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.
7: The period at high or low tide during which there is no change in the height of the water is called the __________.
N a. range of the tide N b. plane of the tide Y c. stand of the tide N d. reversing of the tide 52: The reference datum used in determining the heights of land features on most charts is __________.
N a. mean sea level Y b. mean high water N c. mean low water N d. half-tide level 90: When the moon is new or full, which type of tides occur?
N a. Neap Y b. Spring N c. Diurnal N d. Apogean 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 149: You are underway on course 050°T and your maximum speed is 13 knots. The eye of a hurricane bears 100°T, 120 miles from your position. The hurricane is moving towards 275°T at 25 knots. What course should you steer at 13 knots to have the maximum CPA?
N a. 339° Y b. 333° N c. 326° N d. 320° 166: On the pole side of the high pressure belt in each hemisphere, the pressure diminishes. The winds along these gradients are diverted by the Earth's rotation toward the east and are known as the __________.
N a. geostrophic winds N b. doldrums N c. horse latitudes Y d. prevailing westerlies 239: As you enter a channel from seaward in a U.S. port, the numbers on the starboard side buoys __________.
N a. decrease and the buoys are black N b. increase and the buoys are green N c. decrease and the buoys are red Y d. increase and the buoys are red 313: The Loran-C receiver __________.
N a. is not affected by interference N b. can be used at any distance with accuracy Y c. can be affected by interference N d. is reliable only from sunrise to sunset 355: During the month of October the Sun's declination is __________.
N a. north and increasing N b. north and decreasing Y c. south and increasing N d. south and decreasing 407: What would be the height of the tide at Crisfield, MD, at 0310 DST (ZD +4) on 6 May 1983?
N a. 0.1 foot Y b. 0.5 foot N c. 1.1 feet N d. 1.6 feet 445: The values of the Greenwich hour angle and declination, tabulated in all almanacs, are for the __________.
N a. upper limb of a celestial body N b. lower limb of a celestial body Y c. centers of the various celestial bodies N d. lower limb of the Sun and Moon; center of the stars and planets 464: Prior to reading an aneroid barometer, you should tap the face lightly with your finger to __________.
N a. expose any loose connections N b. demagnetize the metal elements Y c. bring the pointer to its true position N d. contract and expand the glass face 522: All straight lines represent great circle tracks on a chart based on a(n) __________.
N a. Mercator projection N b. polyconic projection N c. orthographic projection Y d. gnomonic projection 536: You are enroute from Puerto Rico to New York. A hurricane makes up and is approaching. If the wind veers steadily, this indicates that your vessel is __________.
Y a. in the dangerous semicircle N b. in the navigable semicircle N c. directly in the path of the storm N d. in the storm center 565: The letter B as shown represents the __________. (D006NG )
Y a. geoidal horizon N b. celestial horizon N c. visible horizon N d. sensible horizon 582: Distance along a track line is measured on a Mercator chart by using the __________.
Y a. latitude scale near the middle of the track line N b. longitude scale near the middle of the track line N c. latitude scale at the mid-latitude of the chart N d. latitude or longitude scale at the middle of the scale 622: The scale of a Mercator projection is 4 inches equals 1°LONG. What is the expansion in inches between the 60th and 61st parallels?
Y a. 8.11 inches N b. 7.70 inches N c. 7.48 inches N d. 6.98 inches 635: A low HDOP (Horizontal Dilution of Precision) number such as 2 indicates a __________.
N a. poor fix Y b. good fix N c. poor signal quality N d. good signal quality 829: You are plotting a running fix in an area where there is a determinable current. How should this current be treated in determining the position?
N a. The drift should be added to the ship's speed. N b. The set should be applied to the second bearing. N c. The current should be ignored. Y d. The course and speed made good should be determined and used to advance the LOP. 832: What is the most important source of information to be used in correcting charts and keeping them up to date?
N a. Fleet Guides Y b. Notice to Mariners N c. Sailing Directions N d. Pilot Charts 835: When taking stars, those bodies to the east and west will __________.
Y a. change altitude rapidly N b. change altitude slowly N c. remain in an almost fixed position N d. appear to be moving in the plane of the horizon 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 972: In which source could you find the number of a chart for a certain geographic area?
N a. Chart No. 1 Y b. Catalog of Charts N c. American Practical Navigator N d. U.S. Coast Guard Light List 984: The bases of middle clouds are located at altitudes of between __________.
N a. 3,000 to 6,500 feet (914 to 1981 meters) Y b. 6,500 to 20,000 feet (1981 to 6096 meters) N c. 10,000 to 35,000 feet (3048 to 10,668 meters) N d. 20,000 to 60,000 feet (6096 to 18,288 meters) 1105: The Light List shows that a navigational light has a nominal range of 22 miles and a height above water of 48 feet (14.6 meters). Your height of eye is 35 feet (10.7 meters) and the visibility is 20.0 miles. At what approximate range will you first sight the light?
N a. 10.5 nm N b. 13.2 nm Y c. 14.7 nm N d. 32.0 nm 1215: Daylight savings time is a form of zone time that adopts the time __________.
N a. two zones to the east N b. two zones to the west Y c. one zone to the east N d. one zone to the west 1228: "An electronic or electric device that indicates the rate of turn of a vessel," defines a/an _____________ .
N a. magnetic compass N b. gyro-compass Y c. swing meter N d. odometer 1236: After the passage of a cold front the visibility_______. _
N a. does not change Y b. improves rapidly N c. improves only slightly N d. becomes poor 1370: Which type of cloud is indicated by the number 8? (D039NG )
N a. Cumulonimbus N b. Altostratus N c. Cirrostratus Y d. Nimbostratus 1400: Which type of cloud is among the most dependable for giving an indication of an approaching weather system?
N a. Cumulus Y b. Altostratus N c. Cumulostratus N d. Nimbus 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 1417: Determine the first time after 1200 EST (ZD +5) when the velocity of the current will be 0.5 knot on 18 November 1983, at Marcus Hook, PA.
N a. 1221 N b. 1226 Y c. 1239 N d. 1312 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 1624: A psychrometer has two thermometers that provide dry bulb and wet bulb temperatures. By comparing these two temperature readings with a set of tables you can determine the __________.
N a. atmospheric pressure N b. wind speed Y c. relative humidity and dew point N d. wind chill factor 1700: Generally speaking, you should expect to find low atmospheric pressure prevailing in the earth's __________.
Y a. equatorial area N b. polar regions N c. mid-latitudes N d. All of the above 1729: The first cloud formations you can use to indicate the bearing of the center of a hurricane or tropical storm are __________.
Y a. the point of convergence of the cirrus clouds N b. the direction of movement of thunderstorms on radar N c. the darkest point of the clouds in the "bar" of the storm N d. the point of origin of the altostratus clouds 1739: Which condition indicates that you are in a hurricane's dangerous semicircle in the Northern hemisphere?
N a. A backing wind Y b. A veering wind N c. A norther N d. A strong, gusty wind 1775: The letter A in illustration D006NG represents the __________.
N a. celestial horizon N b. geoidal horizon Y c. sensible horizon N d. visible horizon 1783: You can follow the approach of a dangerous cyclonic storm by inspecting __________.
N a. the National Weather Service Observing Handbook No.1, Marine Surface Observations Y b. a weather fax N c. the Coast Pilot or Sailing Directions N d. the sky overhead 1802: What is the major advantage of high altitude observations?
N a. Errors due to unusual parallax are eliminated. Y b. The same body can be used for a fix from observations separated by several minutes. N c. The declination is the only information needed from the almanac. N d. The semidiameter correction of the sextant altitude is eliminated. 1870: A vessel heading SW is on a course of __________.
N a. 202.5° Y b. 225.0° N c. 247.5° N d. 270.0° 2010: A vessel heading ESE is on a course of __________.
Y a. 112.5° N b. 135.0° N c. 157.5° N d. 180.0° 2053: When outbound from a U.S. port, a buoy displaying a flashing red light indicates __________.
N a. a sharp turn in the channel to the right Y b. the port side of the channel N c. a junction with the preferred channel to the left N d. a wreck to be left on the vessel's starboard side 2079: Permission to enter the riverward chamber of twin locks is given by the lockmaster and consists of which sound signal?
N a. One short blast N b. Two short blasts N c. One long blast Y d. Two long blasts 2144: Yesterday your chronometer read 02h 59m 58s at the 1500 GMT time tick. Today the chronometer reads 03h 00m 02s at the 1500 GMT time tick. What is the chronometer error?
Y a. 02s fast N b. 03h 00m 02s fast N c. +3s N d. -3s 2238: A vessel is heading magnetic northwest and its magnetic compass indicates a heading of 312°. What action should be taken to remove this error during compass adjustment?
N a. If the quadrantal spheres are all of the way out replace them with larger spheres. N b. If the quadrantal spheres are all of the way in replace them with larger spheres. Y c. If the quadrantal spheres are all of the way in, move the spheres out. N d. If the quadrantal spheres are all of the way out, move the spheres in. 2316: Elongation becomes zero at __________.
N a. opposition N b. west quadrature N c. apogee Y d. inferior conjunction 2330: You are heading in a northerly direction when you come across an easterly current. Your vessel will __________.
Y a. be pushed to starboard N b. be pushed to port N c. decrease in engine speed N d. remain on course 2386: The path that the Sun appears to take among the stars is the __________.
N a. zodiac N b. Tropic of Cancer in the Northern Hemisphere Y c. ecliptic N d. line of apsides 2484: What is the equivalent of 1°53' in time units?
N a. 3 min. 16 sec. N b. 5 min. 28 sec. N c. 6 min. 43 sec. Y d. 7 min. 32 sec. 2583: You are in the Northern Hemisphere and a tropical wave is located 200 miles due west of your position. Where will the wave be located 24 hours later?
N a. In the same place N b. Closer and to the west N c. Closer and to the east Y d. Farther away to the west 2584: You must construct a Mercator plotting sheet on a piece of paper measuring 30" by 36". The area includes latitude 30°45'S to 37°15'S and longitude 004°00'E to 005°00'W. Allow a one inch neat line on all sides. What is the maximum distance between each degree of longitude that will permit the area of the plotting sheet to be drawn within the stated limitation?
N a. 3.09 inches N b. 3.22 inches N c. 3.41 inches Y d. 3.58 inches 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 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 2656: What is the equivalent of 0 min. 16 sec. in arc units?
N a. 0°32' N b. 0°16' Y c. 0°04' N d. 0°01' 2719: Under the U.S. Aids to Navigation System on the Western Rivers, passing daymarks on the right descending bank are __________.
N a. red diamond-shaped panels with red reflector borders N b. red triangular-shaped panels with red reflector borders Y c. green square-shaped panels with green reflector borders N d. green triangular-shaped panels with green reflector borders 2836: The correction tables in the front of the Nautical Almanac for use with sun sights do NOT include the effects of __________.
N a. mean refraction N b. parallax N c. semidiameter Y d. irradiation 3101: The typical operating range of automatic identification systems (AIS) at sea is nominally __________.
N a. 2 nm N b. 8 nm Y c. 20 nm N d. 40 nm 3129: Which of the following statements is TRUE regarding automatic identification systems (AIS) ?
Y a. The master may, at his/her discretion, turn off the AIS if he/she believes that it may compromise the safety or security of the vessel. N b. Under no circumstances shall AIS be turned off while underway as this could endanger the vessel and those around her. N c. AIS is always required to be operating if the vessel is in or in the vicinity of a VTS area. N d. AIS is always required to be operating if the vessel is within 100 nautical miles of the coastline.