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.


6: Wind velocity varies __________.


111: Green lights may appear on __________.


118: What describes an accurate position that is NOT based on any prior position?


349: The direction of the southeast trade winds is a result of the __________.

    N a. equatorial current
    N b. humidity
    Y c. rotation of the earth
    N d. change of seasons

365: The Sun at a maximum declination north would be approximately at __________.

    Y a. aphelion
    N b. perihelion
    N c. autumnal equinox
    N d. first point of Aries

396: Your vessel is on course 150°T, speed 17 knots. The apparent wind is from 40° off the starboard bow, speed 15 knots. What is the speed of the true wind?

    N a. 9.0 knots
    N b. 10.2 knots
    Y c. 11.0 knots
    N d. 12.0 knots

482: Which statement about a gnomonic chart is correct?

    N a. A rhumb line appears as a straight line.
    N b. Distance is measured at the mid-latitude of the track line.
    N c. Meridians appear as curved lines converging toward the nearer pole.
    Y d. Parallels, except the equator, appear as curved lines.

502: A gnomonic projection is based on a(n) __________.

    Y a. plane tangent at one point
    N b. cylinder tangent at the equator
    N c. cone tangent at one parallel
    N d. infinite series of cones tangent at selected parallels

601: White and orange buoys, if lighted, show which color light?

    Y a. White
    N b. Orange
    N c. Red
    N d. Alternating yellow and white

609: A tropical wave is located 200 miles due west of your position, which is north of the equator. Where will the wave be in 24 hours?

    Y a. Farther away to the west
    N b. Farther away to the east
    N c. In the same place
    N d. Closer and to the west

716: Standard atmospheric pressure in inches of mercury is __________.

    N a. 30.00
    N b. 28.92
    Y c. 29.92
    N d. 29.00

742: You are preparing to take a tow from San Diego to Portland, OR. Good seamanship would require that you have on board, available for reference and use, all of the following EXCEPT the __________.

    N a. Coast Pilot
    N b. harbor and coastal charts for ports of refuge enroute
    Y c. Sailing Directions (Enroute)
    N d. Light List

751: Under the IALA Buoyage Systems, a yellow buoy may mark __________.

    N a. fish net areas
    N b. spoil areas
    N c. military exercise zones
    Y d. All of the above

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

772: You are hove to in a hurricane on a heading of 328°T. The wind is from 030° true at 119 knots. How should this be encoded on the weather report form under Nddff. (D041NG )

    N a. 80312
    N b. 83011
    N c. 83099
    Y d. 80399

806: Temperature and moisture characteristics are modified in a warm or cold air mass due to __________.

    N a. pressure changes in the air mass
    Y b. movement of the air mass
    N c. the heterogeneous nature of the air mass
    N d. upper level atmospheric changes

809: The compass rose on a nautical chart indicates both variation and __________.

    N a. deviation
    Y b. annual rate of variation change
    N c. precession
    N d. compass error

833: The magnetic compass magnets are acted on by the horizontal component of the Earth's total magnetic force. This magnetic force is GREATEST at the __________.

    N a. north magnetic pole
    N b. south magnetic pole
    N c. magnetic prime vertical meridian
    Y d. magnetic equator

870: Vessels should maintain a sharp lookout, especially during December through March, when navigating the right whale's only known calving grounds which lie off the coasts of __________.

    N a. Nova Scotia
    N b. Maine and Massachusetts
    Y c. Georgia and NE Florida
    N d. California and Mexico

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

943: You should plot your dead reckoning position __________.

    N a. when you obtain an estimated position
    N b. ONLY in piloting waters
    Y c. at every speed change
    N d. All of the above are correct.

966: Most high pressure areas in the United States are accompanied by __________.

    N a. precipitation
    Y b. clear, cool weather
    N c. humid, sticky weather
    N d. cool fogs

991: You are underway in the North Sea on course 328°T when you sight a buoy broad on your port bow. You are in the best navigable water if the buoy __________.

    N a. has a topmark of two cones with points down
    N b. is a western quadrant buoy
    N c. is painted yellow on the top half and black on the bottom
    Y d. exhibits a light with the characteristic of VQ(3)5s

1047: Which is NOT a contributing cause of ocean currents?

    N a. Surface winds
    N b. Density differences in the water
    N c. Underwater topography
    Y d. Gravitational effects of celestial bodies

1061: In waters where the cardinal system is used you would expect to find danger __________.

    N a. lying to the south of an eastern quadrant buoy
    Y b. lying to the south of a northern quadrant buoy
    N c. lying to the east of an eastern quadrant buoy
    N d. beneath or directly adjacent to the buoy

1103: The vertical component of the Earth's magnetic field causes induced magnetism in vertical soft iron. This changes with latitude. What corrects for this coefficient of the deviation?

    Y a. The Flinders bar
    N b. The heeling magnet
    N c. Quadrantal soft iron spheres
    N d. Bar magnets in the binnacle

1137: When the declination of the Moon is 0°12.5'S, you can expect some tidal currents in Gulf Coast ports to __________.

    Y a. become weak and variable
    N b. exceed the predicted velocities
    N c. become reversing currents
    N d. have either a double ebb or a double flood

1161: What is characteristic of an occulting light?

    N a. 1 sec. flash, 2 sec. eclipse, 1 sec. flash, 5 sec. eclipse
    N b. 5 sec. flash, 5 sec. eclipse
    Y c. 4 sec. flash, 2 sec. eclipse, 3 sec. flash, 2 sec. eclipse
    N d. 6 sec. flash, 6 sec. eclipse

1366: Clouds appearing in the following order: cirrus, cirrostratus, altostratus, stratus, and nimbostratus usually indicate the approach of a(n) __________.

    Y a. warm front
    N b. occluded front
    N c. medium front
    N d. cold front

1456: The fog produced by warm moist air passing over a cold surface is called __________.

    N a. conduction fog
    N b. radiation fog
    N c. frontal fog
    Y d. advection fog

1618: The Light List indicates that a light has a nominal range of 14 miles and is 26 feet high. If the visibility is 4 miles and your height of eye is 20 feet, at what approximate distance will you sight the light?

    Y a. 7.5 miles
    N b. 9.6 miles
    N c. 11.2 miles
    N d. 14.0 miles

1623: Which of the following statements is FALSE?

    N a. An anemometer measures wind speed.
    N b. A barometer measures atmospheric pressure.
    N c. A thermometer measures temperature.
    Y d. A psychrometer measures wind pressure.

1633: To find a magnetic compass course from a true course you must apply __________.

    Y a. deviation and variation
    N b. deviation
    N c. variation
    N d. magnetic anomalies (local disturbances)

1635: An isotherm is __________.

    N a. a line on a weather map connecting equal points of both temperature and pressure
    N b. an instrument that measures the climatological effects of temperature
    N c. a line connecting points of equal barometric pressure on a weather map
    Y d. a line connecting points of equal temperature on a weather map

1651: From which type of cloud can a tornado or waterspout develop?

    N a. Nimbostratus
    N b. Altostratus
    Y c. Cumulonimbus
    N d. Cirrus

1677: The position labeled "E" was plotted because __________. (D051NG )

    N a. a dead reckoning position is plotted within a half-hour of each course change
    Y b. a dead reckoning position is plotted for each speed change
    N c. the position is a running fix 1125
    N d. the vessel's position was fixed at 1145

1718: A hurricane is characterized by winds of __________.

    N a. up to 33 knots
    N b. 34 to 47 knots
    N c. 48 to 63 knots
    Y d. 64 knots or greater

1860: A vessel heading WSW is on a course of __________.

    N a. 202.5°
    N b. 225.0°
    Y c. 247.5°
    N d. 271.0°

1922: In the North Sea area, you sight a buoy showing a quick white light with 9 flashes every 15 seconds. Which of the four topmarks shown would be fitted to the buoy? (D030NG )

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

1924: The point on the celestial sphere that is directly below an observer is the __________.

    N a. pole
    Y b. nadir
    N c. node
    N d. zenith

1952: The Moon is subject to four types of libration. Which of the following is NOT one of these types of libration?

    N a. Libration in longitude
    Y b. Geocentric libration
    N c. Diurnal libration
    N d. Physical libration

1974: Ocean currents are well defined and __________.

    N a. create large waves in the direction of the current
    N b. change direction 360° during a 24 hour period
    Y c. remain fairly constant in direction and velocity throughout the year
    N d. are characterized by a light green color

2092: Descending boats, while awaiting their turn to enter a lock, shall NOT block traffic from the lock. They shall be above the lock by at LEAST __________.

    N a. 100 feet
    N b. 200 feet
    N c. 300 feet
    Y d. 400 feet

2102: 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?

    N a. 21214
    Y b. 11314
    N c. 14313
    N d. 14114

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)

2345: You should plot your dead reckoning position __________.

    N a. from every estimated position
    N b. every three minutes in pilotage waters
    N c. only in pilotage waters
    Y d. from every fix or running fix

2361: The range of tide is the __________.

    N a. maximum depth of the water at high tide
    N b. duration of time between high and low tide
    N c. distance the tide moves out from the shore
    Y d. difference between the heights of high and low tide

2387: You are on a voyage from New Orleans to Boston and navigating off the Florida coast. You will get the greatest benefit from the Gulf Stream if you navigate __________.

    N a. about 5 miles east of Cape Canaveral
    N b. about 15 miles east of Daytona
    N c. along the 50-fathom curve
    Y d. about 20 miles east of Jupiter Inlet

2438: The radar control that reduces weak echoes out to a limited distance from the ship is the __________.

    Y a. sensitivity time control (sea-clutter control)
    N b. receiver gain control
    N c. brilliance control
    N d. fast time constant (differentiator)

2450: You are on course 180°T and take a relative bearing of a lighthouse of 225°. What is the true bearing of the lighthouse?

    Y a. 045°
    N b. 135°
    N c. 180°
    N d. 270°

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

2522: The letter H in illustration D006NG represents the __________. (D006NG )

    N a. celestial horizon
    N b. geoidal horizon
    Y c. visible horizon
    N d. refractive horizon

2639: Under the U.S. Aids to Navigation System used on the Western Rivers, aids to navigation lights on the right descending bank show __________.

    Y a. white or green lights
    N b. white or red lights
    N c. green lights only
    N d. white lights only

2740: When one upbound vessel is overtaking another vessel and both are pushing a tow ahead, what reaction may you expect?

    N a. Both towheads will tend to drift apart, and the overtaking vessel will be slowed down.
    N b. Both towheads will tend to drift together, and the overtaking vessel will be slowed down.
    Y c. Both towheads will tend to drift apart, and the overtaken vessel will be slowed down.
    N d. Both towheads will tend to drift together, and the overtaken vessel will be slowed down.

2752: A daymark used to indicate the safe water in a channel will have which of the shapes shown? (D045NG )

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

2896: You are navigating in pilotage waters. The maximum time between fixes should be about __________.

    N a. 5 minutes
    Y b. 30 minutes
    N c. 1 hour
    N d. 4 hours

2936: Information on search and rescue procedures and special, local communications used in Mexican waters will be found in the __________.

    N a. World Port Index
    N b. International Code of Signals (Pub 102)
    Y c. Sailing Directions (Planning Guides)
    N d. International Aeronautical and Maritime Search and Rescue Manual

3076: An ECDIS is required to display which information?

    N a. Radar targets
    N b. ARPA vectors
    Y c. Hydrographic data
    N d. All of the above

3080: Which feature, when set to zero, might allow a GPS unit to have an accuracy equivalent to Precise Positioning Service receiver capability?

    N a. Transit
    Y b. Selective Availability
    N c. Auto-correlation
    N d. Anti-spoofing

3082: Which type of GPS receiver has at least four channels to process information from several satellites simultaneously?

    N a. Sequential
    Y b. Continuous
    N c. Multiplex
    N d. None of the above