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.


17: "Stand" of the tide is that time when __________.


41: Mean high water is the reference plane used for __________.


46: What wind reverses directions seasonally?


162: A chart with a scale of 1:80,000 would fall into the category of a __________.

    N a. sailing chart
    N b. general chart
    Y c. coastal chart
    N d. harbor chart

203: In any Loran-C chain, there are three or more stations transmitting pulses which radiate in all directions. One of the stations is the master station, and the others in the chain are the __________.

    N a. radio stations
    Y b. secondary stations
    N c. monitor stations
    N d. pulse stations

254: The range of tide is the __________.

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

317: The time meridian used for tide computations in New York Harbor is __________.

    N a. 52°30'W
    N b. 60°00'W
    Y c. 75°00'W
    N d. 82°30'W

338: The illustration shows the symbols used on radio facsimile weather charts. The symbol indicated at letter "N" represents __________. (D042NG )

    N a. hail
    N b. freezing rain
    Y c. rain
    N d. snow

435: If an observer is at 35°N latitude, his zenith is __________.

    N a. 55°S of the celestial equator
    N b. at the north celestial pole
    Y c. 35°N of the celestial equator
    N d. 55°N of the celestial equator

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

542: The only cylindrical chart projection widely used for navigation is the __________.

    N a. Lambert conformal
    Y b. Mercator
    N c. azimuthal
    N d. gnomonic

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

712: Information about the pilotage available at Miami harbor may best be obtained from which publication?

    N a. World Port Index
    N b. Sailing Directions
    N c. Pilot Chart
    Y d. United States Coast Pilot

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

756: What is a common unit of measure for atmospheric pressure?

    N a. centimeters
    Y b. Inches
    N c. Degrees
    N d. Feet

797: Which statement is TRUE concerning the current of the Gulf Stream?

    N a. It reaches its daily maximum speed a few hours before the transit of the Moon.
    N b. It is slower at the time of neap tides than at spring tides.
    N c. When the Moon is at its maximum declination the stream is narrower than when the Moon is on the equator.
    Y d. Variations in the trade winds affect the current.

841: Under the IALA-A Buoyage system, a buoy marking the port hand of the channel when approaching from seaward may NOT have a __________.

    N a. red light
    Y b. conical shape
    N c. group-flashing light
    N d. square topmark

853: The standard magnetic compass heading differs from the true heading by __________.

    Y a. compass error
    N b. latitude
    N c. variation
    N d. deviation

859: At 1800 ZT on 31 October, your position is LAT 24°50'N, LONG 92°37'W. You are preparing a weather report form, WS Form B-80. How should you encode the first three groups after the call sign if you estimate the wind? (D041NG )

    N a. 31123, 99929, 70249
    N b. 31183, 99249, 79237
    N c. 31243, 99249, 70926
    Y d. 01003, 99248, 70926

900: An orange and white buoy with a rectangle on it is a(n) __________.

    Y a. informational buoy
    N b. junction buoy
    N c. safe water buoy
    N d. All of the above

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

951: In which country would you expect the channels to be marked with the IALA-B Buoyage System?

    N a. Poland
    N b. Morocco
    Y c. Peru
    N d. Saudi Arabia

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

1010: What is a characteristic of a rhumb line?

    N a. It is the shortest distance between two points on the Earth.
    N b. It plots as a straight line on a Lambert conformal chart.
    Y c. It cuts each meridian at the same angle.
    N d. The course angle constantly changes to form the loxodromic curve.

1027: In the Northern Hemisphere the major ocean currents tend to flow __________.

    Y a. clockwise around the North Atlantic and North Pacific Oceans
    N b. clockwise or counterclockwise depending on whether it is warm or cold current
    N c. counterclockwise except in the Gulf Stream
    N d. counterclockwise around the North Atlantic and North Pacific Oceans

1033: Deviation which is maximum on intercardinal compass headings may be removed by the __________.

    N a. Flinders bar
    N b. transverse magnets
    N c. fore-and-aft magnets
    Y d. soft iron spheres on the sides of the compass

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

1098: A chart position enclosed by a square is a(n) __________.

    N a. fix
    Y b. estimated position
    N c. dead reckoning position
    N d. running fix

1147: To make sure of getting the full advantage of a favorable current, you should reach an entrance or strait at which time in relation to the predicted time of the favorable current?

    N a. One hour after
    N b. At the predicted time
    Y c. 30 minutes before
    N d. 30 minutes before flood, one hour after an ebb

1242: Daymarks marking the starboard side of the channel when going towards the sea are __________.

    Y a. green squares
    N b. green triangles
    N c. red squares
    N d. red triangles

1280: A current perpendicular to a vessel's track has the greatest effect on the vessel's course made good __________.

    N a. at high vessel speeds
    Y b. at low vessel speeds
    N c. in shallow water
    N d. in deep water

1435: Inferior conjunction is possible for __________.

    N a. Mars
    Y b. Venus
    N c. Saturn
    N d. Jupiter

1509: Your facsimile prognostic chart indicates that you will cross the cold front of a low pressure system in about 24 hours. You should __________.

    N a. expect to see cirrus clouds followed by altostratus and nimbostratus clouds
    N b. alter course to remain in the navigable semicircle
    Y c. prepare for gusty winds, thunderstorms, and a sudden wind shift
    N d. expect clear weather, with steady winds and pressure, until the front passes

1590: Civil twilight starts at 1812 zone time on 26 August 1981, Your DR position at that time is LAT 21°06'S, LONG 14°56' W. Which statement concerning the planets available for evening sights is TRUE?

    N a. Mars will be near the prime vertical in the eastern sky.
    Y b. Venus may be identified from Saturn and Jupiter because it is the brightest.
    N c. Sights of Venus, Jupiter, and Saturn will yield a good three line fix.
    N d. A sight of either Jupiter, Saturn, or Venus will give a latitude line.

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

1772: The GP of a body for a high altitude sight is determined from the declination and the __________.

    Y a. Greenwich hour angle
    N b. azimuth
    N c. zenith distance
    N d. right ascension

1808: A white buoy with an open-faced orange diamond on it indicates __________.

    Y a. danger
    N b. vessels are excluded from the area
    N c. the buoy is a mooring buoy
    N d. operating restrictions are in effect

1920: Because the actual center of some planets may differ from the observed center, the navigator applies a correction known as the __________.

    Y a. phase correction
    N b. refraction correction
    N c. semidiameter correction
    N d. augmentation correction

1950: The error in a sextant altitude caused by refraction is greatest when the celestial body is __________.

    N a. high in the sky
    Y b. near the horizon
    N c. rising
    N d. at or near transit

2024: In the North Sea area, you sight a buoy with a quick light showing 3 flashes every 10 seconds. Which topmark in illustration D030NG would be fitted to this buoy under the IALA Buoyage Systems? (D030NG )

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

2060: What is the relative bearing of an object broad on the starboard quarter?

    N a. 045°
    N b. 090°
    Y c. 135°
    N d. 225°

2075: Information about major breakdowns, repairs, or other emergency operations with regard to weirs and (or) wicket dams, on the western rivers, may be obtained by consulting the __________.

    N a. Light List Vol. V
    N b. U.S. Coast Pilot
    Y c. Broadcast Notice to Mariners
    N d. Sailing Directions

2093: Information about major breakdowns, repairs, or other emergency operations with regard to weirs and (or) wicket dams, on the western rivers, may be obtained from the __________.

    N a. Light List Vol. V
    N b. List of Lights
    Y c. Broadcast Notice to Mariners
    N d. Sailing Directions

2116: Vessels regularly navigating rivers above Cairo, Illinois, shall at all times have on board a copy of the __________.

    N a. Nautical Almanac for the year
    Y b. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Regulations (Blue Book)
    N c. Sailing Directions
    N d. All of the above

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

2230: A nautical mile is a distance of approximately how much greater than or less than a statute mile?

    N a. 1/4 less
    N b. 1/7 less
    N c. 1/4 greater
    Y d. 1/7 greater

2268: What condition exists at perigee?

    N a. The Earth is farthest from the Sun.
    N b. The Earth, Sun, and Moon are in line.
    N c. The Earth, Sun, and Moon are at right angles.
    Y d. The Moon is closest to the Earth.

2341: Which statement concerning illustration D010NG is correct? (Soundings and heights are in meters)

    N a. Maury Lightship swings about her anchor on a circle with a 21-meter diameter.
    N b. The position of the lightship is indicated by the center of the star on the symbol's mast.
    Y c. The sunken wreck southwest of Beito Island shows the hull or superstructure above the sounding datum.
    N d. There is a 12-meter deep hole inside the 5-meter curve just west of Beito Island.

2394: A vessel is heading magnetic east and its magnetic compass indicates a heading of 093°. What action should be taken to remove this error during compass adjustment?

    N a. If the red ends of the magnets are aft, and the fore-and-aft tray is at the top, you should remove some magnets.
    N b. If the red ends of the magnet are aft, and the fore-and-aft tray is at the bottom, you should reverse the magnets.
    Y c. If the red ends of the magnets are aft you should raise the fore-and-aft tray.
    N d. If the blue ends of the magnets are forward you should remove some magnets from the fore-and-aft tray.

2399: Which statement about the time diagram shown is TRUE? (D008NG )

    N a. The Greenwich date is one day later than your date.
    N b. The diagram is valid only if you are in the southern hemisphere.
    N c. The LHA of the Sun is approximately 40°.
    Y d. The diagram represents a morning Sun sight.

2432: A time diagram is a diagram of the celestial sphere as observed from above the __________.

    Y a. south celestial pole
    N b. north celestial pole
    N c. observer's meridian
    N d. Greenwich meridian

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)

2458: In the U.S. Aids to Navigation System on the Western Rivers, the light characteristic of group flashing (2) is used for lights on __________.

    N a. the right descending bank
    Y b. the left descending bank
    N c. preferred channel buoys
    N d. daymarks with no lateral significant

2462: Under ideal viewing conditions, the dimmest star that can be seen with the unaided eye is of what magnitude?

    N a. First
    N b. Third
    N c. Fourth
    Y d. Sixth

2494: You must construct a Mercator plotting sheet on a piece of paper measuring 24" by 30". The area includes latitude 28°N to 35°N and longitude 175°E to 178°W. Allow a three-quarter 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. 3.40 inches
    Y b. 3.22 inches
    N c. 3.03 inches
    N d. 2.91 inches

2624: You must construct a Mercator plotting sheet on a piece of paper measuring 30" by 32". The area includes latitudes 31°10'S to 37°40'S and longitudes 007°00'W to 001°00'E. Allow a one-half 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?

    Y a. 3.69 inches
    N b. 3.52 inches
    N c. 3.38 inches
    N d. 3.26 inches

2694: What is the equivalent of 10°48' in time units?

    N a. 2 min. 39 sec.
    N b. 20 min. 12 sec.
    Y c. 43 min. 12 sec.
    N d. 50 min. 12 sec.

2886: On mid-ocean waters, the height of a wind-generated wave is not affected by the __________.

    Y a. water depth exceeding 100 feet
    N b. fetch
    N c. wind's velocity
    N d. duration of the wind

2932: If the main channel under a bridge is marked with lights of the lateral system the adjacent bridge piers should be marked with __________.

    N a. occulting white lights
    Y b. fixed yellow lights
    N c. fixed white lights
    N d. flashing yellow lights

3002: The diurnal variation of pressure is most noticeable __________.

    N a. above the polar circles
    N b. in a low pressure area
    N c. during periods of low temperatures
    Y d. in the doldrums