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.
58: You should plot your dead reckoning position __________.
N a. at every course change N b. hourly N c. at every speed change Y d. All of the above are correct. 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 108: A position that is obtained by using two or more intersecting lines of position taken at nearly the same time, is a(n) __________.
N a. dead-reckoning position N b. estimated position Y c. fix N d. running fix 130: The distance between the surface of the water and the tidal datum is the __________.
N a. range of tide Y b. height of tide N c. charted depth N d. actual water depth 134: The recording fathometer produces a graphic record of the __________.
N a. bottom contour only up to depths of 100 fathoms Y b. depth underneath the keel against a time base N c. contour of the bottom against a distance base N d. depth of water against a distance base 188: Off Barnegat, NJ, with the wind coming out of the east, the wind-driven current will be flowing approximately __________.
N a. 286° Y b. 254° N c. 106° N d. 016° 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 308: The wind at Frying Pan shoals has been west-northwesterly at an average velocity of 40 knots. The predicted set and drift of the rotary current are 323° at 0.6 knot. What current should you expect?
N a. 001° at 0.7 knot Y b. 018° at 0.4 knot N c. 052° at 0.6 knot N d. 089° at 0.9 knot 329: The symbols shown are used on radio facsimile weather charts. Which symbol indicates a weather boundary? (D042NG )
N a. I N b. H N c. G Y d. F 344: A marine sextant has the index arm set at zero and the reflected image of the horizon forms a continuous line with the actual image. When the sextant is rotated about the line of sight the images separate. The sextant has __________.
N a. error of perpendicularity Y b. side error N c. prismatic error N d. centering error 362: Which statement about a simple conic chart projection is TRUE?
N a. It is an equal-area projection. N b. It is a conformal projection. N c. Meridians appear as curved lines. Y d. The scale is correct along any meridian. 400: Information about the currents for the Pacific Coast of the U. S. are found in the __________.
N a. Ocean Current Tables N b. Nautical Almanac N c. Tide Tables Y d. Tidal Current Tables 429: A great circle crosses the equator at 127°W. It will also cross the equator at what other longitude?
N a. 127°E Y b. 53°E N c. 27°E N d. 27°W 468: Which of the symbols shown represents a cold front? (D018NG )
N a. A Y b. B N c. C N d. D 555: The letter D shown represents the __________. (D006NG )
N a. geoidal horizon N b. celestial horizon N c. visible horizon Y d. geometrical horizon 721: Under the IALA Buoyage System, a red and white vertically-striped buoy would NOT indicate __________.
N a. a landfall Y b. the extreme end of an islet N c. a mid-channel N d. a center line 779: Which sextant shown has an index error of 0'20" on the arc? (D050NG )
N a. A N b. B Y c. C N d. D 814: Steam smoke will occur when __________.
Y a. extremely cold air from shore passes over warmer water N b. warm dry air from shore passes over cooler water N c. cold ocean water evaporates into warm air N d. cool rain passes through a warm air mass 863: The compass heading of a vessel differs from the true heading by __________.
Y a. compass error N b. variation N c. magnetic dip N d. deviation 917: As the South Equatorial Current approaches the east coast of Africa, it divides with the main part flowing south to form the warm __________.
Y a. Agulhas Current N b. Canary Current N c. Benguela Current N d. Madagascar Current 941: While preparing to enter a Brazilian port, you see ahead a red and green horizontally-striped buoy. The upper band is red. What action should you take?
N a. Alter course to leave the buoy to port. Y b. Alter course to leave the buoy to starboard. N c. Pass the buoy close aboard on either side. N d. Pass the buoy well clear on either side. 1038: You are preparing a weather report form, WS Form B-80. The dry bulb thermometer reads 54°F, and the wet bulb thermometer reads 50°F. How would you encode the air temperature groups in the report? (D041NG )
N a. 1054/, 2050/ Y b. 10122, 2008/ N c. 1054/, 2047/ N d. 054//, 047// 1041: You are steaming along the coast of Ireland in the Irish Sea. You sight a lighted buoy with a white flashing light showing a group of two flashes. The buoy indicates you __________.
N a. must pass south of the buoy N b. must pass north of the buoy Y c. should pass well clear on either side of the buoy N d. must pass the buoy close to starboard 1179: Which type of cloud is indicated by the number 3? (DO39NG )
Y a. Cirrocumulus N b. Altocumulus N c. Nimbostratus N d. Cumulus 1199: The Sailing Directions (Enroute) contain information on __________.
N a. well-charted inner dangers N b. port facilities Y c. coastal anchorages N d. offshore traffic separation schemes 1205: How is the annual rate of change for magnetic variation shown on a pilot chart?
Y a. Gray lines on the uppermost inset chart N b. Red lines on the main body of the chart N c. In parenthesis on the lines of equal magnetic variation N d. Annual rate of change is not shown. 1233: Deviation is the angle between the __________.
N a. true meridian and the axis of the compass card N b. true meridian and the magnetic meridian Y c. magnetic meridian and the axis of the compass card N d. axis of the compass card and the degaussing meridian 1278: The difference between the heights of low and high tide is the __________.
N a. depth N b. distance Y c. range N d. period 1354: A ship is in longitude 54°00'W on a true course of 090°. The ship's clocks are on the proper time zone. At what longitude should the clocks be changed to maintain the proper zone time?
N a. 45°00'W Y b. 52°30'W N c. 60°00'W N d. 67°30'W 1488: What defines a great circle?
N a. A curved line drawn on a Mercator Chart N b. A course line that inscribes a loxodromic curve Y c. The shortest distance between any two points on the earth N d. The smallest circle that can be drawn on the face of a sphere 1519: You are preparing a weather report form, WS Form B-80. Your position is LAT 10°38'S, LONG 00°14'E. How would this be encoded? (D041NG )
N a. LAT 10.6°S, LONG 00.2°E N b. L106S, 30002 N c. 10385, 0014E Y d. 99106, 30002 1583: The angle measured from the observer's meridian, clockwise or counterclockwise up to 180°, to the vertical circle of the body is the __________.
N a. local hour angle Y b. azimuth angle N c. meridian angle N d. observer's longitude 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 1653: In a weather report, the term "visibility" expresses __________.
N a. how far you can see with the "naked eye" N b. how far you can see with a telescope or binoculars N c. how well you can identify an object at night Y d. the distance in miles at which prominent objects are identifiable 1720: In the Southern Hemisphere winds in a low pressure system rotate in a __________.
Y a. clockwise direction N b. northeasterly direction N c. northerly direction N d. counterclockwise direction 1721: A storm's track is characterized by all of the following except __________.
N a. the direction the storm has come from N b. the direction in which the storm is moving Y c. the speed at which the storm is moving N d. the path taken by the storm 1746: Swells that have outrun the storm are produced in the __________.
N a. left front quadrant Y b. right front quadrant N c. rear N d. directly ahead on the storms projected track 1824: The illustration represents a fixed C of E lock and dam. What navigational light(s) is(are) exhibited at the position indicated by the letter C in the illustration? (DO36NG )
N a. One red light N b. Two green lights Y c. Three green lights N d. No light 1883: Pressure gradient is a measure of __________.
N a. a high-pressure area Y b. pressure difference over horizontal distance N c. pressure difference over time N d. vertical pressure variation 1899: What is the relative bearing of an object broad on the starboard beam?
N a. 045° N b. 060° N c. 075° Y d. 090° 1909: In the horizon system of coordinates what is equivalent to the equator on the Earth?
N a. Prime vertical circle N b. Principal vertical circle N c. Parallels of altitude Y d. Horizon 1970: The azimuth angle of a sun sight is always measured from the __________.
N a. Greenwich meridian N b. prime vertical circle Y c. principal vertical circle N d. first point of Aries 2021: While on watch, you notice that the air temperature is dropping and is approaching the dew point. Which type of weather should be forecasted?
N a. Hail N b. Heavy rain N c. Sleet Y d. Fog 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 2160: Information for updating nautical charts is primarily found in the __________.
Y a. Notice to Mariners N b. Coast Pilots N c. nautical chart catalogs N d. Sailing Directions 2165: 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 B if the lock walls and piers are not awash? (D037NG )
Y a. Three red lights N b. Two red lights N c. One red light N d. One amber light 2262: The Milky Way is an example of a __________.
N a. cluster Y b. galaxy N c. nova N d. nebula 2278: Superior conjunction occurs when __________.
N a. the Sun is at maximum declination north or south N b. a planet crosses the external plane of the ecliptic Y c. the Sun is between the Earth and a planet N d. two planets are in line 2289: The constellation that contains the pointer stars is __________.
N a. Orion Y b. Ursa Major N c. the Southern Cross N d. Pegasus 2589: Under the IALA cardinal system, a mark with a quick white light showing 6 flashes followed by one long flash indicates that the safest water is on the __________.
N a. north side of the mark N b. west side of the mark N c. east side of the mark Y d. south side of the mark 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 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 2686: The standard time meridian for description +12 is __________.
N a. 172.5°E Y b. 180.0° N c. 172.5°W N d. 165.0°W 2802: The pictures shown represent the geographic location of a vessel and the radar presentation at the same time. Which statement is TRUE? (D011NG )
N a. Ship No. 1 does not paint as an individual target due to the effect of pulse length. Y b. The small island is not detected due to shadow effect of the mountain. N c. A target bearing of the headland to the south-southeast is corrected by adding one-half of the beam width. N d. Ship No. 2 is not detected due to the reflective mass of the mountain overpowering the ship's reflective signals. 2889: On 29 June 1981 you observe a back sight of the upper limb of the Moon. The sextant altitude (hs) is 114°16.9'. The height of eye is 36 feet, and the index error is 2.0' off the arc. The horizontal parallax is 60.5'. What is the observed altitude (Ho)?
N a. 66°23.8' N b. 66°04.4' N c. 66°00.4' Y d. 65°53.8' 2900: Who should be consulted for changing conditions of controlling depths in major channels?
N a. U.S. Coast Guard N b. National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency N c. National Ocean Service Y d. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 2923: You should plot your dead reckoning position __________.
N a. from every estimated position Y b. from every fix or running fix N c. every three minutes in pilotage waters N d. only in pilotage waters 2988: The buoy indicated by the letter A is a __________. (D044NG )
N a. nun Y b. can N c. spar N d. pillar 3009: "Proceeding from seaward" for the purpose of the direction of buoying offshore, lateral system buoys would be proceeding __________.
N a. northerly on the Atlantic Coast N b. easterly on the Gulf Coast Y c. northerly on the Pacific Coast N d. None of the above 3041: The letter H in illustration D006NG represents the __________.
N a. refractive horizon N b. geoidal horizon N c. celestial horizon Y d. visible horizon