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.


31: When approaching a preferred-channel buoy, the best channel is NOT indicated by the __________.


83: All Loran-C transmitting stations are equipped with cesium frequency standards which permit __________.


112: Which chart number indicates an NGA (NIMA) chart designed for inshore coastwise navigation?


145: The standard time meridian for zone description -1 is __________.

    N a. 0°
    N b. 7 1/2°W
    N c. 7 1/2°E
    Y d. 15°E

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°

216: The prevailing winds in the band of latitude from approximately 5°N to 30°N are the __________.

    N a. prevailing westerlies
    Y b. northeast trade winds
    N c. southeast trade winds
    N d. doldrums

219: The predicted time that the flood begins at the entrance to Delaware Bay is 1526. You are anchored off Chestnut St. in Philadelphia. If you get underway bound for sea at 1300 and turn for 13 knots, at what point will you lose the flood current?

    N a. Mile 52
    N b. New Castle
    N c. Marcus Hook
    Y d. Billingsport

225: The equation of time is 8m 40s. The apparent Sun is ahead of the mean Sun. If you are on the central meridian of your time zone, the apparent Sun will cross your meridian at __________.

    Y a. 11-51-20 ZT
    N b. 12-00-00 ZT
    N c. 12-04-20 ZT
    N d. 12-08-40 ZT

245: Yesterday you took a time tick using the 1200 GMT broadcast, and the chronometer read 11h 59m 59s. Today at the 1200 GMT time tick the chronometer read 00h 00m 01s. What is the chronometer error?

    N a. Gaining 2 seconds
    N b. Losing 2 seconds
    N c. Fast 2 seconds
    Y d. Fast 1 second

276: The region of high pressure extending around the Earth at about 35°N latitude is called the __________.

    N a. prevailing westerlies
    Y b. horse latitudes
    N c. troposphere
    N d. doldrums

314: Which of these sextant errors is nonadjustable?

    N a. Prismatic error
    N b. Graduation error
    N c. Centering error
    Y d. All of the above

441: A yellow buoy may exhibit a(n) __________.

    N a. fixed red light
    Y b. flashing light
    N c. white light
    N d. occulting light

456: Which condition exists in the eye of a hurricane?

    N a. Wind rapidly changing direction
    N b. A temperature much lower than that outside the eye
    N c. Towering cumulonimbus clouds
    Y d. An extremely low barometric pressure

460: When using horizontal sextant angles of three objects to fix your position, an indeterminate position will result in which situation?

    N a. The objects lie in a straight line.
    N b. The vessel is inside of a triangle formed by the objects.
    N c. The vessel is outside of a triangle formed by the objects.
    Y d. A circle will pass through your position and the three objects.

510: Which aid is NOT marked on a chart with a magenta circle?

    Y a. Aero light
    N b. Radar station
    N c. Radar transponder beacon
    N d. Radio beacon

605: Which is NOT a side of the celestial navigational triangle?

    N a. Co-latitude
    N b. Zenith distance
    Y c. Altitude
    N d. Co-declination

653: You have been observing your radar screen and notice that a contact on the screen has remained in the same position, relative to you, for several minutes. Your vessel is making 10 knots through the water. Which statement is TRUE?

    N a. The contact is dead in the water.
    Y b. The contact is on the same course and speed as your vessel.
    N c. The contact is on a reciprocal course at the same speed as your vessel.
    N d. The radar is showing false echoes and is probably defective.

684: The ARPA may swap targets when automatically tracking if two targets __________.

    N a. are tracked on reciprocal bearings
    N b. are tracked at the same range
    N c. are tracked on the same bearing
    Y d. pass close together

700: You are enroute to Savannah, GA, from Recife, Brazil. There is a strong N'ly wind blowing. As you cross the axis of the Gulf Stream you would expect to encounter __________.

    N a. smoother seas and warmer water
    N b. long swells
    Y c. steeper waves, closer together
    N d. cirrus clouds

782: Mariners are FIRST warned of serious defects or important changes to aids to navigation by means of __________.

    Y a. marine broadcast Notice to Mariners
    N b. Weekly Notices to Mariners
    N c. corrected editions of charts
    N d. Light Lists

901: Under the IALA-A Buoyage System, a buoy indicating that the preferred channel is to port when entering from seaward, can have a __________.

    N a. can shape
    N b. group-flashing (2) light
    N c. red-and-green vertical stripes
    Y d. green light

909: What is the average speed of movement of a hurricane prior to recurvature?

    N a. 4 to 6 knots
    N b. 6 to 8 knots
    Y c. 10 to 12 knots
    N d. 15 to 20 knots

921: Under the IALA-B Buoyage System, a conical buoy will be __________.

    Y a. red in color
    N b. numbered with an odd number
    N c. left to port when entering from seaward
    N d. All of the above

953: The magnetic compass operates on the principle that __________.

    N a. like magnetic poles attract
    N b. unlike magnetic poles repel
    Y c. unlike poles attract
    N d. the poles of the compass line up with the geographic poles of the earth

1069: What do the numbers on isobars indicate?

    Y a. barometric pressure
    N b. temperature
    N c. rain in inches
    N d. wind speed

1094: A light, feathery deposit of ice caused by the sublimation of water vapor directly into the crystalline form, on objects whose temperatures are below freezing, is called __________.

    N a. dew
    Y b. frost
    N c. glaze
    N d. snow

1096: With the passage of an occluded front the temperature __________.

    N a. rises rapidly
    N b. remains about the same
    N c. drops rapidly
    Y d. depends on whether warm type or cold type occlusion

1191: You plot a fix using three lines of position and find they intersect in a triangle. The actual position of the vessel __________.

    N a. is outside of the triangle
    N b. may be anywhere in the triangle
    Y c. may be inside or outside of the triangle
    N d. is the geometric center of the triangle

1262: A safe water daymark has what shape?

    N a. Triangular
    N b. Diamond
    N c. Circular
    Y d. Octagonal

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

1459: In a tropical cyclone, in the Northern Hemisphere, a vessel hove to with the wind shifting counterclockwise is __________.

    N a. ahead of the storm center
    N b. in the dangerous semicircle
    Y c. in the navigable semicircle
    N d. directly in the approach path of the storm

1503: A radar range to a small, charted object such as a light will provide a line of position in which form?

    N a. Straight line
    Y b. Arc
    N c. Parabola
    N d. Hyperbola

1629: Air temperature varies with __________.

    N a. the altitude above sea level
    N b. the season of the year
    N c. the latitude or distance from the equator
    Y d. All of the above

1632: Lighted white and orange buoys must show which color light?

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

1634: A lighted buoy to be left to starboard, when entering a U.S. port from seaward, shall have a __________.

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

1676: Lighted information markers show __________.

    N a. green lights
    Y b. white lights
    N c. yellow lights
    N d. red lights

1685: Squall lines with an almost unbroken line of threatening dark clouds and sharp changes in wind direction, generally precede a(n) __________.

    N a. slow-moving warm front
    Y b. fast-moving cold front
    N c. stationary front
    N d. occluded front

1765: Which meteorological feature controls the climate of the Gulf and the Gulf Coast area during late spring and summer?

    Y a. The Bermuda High
    N b. The doldrums
    N c. The horse latitudes
    N d. Tropical cyclones

2004: The velocity of the wind, its steady direction, and the amount of time it has blown determines a wind driven current's __________.

    N a. temperature
    N b. density
    N c. deflection
    Y d. speed

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

2056: This 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? (D038NG )

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

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)

2159: Induced magnetism is found in __________.

    N a. hard iron
    Y b. soft iron
    N c. vertical iron only
    N d. horizontal iron only

2179: A vessel is heading magnetic northwest and its magnetic compass indicates a heading of 312°. The quadrantal spheres are arranged athwartships. What action should be taken to remove this error during compass adjustment?

    N a. If the quadrantal spheres are all of the way in, replace them with larger ones.
    N b. If the quadrantal spheres are all of the way out, remove one of the spheres.
    N c. If the quadrantal spheres are all of the way out, move the spheres in.
    Y d. If the quadrantal spheres are all of the way out, replace them with smaller spheres.

2216: A vessel is heading magnetic northwest and its magnetic compass indicates a heading of 317°. What action should be taken to remove this error during compass adjustment?

    N a. Move the quadrantal spheres out.
    Y b. Move the quadrantal spheres in.
    N c. If the spheres are in as far as possible replace them with smaller spheres.
    N d. If the spheres are out as far as possible replace them with smaller spheres.

2440: You are on course 357°T and take a relative bearing of a lighthouse of 180°. What is the true bearing to the lighthouse?

    N a. 003°
    N b. 227°
    Y c. 177°
    N d. 363°

2448: What is the equivalent of 37 min. 32 sec. in arc units?

    N a. 4°47'
    N b. 6°38'
    N c. 7°41'
    Y d. 9°23'

2488: In which publication could you find information concerning the minimum lighting required for bridges on U.S. waters?

    N a. Chart No. 1.
    Y b. Code of Federal Regulations
    N c. Mississippi River Systems Light List
    N d. Notice to Mariners

2580: The angle at the pole measured through 180°From the prime meridian to the meridian of a point is known as __________.

    N a. the departure
    N b. the polar arc
    Y c. longitude
    N d. Greenwich hour angle

2580: The angle at the pole measured through 180°From the prime meridian to the meridian of a point is known as __________.

    N a. the departure
    N b. the polar arc
    Y c. longitude
    N d. Greenwich hour angle

2630: In the celestial equator system of coordinates what is NOT equivalent to the longitude of the Earth system of coordinates?

    N a. SHA
    N b. t
    N c. LHA
    Y d. Zn

2640: In the celestial equator system of coordinates what is the equivalent to the meridians of the Earth system of coordinates?

    N a. Horizon
    Y b. Hour circles
    N c. Vertical circles
    N d. Parallel of declination

2668: You are approaching a drawbridge and have sounded the request-for-opening signal. The bridge has responded with five short blasts. What reply should you sound?

    N a. None; No reply is required
    Y b. Five short blasts
    N c. Two prolonged blasts
    N d. One prolonged, one short blast

2791: The letter B in illustration D006NG represents the __________.

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

2804: The altitude at LAN may be observed by starting several minutes in advance and continuing until a maximum altitude occurs. This procedure should not be used __________.

    N a. when the declination and latitude are of different names
    N b. when the declination is greater than and the same name as the latitude
    N c. if the vessel is stopped or making bare steerageway
    Y d. on a fast vessel on northerly or southerly headings

2882: While upbound through Memphis, the weather report on TV news indicates that a warm front is stationary over the Kentucky - Missouri - Tennessee areas. What weather conditions should you expect?

    N a. Strong, gusting winds from the NW with thundershowers
    N b. Light winds from the northeast with clear skies
    N c. A "blue norther"
    Y d. Southerly winds with steady rain; fog or overcast

2981: The maritime radio system consisting of a series of coast stations transmitting coastal warnings is called __________.

    Y a. NAVTEX
    N b. HYDROLANT/HYDROPAC
    N c. NAVAREA
    N d. SAFESEA

3092: ECDIS must be able to perform all of the following EXCEPT __________.

    N a. determine true bearing and distance between two geographical points
    Y b. determine magnetic compass deviation
    N c. transform a local datum to the WGS-'84 datum
    N d. convert "graphical coordinates" to "display coordinates"

3115: With respect to automatic identification systems (AIS), which information is required to be broadcast every 1 to 10 seconds?

    Y a. Time stamp
    N b. Destination
    N c. Location of antenna
    N d. None of the above

3121: The short text messaging feature of the automatic identification system (AIS) allows for messages of up to___.

    N a. 64 characters
    N b. 96 characters
    Y c. 158 characters
    N d. 256 characters