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.
56: A strong, often violent, northerly wind occurring on the Pacific coast of Mexico, particularly during the colder months, is called __________.
Y a. Tehuantepecer N b. Papagayo N c. Norther N d. Pampero 127: Mean low water is the average height of __________.
N a. the surface of the sea N b. high waters and low waters Y c. all low waters N d. the lower of the two daily low tides 256: The belt of light and variable winds between the westerly wind belt and the northeast trade winds is called the __________.
Y a. subtropical high pressure belt N b. intertropical convergence zone N c. doldrum belt N d. polar frontal zone 305: IN REGION A of the IALA Buoyage System, when entering from seaward, the port side of a channel would be marked by a __________.
Y a. red can buoy N b. black can buoy N c. red conical buoy N d. black conical buoy 321: Which buoy may be even numbered?
N a. Mid-channel buoy Y b. Unlighted nun buoy N c. Lighted green buoy N d. All of the above 412: If you were sailing in the North Pacific and were interested in the ice and iceberg limits, you could find this information in the __________.
Y a. Pilot Chart N b. Coast Pilot N c. Notice to Mariners N d. None 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 483: Coral atolls, or a chain of islands at right angles to the radar beam, may show as a long line rather than as individual targets due to __________.
Y a. the effects of beam width N b. limitations on range resolution N c. the pulse length of the radar N d. the multiple-target resolution factor 516: A hurricane moving northeast out of the Gulf passes west of your position. You could expect all of the following EXCEPT __________.
N a. higher than normal swells N b. high winds N c. winds veering from south, through west, to northwest Y d. gradual pressure gradient 530: Under the U.S. Aids to Navigation System, a lighted buoy with a spherical topmark marks __________.
N a. the port side of the channel N b. the position of underwater cables Y c. safe water N d. a hazard to navigation 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 546: If it is impossible to avoid a hurricane in the Northern Hemisphere, the most favorable place to be when the storm passes is in __________.
N a. the dangerous semicircle N b. the eye (center) of the storm N c. that half of the storm lying to the right of the storm's path Y d. that half of the storm lying to the left of the storm's path 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 612: Which statement is TRUE concerning a Mercator projection?
N a. Degrees of longitude decrease in length as latitude increases. Y b. The length of the meridians is increased to provide for equal expansion in all directions. N c. The mileage between the meridians is increased as the latitude increases. N d. All of the above 651: Which topmark shown identifies an isolated danger? (D023NG )
N a. A Y b. B N c. C N d. D 662: What publication contains descriptions of the coast line, buoyage systems, weather conditions, port facilities, and navigation instructions for the United States and its possessions?
Y a. Coast Pilots N b. Sailing Directions N c. Port Index N d. Light List 671: You sight a buoy fitted with a double-sphere topmark. If sighted at night, this buoy would show a __________.
N a. quick-flashing red light N b. quick-flashing green light Y c. flashing white light showing a group of two flashes N d. flashing red light showing a group of three flashes 704: What is TRUE of the history display of a target's past positions on an ARPA?
N a. It provides a graphic display to emphasize which vessel is on a collision course. Y b. In the true presentation, it provides a quick visual check to determine if a vessel has changed course. N c. The display is one of the primary inputs and must be in use when using the trial maneuver capability. N d. It provides a graphic display of a target vessel's relative course, speed, and CPA. 748: You are steaming west in the South Atlantic in an extratropical cyclonic storm, and the wind is dead ahead. According to the law of Buys Ballot, the center of low pressure lies __________.
N a. to the north of you Y b. to the south of you N c. dead ahead of you N d. dead astern of you 783: Magnetism which is present only when the material is under the influence of an external field is called __________.
N a. permanent magnetism Y b. induced magnetism N c. residual magnetism N d. terrestrial magnetism 810: The position labeled B is a(n) __________. (D051NG )
N a. fix N b. running fix Y c. estimated position N d. dead reckoning position 813: At the magnetic equator there is no induced magnetism in the vertical soft iron because __________.
N a. the lines of force cross the equator on a 0°-180° alignment N b. the quadrantal error is 0° Y c. there is no vertical component of the Earth's magnetic field N d. the intercardinal headings have less than 1° error 842: Coast Pilots and navigational charts are kept corrected and up-to-date by using the __________.
N a. pilot charts Y b. Notices to Mariners N c. Tide Tables N d. Current Tables 857: The current that, in many respects, is similar to the Gulf Stream is the __________.
Y a. Kuroshio N b. California Current N c. Oyashio N d. Benguela Current 965: In order for a star to be used for a sight at lower transit, the star must __________.
Y a. be circumpolar N b. have a declination equal to or greater than your latitude N c. have a GHA of 180° N d. have the SHA equal to or less than the LHA 1009: You are preparing a weather report form, WS Form B-80. The dry bulb thermometer reads 34°F, and the wet bulb thermometer reads 31°F. Using the ships code card, how would you encode the air temperature groups in the report? (D041NG )
N a. 10340, 2127/ N b. 10111, 2104/ Y c. 10011, 2104/ N d. 10340, 2031/ 1038: You are preparing a weather report form, WS Form B-80. The dry bulb thermometer reads 54°F, and the wet bulb thermometer reads 50°F. How would you encode the air temperature groups in the report? (D041NG )
N a. 1054/, 2050/ Y b. 10122, 2008/ N c. 1054/, 2047/ N d. 054//, 047// 1287: What will be the velocity of the tidal current 4.5 miles east of Smith Point, VA, at 0630 DST (ZD +4) on 6 May 1983?
Y a. 0.3 knot N b. 0.5 knot N c. 0.7 knot N d. 1.0 knot 1296: After a cold front passes the barometric pressure usually __________.
N a. fluctuates N b. remains the same N c. remains the same, with clouds forming rapidly Y d. rises, often quite rapidly, with clearing skies 1363: True heading differs from magnetic heading by __________.
N a. deviation Y b. variation N c. compass error N d. northerly error 1401: The maximum distance at which a light may be seen under existing visibility conditions is called __________.
N a. nominal range Y b. luminous range N c. charted range N d. geographic range 1449: The presence of stratus clouds and a dying wind will usually result in __________.
N a. heavy rain N b. heavy snow Y c. thick fog N d. clearing skies 1483: The most accurate method of determining gyrocompass error while underway is by __________.
Y a. comparing the gyro azimuth of a celestial body with the computed azimuth of the body N b. comparing the gyro heading with the magnetic compass heading N c. determining from the chart the course made good between celestial fixes N d. It cannot be determined accurately at sea due to drift of unknown currents. 1491: You are on course 138°T. To check the latitude of your vessel you should observe a celestial body on which bearing?
N a. 138° N b. 270° N c. 318° Y d. 000° 1504: The time meridian used when computing the height of tide for Pensacola Bay, FL, is __________.
N a. 75°00'W N b. 82°30'W Y c. 90°00'W N d. 97°30'W 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' 1603: A position that is obtained by using two or more intersecting lines of position, taken at nearly the same time, is a(n) __________.
N a. estimated position Y b. fix N c. running fix N d. dead-reckoning position 1648: A sign of thunderstorm development is a cumulus cloud __________.
N a. darkening, growing in size and forming an anvil top N b. that shows extensive vertical development N c. creating cold downdrafts that are felt on the ground Y d. All of the above 1654: Which weather element cannot be measured accurately while on board a moving vessel?
Y a. Visibility N b. Temperature N c. Wind direction N d. Atmospheric pressure 1656: Which instrument is most useful in forecasting fog?
N a. A barometer N b. An anemometer Y c. A sling psychrometer N d. A pyrometer 1721: A storm's track is characterized by all of the following except __________.
N a. the direction the storm has come from N b. the direction in which the storm is moving Y c. the speed at which the storm is moving N d. the path taken by the storm 1987: An instrument useful in predicting fog is the __________.
Y a. sling psychrometer N b. microbarograph N c. anemometer N d. aneroid barometer 2202: You have completed the magnetic compass adjustments on magnetic east and magnetic south. The vessel is now steady on magnetic west but the compass reads 276°. What action should be taken?
N a. Adjust the compass with the athwartships magnets until the compass reads 264°. Y b. Adjust the compass with the fore-and-aft magnets until the compass reads 273°. N c. Adjust the compass with the quadrantal spheres until the compass reads 270°. N d. Adjust the compass with the athwartships magnets until the compass reads 273°. 2214: By convention, the Earth's south magnetic pole is colored __________.
N a. blue N b. black N c. white Y d. red 2271: What is the definition of height of tide?
N a. The vertical distance from the surface of the water to the ocean floor Y b. The vertical distance from the tidal datum to the level of the water at any time N c. The vertical difference between a datum plane and the ocean bottom N d. The vertical difference between the heights of low and high water 2289: The constellation that contains the pointer stars is __________.
N a. Orion Y b. Ursa Major N c. the Southern Cross N d. Pegasus 2512: In the time diagram shown __________. (D005NG )
Y a. you are in east longitude N b. your time is about 1000 N c. your date is a day earlier than the date at Greenwich N d. you must be in the Northern Hemisphere for it to be accurate 2512: In the time diagram shown __________. (D005NG )
Y a. you are in east longitude N b. your time is about 1000 N c. your date is a day earlier than the date at Greenwich N d. you must be in the Northern Hemisphere for it to be accurate 2576: What is the equivalent of 8 min. 56 sec. in arc units?
N a. 0°28' N b. 0°46' N c. 1°12' Y d. 2°14' 2675: When you are steering on a pair of range lights and find the upper light is in line above the lower light, you should __________.
N a. come left Y b. continue on the present course N c. come right N d. wait until the lights are no longer in a vertical line 2790: A towboat has the same draft as the barges it is pushing ahead. If the distance from the stern of the towboat to the head of the tow is 800 feet, where is the approximate location of the pivot point of the unit?
N a. At the head of the tow Y b. 250 feet from the head of the tow N c. 400 feet from the head of the tow N d. 600 feet from the head of the tow 2822: While navigating in fog off a coastline of steep cliffs, you hear the echo of the ships fog horn 2 seconds after the signal was sounded. What is the distance to the shore?
Y a. 360 yards N b. 320 yards N c. 280 yards N d. 140 yards 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 2928: You are in a buoyed channel at night and pass a lighted buoy with an irregular characteristic. You should report this to the __________.
Y a. Coast Guard N b. harbor master N c. Corps of Engineers N d. National Ocean Service 2959: Vessels required to have an Automatic Radar Plotting Aid must have a device to indicate the __________.
N a. time of the next navigational satellite N b. distance to the next port Y c. speed of the vessel over the ground or through the water N d. None of the above 3000: All aids to navigation listed in the Mississippi River System Light List are shown as miles from a reference point and on the __________.
N a. east or west bank Y b. left or right descending bank N c. port or starboard side of the vessel N d. left or right ascending bank 3011: The survey information upon which a chart is based is found __________.
N a. at the top center of the next line Y b. near the chart title N c. at the lower left corner N d. at any convenient location 3052: The Sailing Directions contain information on __________.
N a. required navigation lights N b. lifesaving equipment standards N c. casualty reporting procedures Y d. currents in various locations 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