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.


6: Wind velocity varies __________.


15: What is the length of a nautical mile?


27: Spring tides are tides that __________.


35: You are on a vessel at 0400 ZT on 3 July, and the ZD for your position is -8. What is the GMT?

    N a. 1200, 3 July
    N b. 2000, 3 July
    N c. 1200, 2 July
    Y d. 2000, 2 July

137: Priming of the tides occurs __________.

    N a. at times of new and full Moon
    N b. when the Earth, Moon, and Sun are lying approximately on the same line
    N c. when the Moon is between first quarter and full and between third quarter and new
    Y d. when the Moon is between new and first quarter and between full and third quarter

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

206: The winds you would expect to encounter in the North Atlantic between latitudes 5° and 30° are known as the __________.

    N a. doldrums
    N b. westerlies
    Y c. trades
    N d. easterlies

362: Which statement about a simple conic chart projection is TRUE?

    N a. It is an equal-area projection.
    N b. It is a conformal projection.
    N c. Meridians appear as curved lines.
    Y d. The scale is correct along any meridian.

377: Determine the height of the tide at 2045 EST (ZD +5) at Augusta, ME, on 8 March 1983.

    N a. 1.4 feet (0.5 meter)
    Y b. 1.9 feet (0.6 meter)
    N c. 2.3 feet (0.7 meter)
    N d. 2.6 feet (0.8 meter)

408: A buoy bears 176°T at 3000 yards. What is the course to make good to leave the buoy 100 yards to port?

    N a. 174°T
    N b. 176°T
    Y c. 178°T
    N d. 180°T

452: When navigating in high latitudes and using a chart based on a Lambert conformal projection, __________.

    Y a. a straight line drawn on the chart approximates a great circle
    N b. the chart should not be used outside of the standard parallels
    N c. the course angle is measured at the mid-longitude of the track line
    N d. distance cannot be measured directly from the chart

470: You are underway on course 120°T and can make 12 knots. The eye of a hurricane bears 150°T at 120 miles. The hurricane is on course 295° at 20 knots. What course should you steer at 12 knots to have the maximum CPA?

    N a. 312°
    N b. 330°
    Y c. 348°
    N d. 001°

485: A phase correction is applied to observations of __________.

    N a. the Sun
    N b. stars
    Y c. planets
    N d. All of the above

524: An anemometer on a moving vessel measures __________.

    Y a. apparent wind speed only
    N b. true wind speed and true wind direction
    N c. true wind speed only
    N d. apparent wind speed and true wind direction

634: What will cause the ARPA to emit a visual alarm, audible alarm, or both?

    N a. An acquired target entering into a guard zone
    N b. A tracked target lost for one radar scan
    Y c. A tracked target entering your preset CPA-TCPA limits
    N d. A target being initially detected within a guard zone

708: Which statement about Radio Navigational Warning Broadcasts is TRUE?

    N a. Radio navigational warnings are valid for 10 days, unless cancelled earlier.
    N b. NAVAREA warnings cover coastal areas only, while HYDROLANTS or HYDROPACS cover entire ocean areas.
    Y c. Radio navigational warnings issued by NGA (NIMA) are published in the Daily Memorandum and the Notice to Mariners.
    N d. HYDROLANTS and HYDROPACS cover the same geographical areas as NAVAREA warnings, but are for the use of military vessels only.

711: In the IALA Maritime Buoyage System, a red and white vertically-striped buoy is used as a(n) __________.

    Y a. safe water mark
    N b. cardinal mark
    N c. isolated danger mark
    N d. special mark not primarily used for navigation

791: Under the IALA Buoyage Systems, the topmark of a red and white vertically-striped buoy shall be __________.

    N a. X-shaped
    N b. two black spheres
    Y c. a single red sphere
    N d. a single red cone

804: A relative bearing is always measured from __________.

    N a. true north
    N b. magnetic north
    N c. the vessel's beam
    Y d. the vessel's head

811: Under the IALA-A Buoyage System, a green spar buoy with a triangular topmark would indicate that the buoy __________.

    Y a. should be left to port when heading out to sea
    N b. may be left close aboard on either side
    N c. is on the north side of a point of interest
    N d. is marking the preferred channel

914: If the sky was clear, with the exception of a few cumulus clouds, it would indicate __________.

    N a. rain
    N b. hurricane weather
    Y c. fair weather
    N d. fog setting in

1053: Before a magnetic compass is adjusted certain correctors must be checked to ensure that they are free of permanent magnetism. These correctors are the __________.

    N a. fore-and-aft and athwartships magnets
    N b. dip needle and heeling magnet
    N c. heeling magnet and Flinders bar
    Y d. Flinders bar and quadrantal spheres

1153: Heeling error is defined as the change of deviation for a heel of __________.

    N a. 2°While the vessel is on an intercardinal heading
    Y b. 1°While the vessel is on a compass heading of 000°
    N c. 2° and is constant on all headings
    N d. 1° while the vessel is on a compass heading of 180°

1217: What will be the velocity and direction of the tidal current at Old Ferry Point, NY, at 1340 EST (ZD +5) on 5 February 1983?

    N a. 0.8 knot at 060°T
    N b. 0.8 knot at 240°T
    N c. 1.0 knot at 076°T
    Y d. 1.4 knots at 076°T

1300: You are approaching a sea buoy which emits a racon signal. This signal is triggered by which type of radar?

    Y a. 3 cm
    N b. 10 cm
    N c. Both 3 cm and 10 cm
    N d. Signal does not depend on radar type.

1334: The Illustration shows the symbols used on radio facsimile weather charts. The symbol indicated at letter "H" represents __________. (D042NG )

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

1369: Which of the following is the most useful factor for predicting weather?

    N a. The present reading of the barometer
    N b. The previous reading of the barometer
    N c. The difference in the barometric readings within the past 24 hours
    Y d. The rate and direction of change of barometric readings

1385: What is the length of the lunar day?

    Y a. 24h 50m 00s
    N b. 24h 00m 00s
    N c. 23h 56m 04s
    N d. 23h 03m 56s

1440: A mercurial barometer at sea is subject to rapid variations in height ("pumping") due to the pitch and roll of the vessel. To avoid this error, measurements of atmospheric pressure at sea are usually measured with a(n) __________.

    N a. syphon barometer
    N b. cistern barometer
    Y c. aneroid barometer
    N d. fortin barometer

1498: A true bearing of a charted object, when plotted on a chart, will establish a __________.

    N a. fix
    Y b. line of position
    N c. relative bearing
    N d. range

1505: At 0000 you fix your position and change course to 090°T. At 0030 you again fix your position and it is 0.5 mile east of your DR. Which statement is TRUE?

    Y a. The current is easterly.
    N b. The drift is 0.5 knot.
    N c. You should alter course to the right to regain the track line.
    N d. The current is perpendicular to your track line.

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

1662: Fog generally clears when the __________.

    N a. wind speed increases
    N b. wind direction changes
    N c. temperature increases
    Y d. All of the above

1663: What is the primary source of the earth's weather?

    N a. The oceans
    N b. The moon
    Y c. The sun
    N d. The solar system

1694: In the Southern Hemisphere the wind circulation in a high pressure system rotates __________.

    N a. clockwise and inward
    N b. clockwise and outward
    Y c. counterclockwise and outward
    N d. counterclockwise and inward

1710: A gale is characterized by a wind speed of __________.

    N a. 10 to 20 knots
    Y b. 34 to 47 knots
    N c. 48 to 63 knots
    N d. 64 to 83 knots

1720: In the Southern Hemisphere winds in a low pressure system rotate in a __________.

    Y a. clockwise direction
    N b. northeasterly direction
    N c. northerly direction
    N d. counterclockwise direction

1722: Hurricanes may move in any direction. However, it is rare and generally of short duration when a hurricane in the Northern Hemisphere moves toward the __________.

    N a. west or northwest
    N b. northeast
    Y c. southeast
    N d. north

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

1789: 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 F in the illustration? (D036NG )

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

1970: The azimuth angle of a sun sight is always measured from the __________.

    N a. Greenwich meridian
    N b. prime vertical circle
    Y c. principal vertical circle
    N d. first point of Aries

2074: When approaching a lock and at a distance of not more than a mile, vessels desiring a single lockage shall sound which signal?

    Y a. One long blast followed by one short blast
    N b. One short blast followed by one long blast
    N c. Two short blasts
    N d. Two long blasts

2099: You are inbound in a channel marked by a range. The range line is 309°T. You are steering 306°T. The range appears as shown and is closing. Which action should you take? (D047NG )

    N a. Continue on the present heading until the range is in line, then alter course to the left.
    Y b. Continue on course until the range is closed, then alter course to the right.
    N c. Immediately alter course to the right to bring the range in line.
    N d. Immediately alter course to 309°T.

2191: The chart indicates the variation was 3°45'E in 1988, and the annual change is increasing 6'. If you use the chart in 1991 how much variation should you apply?

    N a. 3°27'E
    N b. 3°27'W
    N c. 3°45'E
    Y d. 4°03'E

2298: The period of rotation of the Moon on its axis is __________.

    N a. about 19 years
    N b. 365 days
    Y c. about 27.3 days
    N d. 24 hours

2402: You have completed the magnetic compass adjustments on magnetic east and magnetic south. The vessel is now steady on magnetic north but the compass reads 356°. You should now adjust the compass until it reads __________.

    Y a. 358°
    N b. 000°
    N c. 002°
    N d. 004°

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

2452: The permanent magnetism of a vessel may change in strength due to __________.

    N a. the nature of the cargo being carried
    N b. changes in heading
    Y c. major structural repair
    N d. All of the above

2508: Normal pool elevation is the height in feet of the section of river above a dam. This height is measured from __________.

    N a. low steel on the Huey P. Long Bridge
    Y b. mean sea level
    N c. the local water table
    N d. the minimum dam control level

2566: When the time is based on the movement of the visible Sun along the ecliptic the time is known as __________.

    N a. real time
    N b. visible time
    Y c. apparent time
    N d. mean time

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

2651: Low pressure disturbances which travel along the intertropical convergence zone are called __________.

    Y a. tropical waves
    N b. tropical disturbances
    N c. permanent waves
    N d. tidal waves

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

2809: The diurnal variation of pressure is not visible in the middle latitudes in winter because __________.

    Y a. it is masked by the pressure changes of moving weather systems
    N b. the decreased gravitational effect from the sun causes the variation to fade
    N c. the decreased average temperature is less than the critical temperature
    N d. the increased Coriolis force disperses the pressure variation

2876: On 13 November 1981 you observe a back sight of the lower limb of the Sun. The sextant altitude (hs) is 109°23.6'. The height of eye is 66 feet, and the index error is 2.0' off the arc. What is the observed altitude (Ho)?

    N a. 71°01.2'
    Y b. 70°57.2'
    N c. 70°45.4
    N d. 70°26.4'

2931: The vertical distance from the tidal datum to the level of the water is the __________.

    N a. range of tide
    Y b. height of tide
    N c. actual water depth
    N d. charted depth

3006: You are outbound in a channel marked by a range astern. The range line is 309°T. You are steering 127°T and have the range in sight as shown. What action should you take? (D047NG )

    N a. Come right to 129°T.
    N b. Come left until the range comes in line then alter course to 129°T.
    N c. Come left until the range comes in line then alter course to 125°T.
    Y d. Come right to close the range then when on the range steer 129°T.

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

3030: Isogonic lines are lines on a chart indicating __________.

    Y a. points of equal variation
    N b. points of zero variation
    N c. the magnetic latitude
    N d. magnetic dip

3106: What does an automatic identification system (AIS) transponder use to transmit and receive information broadcasts?

    N a. 3000 Mhz and 9200 Mhz
    N b. 2182 Khz and 2187.5 Khz
    Y c. 156.525 Mhz, 161.975 Mhz and 162.025 Mhz
    N d. 1575.42 Mhz and 1227.6 Mhz