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.
11: A buoy having red and green horizontal bands would have a light characteristic of __________.
N a. interrupted quick flashing Y b. composite group flashing N c. Morse (A) N d. quick flashing 18: A vessel's position should be plotted using bearings of __________.
N a. buoys close at hand Y b. fixed known objects on shore N c. buoys at a distance N d. All of the above 41: Mean high water is the reference plane used for __________.
N a. all vertical measurements Y b. heights above water of land features such as lights N c. soundings on the East and West Coasts N d. water depths on the East Coast only 72: The datum from which the predicted heights of tides are reckoned in the tide tables is __________.
N a. mean low water Y b. the same as that used for the charts of the locality N c. the highest possible level N d. given in table three of the tide tables 75: The zone time of LAN is 1152. Your longitude is 73°15'E. What time would you use to enter the Nautical Almanac to determine the declination of the Sun at LAN?
Y a. 0659 N b. 0652 N c. 1859 N d. 1852 85: Your longitude is 179°59'W. The LMT at this longitude is 23h 56m of the 4th day of the month. Six minutes later your position is 179°59'E longitude. Your LMT and date is now __________.
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 97: The lunar or tidal day is __________.
N a. about 50 minutes shorter than the solar day Y b. about 50 minutes longer than the solar day N c. about 10 minutes longer than the solar day N d. the same length as the solar day 125: The GMT is 0445 and your zone description is +1. Your zone time is __________.
N a. 0445 Y b. 0345 N c. 0545 N d. 1545 155: The velocity of the current in large coastal harbors is __________.
Y a. predicted in Tidal Current Tables N b. unpredictable N c. generally constant N d. generally too weak to be of concern 165: On 6 July 1981, at 1000 zone time, you cross the 180th meridian steaming westward. What is your local time?
N a. It is 1000, 5 July. N b. It is 1000, 6 July. N c. It is 2200, 7 July. Y d. It is 1000, 7 July. 269: The wind at Frying Pan shoals has been south-southwesterly at an average velocity of 30 knots. The predicted set and drift of the rotary current are 232° at 0.8 knot. What current should you expect?
N a. 065° at 1.2 knots N b. 092° at 1.3 knots N c. 139° at 0.6 knot Y d. 224° at 0.4 knot 310: Which sextant shown has an index error of 3'30" off the arc? (D050NG )
N a. A Y b. B N c. C N d. D 336: You are steaming eastward in the North Atlantic in an extratropical cyclonic storm and the wind is dead ahead. According to the law of Buys Ballot, the center of the low pressure lies __________.
N a. ahead of you N b. astern of you N c. to the north Y d. to the south 427: On 23 March 1983, at Kingston Point, NY, what is the earliest time after 1700 EST (ZD +5) that the predicted tide will be +2.0 feet?
N a. 1730 N b. 1800 Y c. 1854 N d. 2030 496: Severe tropical cyclones (hurricanes, typhoons) occur in all warm-water oceans except the __________.
N a. Indian Ocean N b. North Pacific Ocean N c. South Pacific Ocean Y d. South Atlantic Ocean 517: On 5 March 1983, at 0630 EST (ZD +5), what will be the predicted height of tide at Ocracoke, Ocracoke Inlet, NC?
Y a. 0.1 foot N b. 1.2 feet N c. 1.9 feet N d. 2.3 feet 561: Buoys which mark dredging areas are painted __________.
N a. black Y b. yellow N c. green N d. red 603: What is the approximate wave length of an X Band Radar operating on a frequency of approximately 9500 MHz?
Y a. 3 cm N b. 10 cm N c. 30 cm N d. 100 cm 605: Which is NOT a side of the celestial navigational triangle?
N a. Co-latitude N b. Zenith distance Y c. Altitude N d. Co-declination 660: What is the length of a nautical mile?
N a. 1,850 meters N b. 5,280 feet N c. 1,760 yards Y d. 6,076 feet 776: You are navigating in pilotage waters using running fixes. The maximum time between fixes should be about __________.
N a. 4 hours N b. 1 hour Y c. 30 minutes N d. 5 minutes 783: Magnetism which is present only when the material is under the influence of an external field is called __________.
N a. permanent magnetism Y b. induced magnetism N c. residual magnetism N d. terrestrial magnetism 827: The Benguela Current flows in a __________.
N a. SW'ly direction along the NW coast of Africa N b. S'ly direction off the East Coast of Australia Y c. NW'ly direction along the SW coast of Africa N d. SW'ly direction along the SE coast of Greenland 837: The Brazil Current flows in which general direction?
N a. Northwesterly Y b. Southwesterly N c. Southeasterly N d. Northerly 886: The circulation around a low pressure center in the Northern Hemisphere is __________.
Y a. counterclockwise N b. variable N c. clockwise N d. anticyclonic 963: To center a compass bowl in its binnacle, you should have the ship on an even keel, heading north or south, and adjust the screws until __________.
N a. the compass heading is in line with the lubber's line N b. there is no lost motion in the gimbal rings Y c. no change of heading by compass is observed if you raise and lower the heeling magnet N d. the gimbal rings do not strike the compass frame when they are tilted 1000: You are inbound in a channel marked by a range. The range line is 309°T. You are steering 306°T. The range appears as shown and is closing. Which action should you take? (D047NG )
Y a. Continue on course until the range is closed, then alter course to the right. N b. Continue on the present heading until the range is in line, then alter course to the left. N c. Immediately alter course to the right to bring the range in line. N d. Immediately alter course to 309°T to bring the range in line. 1063: When adjusting a magnetic compass using the fore-and-aft permanent magnets, you should __________.
N a. use the magnets one at a time, putting one in one side and then one on the opposite side, one step higher. N b. use the magnets in pairs, starting at the top, with trays at the highest point of travel Y c. use the magnets in pairs, from the bottom up, with the trays at the lowest point of travel N d. fill all the trays with magnets, then remove them one-by-one until the deviation is removed 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. 1166: A series of brief showers accompanied by strong, shifting winds may occur along or some distance ahead of a(n) __________.
N a. upper front aloft N b. cyclone N c. occluded front Y d. cold front 1239: While taking weather observations, you determine that the wind is blowing from the northeast. You would record the wind direction in the weather log as __________.
Y a. 045° N b. 090° N c. 135° N d. 225° 1261: A light having characteristics which include color variations is defined as __________.
N a. switching Y b. alternating N c. oscillating N d. fluctuating 1470: The Illustration shows the symbols used on radio facsimile weather charts. Which symbol indicates a hurricane? (D042NG )
N a. M N b. I N c. L Y d. K 1541: You are preparing a weather report form, WS Form B-80. Your position is LAT 49°35'N, LONG 162°49'E. How would this be encoded? (D041NG )
Y a. 99496, 11628 N b. 94935, 96249 N c. L4935, 16249 N d. L496N, 1628E 1560: Under the IALA-A and B Buoyage Systems, a buoy with alternating red and white vertical stripes indicates __________.
Y a. that there is navigable water all around N b. an isolated danger exists N c. that the preferred channel is to port N d. that the preferred channel is to starboard 1570: The navigational triangle uses parts of two systems of coordinates, one of which is the horizon system and the other is the __________.
N a. terrestrial system N b. astronautical system Y c. celestial equator system N d. ecliptic system 1587: In general, the most effective period for observing stars and planets occurs during the darker limit of __________.
N a. sunset Y b. civil twilight N c. nautical twilight N d. astronomical twilight 1632: Lighted white and orange buoys must show which color light?
N a. Orange N b. Red Y c. White N d. Alternating yellow and white 1727: What enables you to estimate the bearing of a storm's center?
Y a. Buys Ballot's Law N b. An educated guess N c. Pascal's Law N d. The left-hand rule 1731: When your vessel is on or near the path of an approaching tropical storm the __________.
N a. wind direction remains steady N b. wind speed increases N c. barometer falls Y d. All of the above 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 1781: While in port, you can follow the approach of a dangerous cyclonic storm by inspecting __________.
N a. the sky overhead N b. the National Weather Service Observing Handbook No.1, Marine Surface Observations N c. the Coast Pilot or Sailing Directions Y d. a weather map 1784: If your vessel were proceeding down river (descending), a green square marker with a green reflector border on the right bank would be a __________.
N a. mile board N b. dredging mark Y c. passing daymark N d. crossing daymark 1816: A white buoy with an orange circle marked on it indicates __________.
N a. danger N b. vessels are excluded from the area N c. a mooring buoy Y d. operating restrictions are in effect 1884: If a sound signal is emitted from the oscillator of a fathometer, and two seconds elapse before the returning signal is picked up, what depth of water is indicated?
N a. 1648 fathoms N b. 1248 fathoms N c. 1048 fathoms Y d. 824 fathoms 2019: At evening stars, the last stars that should be observed are those with an azimuth in what quadrant?
N a. Southern Y b. Western N c. Northern N d. Eastern 2131: The white lights in a vertical line on a multiple-span bridge indicate __________.
Y a. the main channel N b. the draw span is inoperable N c. the river is obstructed under that span N d. scaffolding under the span is reducing the vertical clearance 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 2446: What is the equivalent of 47 min. 20 sec. in arc units?
N a. 8°27' Y b. 11°50' N c. 13°42' N d. 13°56' 2479: The equation of time measures the __________.
N a. difference between local apparent time and Greenwich apparent time N b. longitude in time units N c. difference between sidereal time and local time at the Greenwich meridian Y d. time between the passage of the mean sun and the apparent sun over a meridian 2499: The "head of the bend" is the __________.
Y a. top or upstream beginning of a bend N b. bottom or downstream beginning of a bend N c. midpoint or center radius of a bend N d. center line or apex of a bend 2508: Normal pool elevation is the height in feet of the section of river above a dam. This height is measured from __________.
N a. low steel on the Huey P. Long Bridge Y b. mean sea level N c. the local water table N d. the minimum dam control level 2610: A line on the Earth parallel to the equator is a __________.
N a. gnomonic curve Y b. small circle N c. meridian N d. great circle 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 2750: When pushing a tow and approaching barges tied off to the shore, you should __________.
N a. increase speed so you will pass faster Y b. decrease speed while passing so you won't create a suction N c. do nothing different as the barges should be tied off properly N d. move to the opposite side of the channel from the barges and increase speed 2790: A towboat has the same draft as the barges it is pushing ahead. If the distance from the stern of the towboat to the head of the tow is 800 feet, where is the approximate location of the pivot point of the unit?
N a. At the head of the tow Y b. 250 feet from the head of the tow N c. 400 feet from the head of the tow N d. 600 feet from the head of the tow 2809: The diurnal variation of pressure is not visible in the middle latitudes in winter because __________.
Y a. it is masked by the pressure changes of moving weather systems N b. the decreased gravitational effect from the sun causes the variation to fade N c. the decreased average temperature is less than the critical temperature N d. the increased Coriolis force disperses the pressure variation 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 2979: You take a bearing of 356° of a lighthouse. What bearing of another object would give the best fix?
N a. 013° Y b. 082° N c. 176° N d. 201° 3089: As a licensed Merchant Marine Officer you are expected to __________.
N a. obtain a weather forecast before setting out from port N b. listen to weather forecasts on the radio while enroute N c. understand all broadcast weather warning information Y d. All of the above