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.


92: When utilizing a Pacific Coast chart, the reference plane of soundings is __________.


161: How is a safe water mark, that can be passed close aboard on either side, painted and lighted?


182: The scale on a chart is given as 1:5,000,000. This means that __________.


263: Loran-C uses the multiple pulse system because __________.

    N a. less signal energy is necessary for receiver operation
    Y b. more signal energy is available at the receiver
    N c. it significantly increases the peak power
    N d. it increases the signal capacity

359: You are enroute to assist vessel A. Vessel A is underway at 4.5 knots on course 233°T, and bears 264°T, 68 miles from you. What is the time to intercept if you make 13 Knots?

    N a. 6h 31m
    N b. 6h 47m
    N c. 7h 03m
    Y d. 7h 34m

442: In very high latitudes, the most practical chart projection is the __________.

    N a. Mercator
    N b. gnomonic
    N c. azimuthal
    Y d. Lambert conformal

461: Under the U.S. Aids to Navigation System, a yellow buoy may __________.

    Y a. mark a fish net area
    N b. be lighted with a white light
    N c. show a fixed red light
    N d. All of the above

494: Aneroid barometers are usually calibrated to indicate atmospheric pressure in __________.

    N a. inches of mercury and centimeters
    N b. feet of mercury and millibars
    N c. inches of mercury and millimeters
    Y d. inches of mercury and millibars

536: You are enroute from Puerto Rico to New York. A hurricane makes up and is approaching. If the wind veers steadily, this indicates that your vessel is __________.

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

544: The instrument most commonly used to gather the data for determining the relative humidity is the __________.

    N a. hydrometer
    Y b. psychrometer
    N c. barometer
    N d. anemometer

613: Your radar indicates a target; however, there is no visible object at the point indicated. A large mountain, approximately 50 miles away on the same bearing as the target, is breaking the horizon. You should suspect the radar target is caused by __________.

    N a. a submerged submarine
    Y b. ducting
    N c. sub-refraction
    N d. ionospheric skip waves

647: You will enter Argentia, Newfoundland, at 1200 on 5 October 1983, while keeping zone description +3 on the ship's clocks. What will be the height of tide at this time (based on the Canadian chart datum)?

    N a. 0.5 feet
    N b. 1.2 feet
    Y c. 2.1 feet
    N d. 3.4 feet

683: A radar contact will remain stationary on a relative motion radar display only when it is __________.

    N a. on the same course as your vessel
    N b. at the same speed as your vessel
    Y c. on the same course and speed as your vessel
    N d. on a reciprocal course at the same speed as your vessel

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

786: The greater the pressure difference between a high and a low pressure center, the __________.

    N a. dryer the air mass will be
    N b. cooler the temperature will be
    Y c. greater the force of the wind will be
    N d. warmer the temperature will be

875: Sidereal hour angle is always __________.

    N a. measured westward from the hour circle containing the first point of Aries
    N b. measured from the point on the celestial sphere occupied by the Sun at the vernal equinox
    N c. subtracted from the LHA of the star to obtain the LHA of Aries
    Y d. All of the above

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

967: On an Atlantic Ocean voyage from New York to Durban, South Africa, you should expect the Agulhas Current to present a strong __________.

    N a. offshore set
    N b. onshore set
    Y c. head current
    N d. fair or following current

1004: A low, uniform layer of cloud resembling fog, but not resting on the ground, is called __________.

    N a. cumulus
    N b. nimbus
    Y c. stratus
    N d. cirrus

1075: The expression "first magnitude" is usually used to refer only to bodies of magnitude __________.

    Y a. 1.5 and greater
    N b. 1.25 and greater
    N c. 1.0 and greater
    N d. 0.5 and greater

1165: Which statement concerning the chartlet is TRUE? (Soundings and heights are in meters) (D010NG )

    N a. Maury lightship is visible for 17 miles.
    Y b. There is a dangerous eddy southeast of Beito Island.
    N c. There is a 12-meter deep west of Beito Island and inside the 5-meter line.
    N d. The bottom to the south-southeast of the lightship is soft coral.

1189: Concerning a celestial observation, the azimuth angle is measured from the principal vertical circle to the ____________ .

    N a. Greenwich celestial meridian
    N b. hour circle of the body
    N c. local celestial meridian
    Y d. vertical circle of the body

1193: If a ship is proceeding towards the magnetic equator, the uncorrected deviation due to permanent magnetism __________.

    N a. increases
    N b. remains the same
    Y c. decreases
    N d. is unimportant and may be neglected

1222: On entering from seaward, a starboard side daymark will __________.

    N a. show a fixed red light if lighted
    N b. show a Morse (A) white light
    N c. be square in shape
    Y d. have an even number if numbered

1249: What is the light characteristic of a lighted, preferred-channel buoy?

    N a. Fixed and flashing
    N b. Continuous quick
    N c. Isophase
    Y d. Composite group-flashing

1519: You are preparing a weather report form, WS Form B-80. Your position is LAT 10°38'S, LONG 00°14'E. How would this be encoded? (D041NG )

    N a. LAT 10.6°S, LONG 00.2°E
    N b. L106S, 30002
    N c. 10385, 0014E
    Y d. 99106, 30002

1540: You are sailing south on the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) when you sight a green can buoy with a yellow square painted on it. Which of the following is TRUE?

    N a. You should pass the buoy close aboard on either side.
    N b. The buoy marks the end of the ICW in that area.
    Y c. You should leave the buoy to port.
    N d. The yellow square is retroreflective material used to assist in sighting the buoy at night.

1587: In general, the most effective period for observing stars and planets occurs during the darker limit of __________.

    N a. sunset
    Y b. civil twilight
    N c. nautical twilight
    N d. astronomical twilight

1695: Compared to a low pressure system, generally the air in a high is __________.

    N a. warmer, less dense, and less stable
    Y b. cool, more dense, and drier
    N c. muggy and cloudy
    N d. extremely moist with high relative humidity

1709: The Beaufort scale is used to estimate the __________.

    N a. wind direction
    N b. percentage of cloud cover
    Y c. wind speed
    N d. barometric pressure

1728: If a hurricane several hundred miles away is moving in your general direction your barometer would __________.

    N a. start to rise rapidly
    Y b. start to fall gradually
    N c. rise slowly, begin "pumping" and then start a slow, steady fall
    N d. remain steady

1739: Which condition indicates that you are in a hurricane's dangerous semicircle in the Northern hemisphere?

    N a. A backing wind
    Y b. A veering wind
    N c. A norther
    N d. A strong, gusty wind

1793: Which weather element cannot be measured accurately while on board a moving vessel?

    N a. relative humidity
    N b. temperature
    Y c. true wind speed
    N d. atmospheric pressure

1868: Illustration D036NG represents a fixed C of E lock and dam. What navigational light(s) is(are) exhibited at the position indicated by the letter A in the illustration? (D036NG )

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

1868: Illustration D036NG represents a fixed C of E lock and dam. What navigational light(s) is(are) exhibited at the position indicated by the letter A in the illustration? (D036NG )

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

1898: The subregions of the United States Gulf and East Coasts are numbered 11, 12 and 13 within the chart numbering system. Which chart number indicates a chart for either the Gulf or East coast?

    N a. 14312
    N b. 25134
    N c. 21105
    Y d. 11032

1910: What sextant correction corrects the apparent altitude to the equivalent reading at the center of the Earth?

    N a. Phase
    Y b. Parallax
    N c. Semidiameter
    N d. Augmentation

1982: In the horizon system of coordinates what is equivalent to the Greenwich hour angle of the celestial equator system?

    N a. Zenith distance
    N b. Coaltitude
    N c. Altitude
    Y d. Azimuth

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°

2080: You are on course 030°T. The relative bearing of a lighthouse is 45°. What is the true bearing?

    N a. 015°
    Y b. 075°
    N c. 255°
    N d. 345°

2126: Your chart indicates that there is an isolated rock and names the rock using vertical letters. This indicates the __________.

    N a. rock is visible at low water springs only
    N b. rock is a hazard to deep draft vessels only
    Y c. rock is dry at high water
    N d. exact position of the rock is doubtful

2344: The Moon is subject to four types of libration. Which of the following is NOT one of these types of libration?

    N a. Libration in latitude
    N b. Diurnal libration
    N c. Physical libration
    Y d. Horizontal libration

2349: The summer solstice is the point where the Sun is at __________.

    Y a. maximum declination north
    N b. maximum declination south
    N c. 0° declination going to northerly declinations
    N d. 0° declination going to southerly declinations

2386: The path that the Sun appears to take among the stars is the __________.

    N a. zodiac
    N b. Tropic of Cancer in the Northern Hemisphere
    Y c. ecliptic
    N d. line of apsides

2386: The path that the Sun appears to take among the stars is the __________.

    N a. zodiac
    N b. Tropic of Cancer in the Northern Hemisphere
    Y c. ecliptic
    N d. line of apsides

2396: Perihelion is the point where the Sun __________.

    Y a. is nearest to the Earth
    N b. is farthest from the Earth
    N c. is on the opposite side of the Earth from the Moon
    N d. and Moon and Earth are in line

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°

2460: You are on course 344°T and take a relative bearing of a lighthouse of 270°. What is the true bearing to the lighthouse?

    N a. 016°
    N b. 074°
    N c. 090°
    Y d. 254°

2666: The following boats are approaching a lock. Which has priority for locking?

    N a. An 85-foot yacht
    Y b. Corps of Engineer towboat running empty-headed
    N c. "Delta Queen" (passenger vessel)
    N d. An integrated chemical tow

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

2689: The letter D in illustration D006NG represents __________. (D006NG )

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

2708: You are approaching a drawbridge and have sounded the proper whistle signal requesting it to open. You hear a signal of one prolonged and one short blast from the bridge. Which action should you take?

    N a. Anchor or use an alternate route because the bridge is out of service for an extended period of time.
    N b. Approach to a point not closer than 400 yards (360 meters) from the bridge and await further signals.
    N c. Hold in the channel as the bridge will open within 15 minutes.
    Y d. Approach under full control to pass through the bridge.

2714: A current moving across a lock entrance toward the river or toward the dam is called a(n) __________.

    N a. cutoff
    Y b. outdraft
    N c. lockwash
    N d. springpool

2725: 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
    N b. dead-reckoning position
    N c. running fix
    Y d. fix

2892: The Light List indicates that a dayboard is a type NB. You should __________.

    N a. see a black triangle
    N b. look for another daymark forming a range
    Y c. expect a daymark of no lateral significance
    N d. check to enter the correct channel at the junction daymark

2895: A white buoy with an orange rectangle on it is a(n) __________.

    N a. junction buoy
    N b. safe water buoy
    Y c. informational buoy
    N d. All of the above

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

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

3065: Raster-scan chart data is __________.

    N a. the only format recognized by IMO/IHO
    N b. organized into many separate files
    N c. composed of files that are smaller than vector files
    Y d. a digitized "picture" of a chart in one format and one layer

3102: The typical operating range of automatic identification systems (AIS) at sea is nominally __________.

    N a. 50-75 nm
    Y b. 20-25 nm
    N c. 6-8 nm
    N d. 3-4 nm