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.


11: A buoy having red and green horizontal bands would have a light characteristic of __________.


20: You are underway on course 050°T and your maximum speed is 12 knots. The eye of a hurricane bears 120°T, 110 miles from your position. The hurricane is moving towards 285°T at 25 knots. If you maneuver at 12 knots to avoid the hurricane, what could be the maximum CPA?


78: A single line of position combined with a dead-reckoning position results in a(n) __________.


124: An electronic depth finder operates on the principle that __________.

    N a. radio signals reflect from a solid surface
    Y b. sound waves travel at a constant speed through water
    N c. radar signals travel at a constant speed through water
    N d. pressure increases with depth

189: While steering a course of 150°T, you wish to observe the Sun for a speed check. What would the azimuth have to be?

    N a. 060°T
    N b. 090°T
    Y c. 150°T
    N d. 240°T

198: You are enroute to assist vessel A. Vessel A is underway at 6 knots on course 133°T, and bears 343°T at 92 miles from you. What is the time to intercept if you make 9 knots?

    N a. 7h 44m
    N b. 7h 12m
    Y c. 6h 43m
    N d. 6h 08m

250: Weather systems in the middle latitudes generally travel from __________.

    Y a. west to east
    N b. east to west
    N c. north to south
    N d. None of the above

273: Loran-C is which type of navigation system?

    Y a. Hyperbolic, long-range navigation system
    N b. Short-range electronic
    N c. Long-range, high frequency navigation system
    N d. Long-range, with a frequency of 1950 kHz

309: You are underway on course 050°T and your maximum speed is 12 knots. The eye of a hurricane bears 120°T, 110 miles from your position. The hurricane is moving towards 285°T at 25 knots. What course should you steer at 12 knots to have the maximum CPA?

    N a. 332°
    N b. 339°
    Y c. 346°
    N d. 357°

325: What is the longitude of the geographical position of a body whose Greenwich hour angle is 210°30'?

    N a. 30°30'E
    N b. 59°30'W
    N c. 120°30'W
    Y d. 149°30'E

376: According to Buys Ballot's law, when an observer in the Northern Hemisphere experiences a northeast wind the center of low pressure is located to the __________.

    N a. northeast
    N b. west-southwest
    N c. northwest
    Y d. south-southeast

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

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

923: A magnetic compass card is marked in how many degrees?

    N a. 90
    N b. 180
    Y c. 360
    N d. 400

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

    Y a. Brazil
    N b. Tanzania
    N c. New Zealand
    N d. Norway

973: The heading of a vessel is indicated by what part of the compass?

    N a. Card
    N b. Needle
    Y c. Lubber's line
    N d. Gimbals

999: You are preparing a weather report form, WS Form B-80. Three-quarters of the sky is covered with clouds, and the anemometer indicates that the apparent wind is from 226° relative at 17.7 knots. You are on course 020°T at 8 knots. How should you encode group Nddff? (D041NG )

    N a. 80208
    N b. 72218
    N c. 72318
    Y d. 62324

1122: A barometer showing falling pressure indicates the approach of a __________.

    N a. high pressure system
    Y b. low pressure system
    N c. high dew point
    N d. low dew point

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

1219: Which sextant in illustration D043NG reads 29°42.5'? (D043NG )

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

1221: On a chart, the characteristic of the light on a lighthouse is shown as flashing white with a red sector. The red sector __________.

    N a. indicates the limits of the navigable channel
    Y b. indicates a danger area
    N c. is used to identify the characteristics of the light
    N d. serves no significant purpose

1384: Which type of cloud is indicated by number 9? (D039NG )

    N a. Cumulus
    Y b. Cumulonimbus
    N c. Altostratus
    N d. Stratocumulus

1425: Which is an inferior planet?

    N a. Mars
    Y b. Venus
    N c. Neptune
    N d. Pluto

1495: A great circle crosses the equator at 157°W. It will also cross the equator at what other longitude?

    N a. 157°E
    N b. 57°E
    Y c. 23°E
    N d. 57°W

1513: Scales on aneroid barometers are usually graduated in inches of mercury in the general range of __________.

    N a. 26 to 29 inches
    Y b. 28 to 31 inches
    N c. 30 to 33 inches
    N d. 32 to 35 inches

1542: To find a magnetic course from a true course you must apply __________.

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

1582: Sextant C in illustration D043NG reads __________. (D043NG )

    N a. 30°45.9'
    N b. 29°56.0'
    N c. 29°52.0'
    Y d. 29°47.5'

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

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

1664: Ascending and descending air masses with different temperatures is part of an important heat transmitting process in our atmosphere called __________.

    N a. conduction
    N b. radiation
    Y c. convection
    N d. barometric inversion

1723: The intensity of a hurricane as it reaches higher latitudes and cooler waters __________.

    N a. Increases
    N b. remains the same
    Y c. decreases
    N d. None of the above

1737: You can determine if your vessel's position is in the dangerous or navigable semicircle of a hurricane by __________.

    N a. observing whether the wind is veering or backing
    N b. plotting two or more recent storm positions from weather bulletins
    Y c. Both A and B
    N d. Neither A nor B

1763: Weather patterns in the Gulf Coast area of the United States are __________.

    Y a. those of a transition zone between tropical and a temperate area
    N b. those of a tropical region
    N c. extremely hot in summer
    N d. tropical over Florida and subtropical over the rest of the Gulf Coast area

1805: A phenomenon where the atmospheric pressure is higher than that of other surrounding regions is called __________.

    N a. the "trade winds"
    N b. a low front or an occluded front
    N c. the doldrums
    Y d. a "high"

1869: 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 B in the illustration? (D036NG )

    N a. One red light
    N b. Two green lights
    N c. Three green lights
    Y d. No light

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

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

2059: Illustration D038NG represents a fixed C of E lock and dam. What navigational light(s) is(are) exhibited at the position indicated by the letter E in the illustration? (D038NG )

    Y a. One red light
    N b. Two red lights
    N c. Two green lights
    N d. Three green lights

2070: What is the relative bearing of an object on the port beam?

    N a. 045°
    N b. 090°
    N c. 180°
    Y d. 270°

2132: What is the definition of height of tide?

    N a. The vertical difference between the heights of low and high water
    N b. The vertical difference between a datum plane and the ocean bottom
    Y c. The vertical distance from the tidal datum to the level of the water at any time
    N d. The vertical distance from the surface of the water to the ocean floor

2237: A lighted buoy to be left to starboard, when entering a U.S. port from seaward, shall have a __________.

    N a. light characteristic of Morse (A)
    N b. white light
    N c. green light
    Y d. red light

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

2380: The navigation regulations applicable to a U.S. inland waterway can be found in the __________.

    N a. Notices to Mariners
    N b. Channel Reports
    N c. Sailing Directions
    Y d. Coast Pilots

2392: The point where the Sun is at maximum declination north or south is __________.

    N a. aphelion
    N b. perihelion
    N c. an equinox
    Y d. a solstice

2435: What is a lighted safe water mark fitted with to aid in its identification?

    N a. A red and white octagon
    N b. Red and white retroreflective material
    N c. A sequential number
    Y d. A spherical topmark

2609: The letter A in illustration D006NG represents the __________. (D006NG )

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

2620: The navigator is concerned with three systems of coordinates. Which system is not of major concern?

    N a. Terrestrial
    Y b. Ecliptic
    N c. Celestial horizon
    N d. Celestial equator

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

2711: Information about currents on the Pacific Coast of the U. S. are found in the __________.

    Y a. Tidal Current Tables
    N b. Nautical Almanac
    N c. Tide Tables
    N d. Ocean Current Tables

2772: The direction in which a vessel should be steered between two points is the __________.

    Y a. course
    N b. heading
    N c. bearing
    N d. course over the ground

2880: While upbound through Memphis, the weather report on the TV news indicates that a cold front will cross western Kentucky and Tennessee the next morning. What weather should accompany this front?

    N a. Light, southerly winds; high humidity and possibly fog
    N b. Overcast with steady, light rain or drizzle
    Y c. Gusting winds shifting to the northwest with thunderstorms
    N d. Scattered clouds with light to moderate southeasterly winds and possibly fog

2944: The height of a wave is the vertical distance __________.

    N a. from the still water plane to the crest
    N b. from the still water plane to the trough
    Y c. from crest to trough
    N d. between water levels at one-quarter of the wave's length

2947: A position obtained by crossing lines of position taken at different times and advanced to a common time is a(n) __________.

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

2956: On 23 August 1981 you observe a back sight of the upper limb of the Sun. The sextant altitude (hs) is 116°42.8'. The height of eye is 56 feet and the index error is 2.0' off the arc. What is the observed altitude (Ho)?

    N a. 63°42.0'
    N b. 63°38.0'
    N c. 63°19.4'
    Y d. 63°06.2'

3025: You determine your vessel's position by taking a range and bearing to a buoy. Your position will be plotted as a(n) __________.

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

3031: Which symbol would indicate a large automated navigational buoy, such as those that have replaced some lightships? (D015NG )

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

3070: The database information that should be shown when a chart is first displayed on ECDIS is the __________.

    N a. display base information
    Y b. standard display information
    N c. system electronic nautical chart
    N d. chart display information

3085: An ECDIS is required to display which information?

    N a. Water temperature
    N b. Climatology data
    N c. Speed of advance
    Y d. Depth contours

3119: Automatic identification systems (AIS) are required to __________.

    N a. provide safety-related information automatically to shore stations, other vessels and aircraft
    N b. receive safety-related information automatically from similarly equipped vessels
    N c. exchange safety-related information with shore-based facilities
    Y d. All of the above

3128: Which of the following statements is TRUE regarding automatic identification systems (AIS)?

    N a. AIS may be used to make passing arrangements via ship-to-ship text messaging thus relieving a vessel operator from sounding whistle signals or making contact via radiotelephone.
    Y b. AIS may be used to make passing arrangements via ship-to-ship text messaging but a vessel operator is still required to sound whistle signals unless the arrangement is made via radiotelephone.
    N c. AIS cannot be used to make passing arrangements because the system does not have the ability to communicate from ship-to-ship in this manner.
    N d. AIS cannot be used to make passing arrangements because the use of the ship-to-ship text messaging feature in this way is prohibited.