Y b. 460 yards N c. 750 yards N d. 910 yards 2927: The position labeled C, as shown, was plotted because __________. (D051NG )
N a. the vessel's course changed from due North to due East Y b. running fixes are better estimates of true position than dead-reckoning positions N c. the vessel's speed changed N d. All of the above are correct 3016: The radar control that shortens all echoes on the display and reduces clutter caused by rain or snow is the __________.
N a. sensitivity time control (sea clutter control) N b. receiver gain control N c. brilliance control Y d. fast time constant (differentiator)