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 __________.


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


76: In the Northern Hemisphere, a wind that shifts counterclockwise is a __________.


106: A local wind which occurs during the daytime and is caused by the different rates of warming of land and water is a __________.

    N a. foehn
    N b. chinook
    N c. land breeze
    Y d. sea breeze

106: A local wind which occurs during the daytime and is caused by the different rates of warming of land and water is a __________.

    N a. foehn
    N b. chinook
    N c. land breeze
    Y d. sea breeze

159: The apparent wind can be zero when the true wind is from __________.

    N a. ahead and equal to the ship's speed
    Y b. astern and equal to the ship's speed
    N c. ahead and equal to twice the ship's speed
    N d. astern and equal to twice the ship's speed

205: The difference between local apparent time (LAT) and local mean time (LMT) is indicated by the __________.

    Y a. equation of time
    N b. difference of longitude between the local and central meridian in time units
    N c. longitude in time units
    N d. zone description

229: The shoreline on charts generally represents the mean __________.

    Y a. high water line
    N b. low water line
    N c. low water spring line
    N d. tide level

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

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

279: As a vessel changes course to starboard, the compass card in a magnetic compass __________.

    Y a. remains aligned with compass north
    N b. also turns to starboard
    N c. first turns to starboard then counterclockwise to port
    N d. turns counterclockwise to port

295: The difference (measured in degrees) between the GHA of the body and the longitude of the observer is the __________.

    N a. right ascension
    Y b. meridian angle
    N c. SHA of the observer
    N d. zenith distance

512: On a gnomonic chart, a great circle track between Los Angeles and Brisbane will appear as a __________.

    N a. loxodromic curve
    N b. curved line concave to the equator
    Y c. straight line
    N d. spiral approaching the poles as a limit

543: A radar display which is oriented, so that north is always at the top of the screen, is called a(n) __________.

    N a. relative display
    N b. composite display
    Y c. stabilized display
    N d. unstabilized display

665: 17 degrees of latitude is equal to __________.

    N a. 68 miles
    N b. 510 miles
    Y c. 1020 miles
    N d. 4080 miles

702: Which publication contains information on navigation regulations, landmarks, channels, anchorages, tides, currents, and clearances of bridges for Chesapeake Bay?

    Y a. Coast Pilot
    N b. Light List
    N c. Sailing Directions
    N d. Pilot Charts

733: What would give the best radar echo?

    N a. The beam of a three masted sailing vessel with all sails set.
    N b. A 110-foot fishing vessel with a radar reflector in its rigging.
    N c. A 300-foot tanker, bow on.
    Y d. A 600-foot freighter, beam on.

737: What describes an ebb current?

    N a. Horizontal movement of the water away from the land following low tide
    N b. Horizontal movement of the water toward the land following low tide
    Y c. Horizontal movement of the water away from the land following high tide
    N d. Horizontal movement of the water toward the land following high tide

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

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

781: The IALA Buoyage Systems do NOT apply to __________.

    N a. the sides and centerlines of navigable channels
    N b. natural dangers and other obstructions, such as wrecks
    Y c. lighthouses and lightships
    N d. areas in which navigation may be subject to regulation

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

852: What is published by the U.S. Coast Guard?

    Y a. Light List
    N b. Nautical Charts
    N c. Tide Tables
    N d. U.S. Coast Pilot

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

864: Uniform, grayish-white cloud sheets that cover large portions of the sky, and are responsible for a large percentage of the precipitation in the temperate latitudes, are called __________.

    Y a. altostratus
    N b. altocumulus
    N c. cirrostratus
    N d. cirrocumulus

877: Cold water flowing southward through the western part of the Bering Strait between Alaska and Siberia is joined by water circulating counterclockwise in the Bering Sea to form the __________.

    N a. Alaska Current
    N b. Subarctic Current
    N c. Kuroshio Current
    Y d. Oyashio Current

890: If several navigational lights are visible at the same time, each one may be positively identified by checking all of the following EXCEPT what against the Light List?

    N a. Rhythm
    N b. Period
    Y c. Intensity
    N d. Color

894: On a clear, warm day, you notice the approach of a tall cumulus cloud. The cloud top has hard well defined edges and rain is falling from the dark lower edge. Should this cloud pass directly overhead __________.

    Y a. it will be preceded by a sudden increase in wind speed
    N b. it will be preceded by a sudden decrease in wind speed
    N c. the wind speed will not change as it passes
    N d. the wind will back rapidly to left in a counterclockwise direction as it passes

898: At 1200 ZT, on 31 July, your position is LAT 24°33'N, LONG 173°05'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 )

    Y a. 01003, 99245, 71731
    N b. 01243, 92433, 71731
    N c. 31243, 99245, 71731
    N d. 31003, 92433, 71730

907: In which month will the equatorial counter current be strongest?

    N a. January
    N b. April
    Y c. August
    N d. October

1044: The dry-bulb temperature is 78°F and the wet-bulb temperature is 62°F. What is the relative humidity?

    N a. 16%
    N b. 24%
    Y c. 39%
    N d. 79%

1057: One of the causes of ocean currents is density differences in the water. This is true because __________.

    N a. in an area of high density the water's surface is lower than in an area of low density
    Y b. surface water flows from an area of high density to one of low density
    N c. the lesser the density gradient the freer the water is to move
    N d. it is the density differences that cause the currents to stay in the troughs

1073: Chart legends printed in capital letters show that the associated landmark is __________.

    N a. inconspicuous
    N b. a radio transmitter
    Y c. conspicuous
    N d. a government facility or station

1074: As the temperature for a given mass of air increases, the __________.

    N a. dew point increases
    N b. dew point decreases
    N c. relative humidity increases
    Y d. relative humidity decreases

1200: You want to transit Pollock Rip Channel, MA, on 6 April 1983. What is the period of time around the 0955 (ZD +5) slack in which the current does not exceed 0.3 knot?

    N a. 0911 to 0955
    N b. 0940 to 1010
    N c. 0955 to 1044
    Y d. 0935 to 1017

1293: Deviation is caused by __________.

    N a. changes in the earth's magnetic field
    N b. nearby magnetic land masses or mineral deposits
    Y c. magnetic influence inherent to that particular vessel
    N d. the magnetic lines of force not coinciding with the lines of longitude

1332: The longitude of the upper vertex of a great circle track is 169°E. What is the longitude of the lower vertex?

    N a. 076°E
    N b. 169°W
    N c. 101°W
    Y d. 011°W

1343: Variation is a compass error that you __________.

    N a. can correct by adjusting the compass card
    N b. can correct by adjusting the compensating magnets
    N c. can correct by changing the vessel's heading
    Y d. cannot correct

1455: Inferior conjunction is possible for __________.

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

1584: A decrease in barometric pressure is associated with all of the following except __________.

    N a. rising warm air
    N b. proximity to a low pressure area
    N c. inward spiraling circulation
    Y d. clear dry weather

1699: In the Northern Hemisphere, when the center of a high pressure system is due east of your position, you can expect winds from the __________.

    N a. south to west
    Y b. south to east
    N c. north to west
    N d. north to east

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

1798: The climate of the northern Gulf coast __________.

    N a. is humid and subtropical throughout the year
    N b. has an east coast marine type of climate
    Y c. is a warm marine type of climate
    N d. varies from warm to subtropical

1829: 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 E in the illustration? (D036NG )

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

1840: A vessel heading NW is on a course of __________.

    N a. 274.5°
    N b. 292.5°
    Y c. 315.0°
    N d. 337.5°

1941: IN REGION A of the IALA Buoyage System, when entering from seaward, the starboard side of a channel would be marked by a __________.

    N a. red can buoy
    N b. red conical buoy
    N c. green can buoy
    Y d. green conical buoy

1942: In the horizon system of coordinates what is equivalent to the declination of the equator system?

    N a. Nadir
    N b. Azimuth angle
    Y c. Altitude
    N d. Zenith distance

2010: A vessel heading ESE is on a course of __________.

    Y a. 112.5°
    N b. 135.0°
    N c. 157.5°
    N d. 180.0°

2067: The Light List indicates that a light has a nominal range of 10 miles and is 11 feet high. If the visibility is 5 miles and your height of eye is 20 feet, at what approximate distance will you sight the light?

    Y a. 6.3 miles
    N b. 7.4 miles
    N c. 8.4 miles
    N d. 9.0 miles

2101: 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 __________.

    Y a. Broadcast Notice to Mariners
    N b. Light List Vol. V
    N c. U.S. Coast Pilot
    N d. All of the above

2119: Which stock number indicates an NGA (NIMA) chart designed for fixing positions at sea and DR plotting while on a long voyage?

    Y a. WOAGN520
    N b. PILOT16
    N c. 16BCO16212
    N d. WOPZC5245

2129: Diagram number D037NG represents a movable dam. If there is high water and the wickets are down so that there is an unobstructed navigable pass through the dam, what light(s) will be shown at B if the lock walls and piers are not awash?

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

2130: You are underway and pass by a lighthouse. Its light, which was white since you first sighted it, changes to red. This means __________.

    N a. the light is characterized as alternately flashing
    N b. the lighthouse has lost power and has switched to emergency lighting
    N c. it is the identifying light characteristic of the lighthouse
    Y d. you have entered an area of shoal water or other hazard

2174: By convention, the Earth's north magnetic pole is colored __________.

    N a. red
    N b. white
    Y c. blue
    N d. black

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°

2514: Sidereal time is NOT used __________.

    N a. as the basis for star charts
    N b. to enter a star finder
    N c. in sight reduction using Pub 249
    Y d. in sight reductions of planet observations

2652: The dividing meridian between zone descriptions -10 and -11 is __________.

    N a. 135°30'E
    N b. 145°00'E
    N c. 150°00'E
    Y d. 157°30'E

2737: A lateral system buoy displaying a quick light __________.

    N a. should be passed close aboard on either side
    Y b. indicates that special caution is required
    N c. is used at a channel bifurcation or junction
    N d. is painted with red and white vertical stripes

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'

2945: A position that is obtained by applying estimated current and wind to your vessel's course and speed is a(n) __________.

    Y a. estimated position
    N b. dead reckoning position
    N c. fix
    N d. None of the above

3078: Which data must ECDIS be able to record at one-minute intervals?

    N a. Position
    N b. Electronic navigational chart source
    N c. Course made good history
    Y d. All of the above

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