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.
6: Wind velocity varies __________.
N a. directly with the temperature of the air mass Y b. directly with the pressure gradient N c. inversely with the barometric pressure N d. inversely with the absolute humidity 42: The datum used for soundings on charts of the East Coast of the United States is __________.
N a. mean low water springs N b. mean low water Y c. mean lower low water N d. half tide level 77: When there are small differences between the heights of two successive high tides or two low tides, in a tidal day, the tides are called __________.
N a. diurnal Y b. semidiurnal N c. solar N d. mixed 122: The subregions of the United States Gulf and East Coasts are numbered 11, 12 and 13 within the chart numbering system. Which chart number indicates a chart for either the Gulf or East Coast?
Y a. 11250 N b. 18411 N c. 21228 N d. 17136 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 171: Under the U.S. Aids to Navigation System, a lighted buoy with a spherical topmark marks __________.
Y a. safe water N b. a fish trap area N c. a hazard to navigation N d. a bifurcation in the channel 224: A sextant having an index error that is "off the arc" has a __________.
Y a. positive correction N b. dip error N c. negative correction N d. semidiameter error 356: When facing into the wind in the Northern Hemisphere the center of low pressure lies __________.
N a. directly in front of you N b. directly behind you N c. to your left and behind you Y d. to your right and behind you 366: If an observer in the Northern Hemisphere faces the surface wind, the center of low pressure is to his______________.
N a. left, slightly behind him Y b. right, slightly behind him N c. left, slightly in front of him N d. right, slightly in front of him 468: Which of the symbols shown represents a cold front? (D018NG )
N a. A Y b. B N c. C N d. D 560: On 14 April 1981, a back sight is observed of the lower limb of the Sun. The height of eye is 45 feet. The index error is 2.5' on the arc. The sextant altitude (hs) is 117°14.6'. What is the observed altitude (Ho)?
N a. 63°01.9' N b. 63°03.4' N c. 63°07.4' Y d. 63°09.9' 670: A NAVAREA warning carries the following number; 1986/87 (11). Which statement is TRUE?
N a. The warning was issued in 1986, the 87th sequentially numbered warning and broadcast 11 times. Y b. This is warning number 1986 issued in 1987, and it affects sub-region 11. N c. This warning is valid in 1986 and 1987 and is the eleventh two-year warning. N d. The subject of this warning first appeared in 1986; this warning is in 1987 and is the eleventh on this topic. 685: Thirty-two meters equals __________.
N a. 17.50 feet N b. 58.52 feet N c. 96.00 feet Y d. 104.99 feet 688: In mid-ocean, the characteristics of a wave are determined by three factors. What is NOT one of these factors?
Y a. Effect of the moon's gravity N b. Fetch N c. Wind velocity N d. Length of time a wind has been blowing 707: Set of the current is __________.
N a. its velocity in knots N b. direction from which it flows N c. estimated current Y d. direction towards which it flows 782: Mariners are FIRST warned of serious defects or important changes to aids to navigation by means of __________.
Y a. marine broadcast Notice to Mariners N b. Weekly Notices to Mariners N c. corrected editions of charts N d. Light Lists 815: When entering from seaward, a buoy displaying a composite group (2+1) flashing red light indicates __________.
Y a. a junction with the preferred channel to the left N b. a sharp turn in the preferred channel to the right N c. the starboard side of the secondary channel N d. a wreck to be left on the vessel's port side 876: A generally circular low pressure area is called a(n) __________.
Y a. cyclone N b. anticyclone N c. cold front N d. occluded front 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 925: Your vessel is at the equator at midnight on 1 January, and a star is observed rising. At what time will this same star rise on 1 February, assuming your vessel's location is still at the equator?
N a. 2208 N b. 2110 Y c. 2158 N d. 2317 1020: The Light List shows that a navigational light has a nominal range of 6 miles and a height above water of 18 feet (5.5 meters). Your height of eye is 40 feet (12.2 meters) and the visibility is 27.0 miles. At which approximate range will you first sight the light?
N a. 5.6 miles N b. 6.4 miles Y c. 9.8 miles N d. 12.1 miles 1058: You are preparing a weather report form, WS Form B-80. Your position is LAT 64°42'N, LONG 02°28'W. How would this be encoded? (D041NG )
N a. 90647, 90024 N b. 0647N, 00025 Y c. 99647, 70025 N d. 9064N, 9025W 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 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 1377: What is the velocity of the tidal current at the east end of Pollock Rip Channel at 1700 DST (ZD +4) on 23 July 1983?
N a. 0.6 knot ebbing N b. 0.8 knot flooding Y c. 1.5 knots flooding N d. 1.9 knots flooding 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 1414: You are planning a voyage from New York to Norway via the English Channel. Which publication contains information on the dangers to navigation in the English Channel?
N a. Channel Pilot's Guide N b. World Port Index N c. Coast Pilot Y d. Sailing Directions (Enroute) 1449: The presence of stratus clouds and a dying wind will usually result in __________.
N a. heavy rain N b. heavy snow Y c. thick fog N d. clearing skies 1505: At 0000 you fix your position and change course to 090°T. At 0030 you again fix your position and it is 0.5 mile east of your DR. Which statement is TRUE?
Y a. The current is easterly. N b. The drift is 0.5 knot. N c. You should alter course to the right to regain the track line. N d. The current is perpendicular to your track line. 1505: At 0000 you fix your position and change course to 090°T. At 0030 you again fix your position and it is 0.5 mile east of your DR. Which statement is TRUE?
Y a. The current is easterly. N b. The drift is 0.5 knot. N c. You should alter course to the right to regain the track line. N d. The current is perpendicular to your track line. 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 1569: Three or four feet of the total height of a storm surge in a hurricane can be attributed to __________.
N a. an increase in temperature N b. an increase in the wave period N c. the wind velocity Y d. the decrease in atmospheric pressure 1636: A type of precipitation that occurs only in thunderstorms with strong convection currents that convey raindrops above and below the freezing level is known as __________.
N a. sleet Y b. hail N c. freezing rain N d. rime 1684: Which type of frontal passage is associated with a relatively narrow band of precipitation?
Y a. A cold front N b. A warm front N c. A stationary front N d. None of the above 1779: The Light List indicates that a light has a nominal range of 14 miles and is 26 feet high. If the visibility is 14 miles and your height of eye is 20 feet, at which approximate distance will you sight the light?
N a. 7.5 miles Y b. 11.2 miles N c. 14.0 miles N d. 18.1 miles 1872: To find a magnetic compass course from a true course you must apply __________.
N a. deviation N b. variation Y c. deviation and variation N d. magnetic anomalies (local disturbances) 1968: The Earth has the shape of a(n) __________.
N a. sphere Y b. oblate spheroid N c. spheroid of revolution N d. oblate eggoid 1976: The Moon is nearest to the Earth at __________.
Y a. perigee N b. the vernal equinox N c. the new Moon N d. the full Moon 2081: 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. 30° N b. 45° N c. 60° Y d. 90° 2091: The velocity of the current in large coastal harbors is __________.
N a. unpredictable N b. generally constant N c. generally too weak to be of concern Y d. predicted in Tidal Current Tables 2170: The temperature at which the air is saturated with water vapor and below which condensation of water vapor will occur is referred to as the __________.
N a. precipitation point N b. vapor point Y c. dew point N d. absolute humidity 2182: 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 D if the lock walls and piers are not awash?
N a. No lights Y b. One red light N c. Two red lights N d. Three red lights 2214: By convention, the Earth's south magnetic pole is colored __________.
N a. blue N b. black N c. white Y d. red 2242: A vessel is heading magnetic north and its magnetic compass indicates a heading of 356°. Which action should be taken to remove this error during compass adjustment?
Y a. If the red ends of the magnets are to port you should lower the athwartships tray. N b. If the red ends of the magnets are aft you should raise the fore-and-aft tray. N c. If the blue ends of the magnets are to port, and the athwartships tray is at the top, you should remove some of the magnets. N d. If the blue ends of the magnets are aft you should raise the fore-and-aft tray. 2262: The Milky Way is an example of a __________.
N a. cluster Y b. galaxy N c. nova N d. nebula 2282: 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 276°. You should now adjust the compass until it reads __________.
N a. 264° N b. 270° Y c. 273° N d. Do not adjust the compass, just record the error. 2289: The constellation that contains the pointer stars is __________.
N a. Orion Y b. Ursa Major N c. the Southern Cross N d. Pegasus 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 2420: You are on course 355°T and take a relative bearing of a lighthouse of 275°. What is the true bearing of the lighthouse?
N a. 080° N b. 085° N c. 280° Y d. 270° 2530: The distance between any two meridians measured along a parallel of latitude __________.
N a. increases in north latitude and decreases in south latitude N b. decreases as DLO increases N c. increases with increased latitude Y d. decreases with increased latitude 2562: In the time diagram shown __________. (D005NG )
N a. the GHA of the Sun is approximately 330° Y b. your date is one day later than the date at Greenwich N c. the LHA of the Sun is approximately 120° N d. you are in west longitude 2698: You must draw a plotting sheet covering latitudes 38°N to 41°N and longitudes 179°E to 178°W. If the distance between each degree of longitude is 4 inches, what is the distance between latitude 38°N and latitude 41°N?
N a. 15.00 inches Y b. 15.49 inches N c. 15.75 inches N d. 16.25 inches 2812: A line of position from a celestial observation is a segment of a __________.
Y a. circle of equal altitude N b. parallel of declination N c. parallel of altitude N d. vertical circle 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 2890: While passing through Memphis, the weather report on the TV news indicates that a cold front is crossing western Kentucky and Tennessee. Tomorrow's weather will be dominated by a high pressure area. What weather should you expect tomorrow?
N a. Light, southerly winds; high humidity and possibly fog Y b. Moderate winds from the northwest, clear visibility and cooler temperatures N c. Low overcast; mild temperatures with light, steady rain or drizzle N d. Scattered clouds with light, southeasterly winds; high humidity and possibly fog 2909: A nun buoy is indicated by which letter in illustration D044NG?
N a. A N b. B N c. C Y d. D 2938: You take a bearing of 176° of a lighthouse. What bearing of another object would give the best fix?
N a. 000° N b. 021° N c. 189° Y d. 272° 3000: All aids to navigation listed in the Mississippi River System Light List are shown as miles from a reference point and on the __________.
N a. east or west bank Y b. left or right descending bank N c. port or starboard side of the vessel N d. left or right ascending bank 3007: A rotary current sets through all directions of the compass. The time it takes to complete one of these cycles, in a locale off the East coast of the US, is approximately __________.
N a. 2 1/2 hours N b. 3 1/2 hours N c. 6 1/4 hours Y d. 12 1/2 hours 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