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.


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


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?


93: The time interval between the transmission of signals from a pair of Loran-C stations is very closely controlled and operates with __________.


281: A lighted buoy to be left to starboard, when entering a U.S. port from seaward, shall have a __________.

    N a. white light
    Y b. red light
    N c. green light
    N d. light characteristic of Morse (A)

331: What indicates a buoy that should be left to port when entering from seaward? (U.S. Aids to Navigation System)

    N a. White light
    N b. Group flashing characteristic
    N c. Nun shape
    Y d. Odd number

340: Information about the direction and velocity of rotary tidal currents is found in the __________.

    N a. Mariner's Guide
    N b. Nautical Almanac
    N c. Tide Tables
    Y d. Tidal Current Tables

360: The Illustration shows the symbols used on radio facsimile weather charts. The symbol indicated at letter "M" represents __________. (D042NG )

    N a. rain
    Y b. snow
    N c. hail
    N d. ice

409: On November 1st the zone time is 1700 EST (ZD +5) in LONG 75°W. What is the corresponding zone time and date in LONG 135°E?

    Y a. 0700, November 2nd
    N b. 0700, November 1st
    N c. 2200, November 1st
    N d. 2200, October 31st

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

489: You are anchored in the Aleutian Island chain and receive word that a tsunami is expected to strike the islands in six hours. What is the safest action?

    Y a. Get underway and be in deep, open-ocean water when the tsunami arrives.
    N b. Increase the scope of the anchor cable and drop the second anchor underfoot at short stay.
    N c. Get underway and be close inshore on the side of the island away from the tsunami.
    N d. Plant both anchors with about a 60° angle between them, and let out a long scope to each anchor.

531: You have been informed that dredging operations may be underway in your vicinity. Which buoy indicates the dredging area?

    N a. White buoy with a green top
    N b. White and international orange buoy
    Y c. Yellow buoy
    N d. Yellow and black vertically-striped buoy

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

617: You are bound for the Chelsea docks in the Hudson River. The Captain wants to arrive at the docks at the first slack water on 28 July 1983. You are keeping daylight saving time. What time should you be at the docks?

    Y a. 0215
    N b. 0530
    N c. 0811
    N d. 0911

623: An indirect radar echo is caused by a reflection of the main lobe of the radar beam off the observer's vessel. Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of indirect echoes?

    N a. Their bearing is almost constant, even when the true bearing of the contact changes appreciably.
    Y b. They always appear on a bearing of 90°From the true bearing of the contact.
    N c. The indirect echoes usually appear in shadow sectors.
    N d. When plotted, their movements are usually abnormal.

632: You must construct a Mercator projection for an area bounded by latitudes 40° - 47°N and longitudes 176°E to 176°W on a paper 28 X 36 inches. Allow a neat line of one inch. What will be the separation between meridians?

    N a. 3.190 inches
    Y b. 3.249 inches
    N c. 3.529 inches
    N d. 3.714 inches

637: Your draft is 24 feet. You wish to pass over an obstruction near Lovell Island, MA, on 6 May 1983. The charted depth is 22 feet. Allowing a safety margin of 3.0 feet, what is the earliest time after 0200 DST (ZD +4) that this passage can be made?

    N a. 0215
    N b. 0245
    N c. 0310
    Y d. 0347

729: The doldrums are characterized by __________.

    N a. steady, light to moderate winds
    Y b. frequent calms
    N c. clear skies
    N d. low humidity

764: Magnetic variation changes with a change in __________.

    N a. the vessel's heading
    N b. sea conditions
    N c. seasons
    Y d. the vessel's position

885: The daily path of a celestial body that is parallel to the celestial equator is the __________.

    N a. altitude circle
    N b. vertical circle
    Y c. diurnal circle
    N d. hour circle

893: One point of a compass is equal to how many degrees?

    N a. 7.5
    Y b. 11.25
    N c. 17.5
    N d. 22.5

935: The Light List shows that a navigational light has a nominal range of 5 miles and a height above water of 21 feet (6.4 meters). Your height of eye is 32 feet (9.8 meters) and the visibility is 1.0 mile. At what approximate range will you first sight the light?

    N a. 1.0 mile
    Y b. 1.5 miles
    N c. 5.0 miles
    N d. 11.7 miles

961: In which country would you expect the channels to be marked with the IALA-B Buoyage System?

    Y a. Brazil
    N b. Tanzania
    N c. New Zealand
    N d. Norway

971: You are in British waters on course 090°T when you sight a flashing white light with a characteristic of VQ(9)10s. You immediately change course to 030°T. After one hour, you sight another flashing white light with the characteristic of VQ. You must pass well __________.

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

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

1085: A chart position enclosed by a semi-circle is a(n) __________.

    N a. fix
    N b. estimated position
    Y c. dead reckoning position
    N d. running fix

1087: The velocity of a rotary tidal current will increase when the Moon is __________.

    N a. new
    N b. full
    N c. at perigee
    Y d. All of the above

1115: Which light characteristic may be used on a special purpose mark?

    Y a. Flashing
    N b. Occulting
    N c. Equal interval
    N d. Quick flashing

1146: What is true about a front?

    N a. A front is a boundary between two air masses.
    N b. There are abrupt temperature differences on opposite sides of a front.
    N c. The pressure tendencies are different on opposite sides of a front.
    Y d. All of the above

1173: When adjusting a magnetic compass for error, a deviation table should be made __________.

    N a. before correcting for any deviation
    N b. after correcting for variation
    Y c. after adjusting the fore-and-aft and athwartships permanent magnets
    N d. before the quadrantal correctors are placed on the compass

1198: The Illustration shows the symbols used on radio facsimile weather charts. Which of these symbols indicates a dust storm? (D042NG )

    N a. I
    N b. H
    Y c. O
    N d. P

1198: The Illustration shows the symbols used on radio facsimile weather charts. Which of these symbols indicates a dust storm? (D042NG )

    N a. I
    N b. H
    Y c. O
    N d. P

1201: What is NOT true concerning color sectors of lights?

    Y a. Color sectors are expressed in degrees from the light toward the vessel.
    N b. Color sectors may indicate dangerous waters.
    N c. Color sectors may indicate the best water across a shoal.
    N d. Color sectors may indicate a turning point in a channel.

1240: Weather information is available from __________.

    N a. commercial radio broadcasts
    N b. the Coast Guard on scheduled marine information broadcasts
    N c. VHF-FM continuous marine weather broadcasts provided by the National Weather Service
    Y d. All of the above

1241: Which picture shows a fixed and flashing light? (D034NG )

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

1344: Which of the buoy symbols shown indicates a safe water mark? (D032NG )

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

1347: What will be the velocity of the tidal current south of Doubling Point, ME, at 1357 EST (ZD +5) on 3 April 1983?

    N a. 0.9 knot
    N b. 1.3 knots
    Y c. 2.0 knots
    N d. 2.6 knots

1399: You are bound for Baltimore via Cape Henry on a 15 knot ship. If the flood at Chesapeake Bay entrance begins at 1800 EST (ZD +5), at what time would you depart from the Chesapeake Bay entrance to have the most favorable current?

    N a. 1700 hours
    N b. 1800 hours
    N c. 1900 hours
    Y d. 2030 hours

1404: A great circle will intersect the equator at how many degrees of longitude apart?

    N a. 0°
    N b. 45°
    N c. 90°
    Y d. 180°

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

1419: The MOST important feature of the material used for making the binnacle of a standard magnetic compass is that it is __________.

    Y a. nonmagnetic
    N b. weatherproof
    N c. corrosion resistant
    N d. capable of being permanently affixed to the vessel

1491: You are on course 138°T. To check the latitude of your vessel you should observe a celestial body on which bearing?

    N a. 138°
    N b. 270°
    N c. 318°
    Y d. 000°

1513: Scales on aneroid barometers are usually graduated in inches of mercury in the general range of __________.

    N a. 26 to 29 inches
    Y b. 28 to 31 inches
    N c. 30 to 33 inches
    N d. 32 to 35 inches

1604: The Illustration shows the symbols used on radio facsimile weather charts. Which of these symbols indicates freezing rain? (D042NG )

    N a. M
    N b. N
    N c. O
    Y d. P

1740: If you are in the dangerous semicircle of a hurricane you can expect all of the following except __________.

    Y a. backing winds
    N b. high seas
    N c. high winds
    N d. veering winds

1888: What is the relative bearing of an object broad on the starboard bow?

    N a. 030°
    Y b. 045°
    N c. 060°
    N d. 075°

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.

2141: What lights would you see on the Illinois water way 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. Red over green
    N b. Green over red
    Y c. Red over amber (yellow)
    N d. Green over amber (yellow)

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

2268: What condition exists at perigee?

    N a. The Earth is farthest from the Sun.
    N b. The Earth, Sun, and Moon are in line.
    N c. The Earth, Sun, and Moon are at right angles.
    Y d. The Moon is closest to the Earth.

2668: You are approaching a drawbridge and have sounded the request-for-opening signal. The bridge has responded with five short blasts. What reply should you sound?

    N a. None; No reply is required
    Y b. Five short blasts
    N c. Two prolonged blasts
    N d. One prolonged, one short blast

2710: In the horizon system of coordinates what is equivalent to the local hour angle of the celestial equator system?

    N a. Altitude
    Y b. Azimuth
    N c. Zenith distance
    N d. Colongitude

2737: A lateral system buoy displaying a quick light __________.

    N a. should be passed close aboard on either side
    Y b. indicates that special caution is required
    N c. is used at a channel bifurcation or junction
    N d. is painted with red and white vertical stripes

2744: The standard atmospheric pressure measured in inches of mercury is __________.

    Y a. 29.92
    N b. 500.0
    N c. 760.0
    N d. 1013.2

2840: The lockmaster has given you permission to tie off on the lower guide wall to wait your turn to lock through. What should you be most concerned with?

    N a. A downbound vessel
    N b. An upbound vessel
    Y c. Current reaction when the lock chamber is being emptied
    N d. Current reaction when the lock chamber is being filled

2862: When slanted letters are used to spell the name of a charted object you know the __________.

    N a. object is only a hazard to vessels drawing in excess of 20 feet
    N b. position is approximate or doubtful
    N c. object is always visible
    Y d. object may cover and uncover with the tide

2868: You are inbound in a channel marked by a range. The range line is 309°T. You are steering 306°T and have the range in sight as shown. Which action should you take? (D048NG )

    N a. Continue on the present heading until the range is in line then alter course to the right.
    Y b. Immediately alter course to the right to bring the range in line.
    N c. Immediately alter course to the left to bring the range in line.
    N d. Immediately alter course to 309°T if the range is closing.

2922: The Light List indicates that a dayboard is a type TR-SY. You should __________.

    N a. look for a dayboard of type TR-TY to form a range
    Y b. leave it to port when southbound on the Atlantic portions of the ICW
    N c. pass it close aboard on either side
    N d. expect a daymark with no lateral significance

2958: Drawbridges equipped with radiotelephones display a __________.

    N a. day signal of a yellow diamond marked with the call sign
    N b. white sign with the number 16 and the call sign on it
    N c. black and white diamond marked with RT 16
    Y d. blue and white sign showing the radio's channels

2974: What daymark shape is used in the lateral system?

    N a. Semicircle
    Y b. Triangle
    N c. Pentagon
    N d. Diamond

3120: The short text messaging feature of the automatic identification system (AIS) allows for messages of up to___.

    N a. 56 characters
    N b. 64 characters
    N c. 128 characters
    Y d. 158 characters