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.


4: Gyrocompass repeaters reproduce the indications of the master gyrocompass. They are __________.


25: You are in LONG 144°E. The date is 6 February, and the zone time is 0800. The Greenwich date and time are __________.


39: Civil twilight begins at 1910 zone time on 20 July 1981. Your DR position at that time is LAT 22°16'N, LONG 150°06'W. Which statement concerning the planets available for evening sights is TRUE?


69: The parallax angle will vary the most with the time of year for __________.

    Y a. Venus
    N b. Jupiter
    N c. Saturn
    N d. Polaris

71: A preferred-channel buoy may be __________.

    Y a. lettered
    N b. spherical
    N c. showing a white light
    N d. All of the above

94: When using a recording depth finder in the open ocean, what phenomena is most likely to produce a continuous trace that may not be from the actual ocean bottom?

    Y a. Echoes from a deep scattering layer
    N b. Echoes from schools of fish
    N c. Multiple returns reflected from the bottom to the surface and to the bottom again
    N d. Poor placement of the transducer on the hull

139: What is the geographic longitude of a body whose GHA is 215°15'?

    N a. 35°15'W
    N b. 35°15'E
    Y c. 144°45'E
    N d. 144°45'W

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

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

224: A sextant having an index error that is "off the arc" has a __________.

    Y a. positive correction
    N b. dip error
    N c. negative correction
    N d. semidiameter error

227: The class of tide that prevails in the greatest number of important harbors on the Atlantic Coast is __________.

    N a. interval
    N b. mixed
    N c. diurnal
    Y d. semidiurnal

230: If the LORAN-C ground wave does NOT extend out as far as the skywave skip distance, there will be a skip zone in which __________.

    Y a. no LORAN-C signal is received
    N b. only ground waves are received
    N c. only skywaves are received
    N d. both ground waves and skywaves are received

277: Your vessel goes aground in soft mud. You would have the best chance of refloating it on the next tide if it grounded at __________.

    N a. low water neap
    Y b. low water spring
    N c. high water neap
    N d. high water spring

280: Under the U.S. Aids to Navigation System, a lighted buoy with a spherical topmark marks __________.

    N a. the port side of the channel
    Y b. safe water
    N c. a hazard to navigation
    N d. the position of underwater cables

336: You are steaming eastward in the North Atlantic in an extratropical cyclonic storm and the wind is dead ahead. According to the law of Buys Ballot, the center of the low pressure lies __________.

    N a. ahead of you
    N b. astern of you
    N c. to the north
    Y d. to the south

371: Which buoy may be odd numbered?

    N a. Mid-channel buoy
    N b. Unlighted nun buoy
    Y c. Lighted green buoy
    N d. All of the above

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°

500: The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (formerly the National Imagery and Mapping Agency) would produce a chart of the coast of __________.

    N a. Alaska
    Y b. Canada
    N c. Puerto Rico
    N d. Hawaii

537: What will be the height of tide at Gargathy Neck, VA, at 1800 DST (ZD +4), on 16 August 1983?

    N a. 2.3 feet
    Y b. 2.9 feet
    N c. 3.3 feet
    N d. 3.6 feet

731: Under the IALA Buoyage Systems, a vertically-striped buoy may be striped red and __________.

    N a. green
    N b. black
    Y c. white
    N d. yellow

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

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

789: The dangerous semicircle of a hurricane in the Northern Hemisphere is that area of the storm __________.

    Y a. to the right of the storm's track
    N b. measured from true north clockwise to 180°T
    N c. measured from true north counterclockwise to 180°T
    N d. between the ship's heading and the bearing to the eye

824: An "atoll cloud" forming over an island due to heating of the land during the daytime would be which type?

    N a. Cirrus
    Y b. Cumulus
    N c. Stratus
    N d. Nimbus

846: Weather systems in the middle latitudes generally travel from __________.

    N a. east to west
    N b. north to south
    Y c. west to east
    N d. None of the above

878: At 0600 ZT on 31 January, your position is LAT 00°49'S, LONG 84°27'E. 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. 30243, 90008, 30848
    N b. 31003, 99049, 38427
    Y c. 31003, 99008, 30844
    N d. 31063, 99049, 58427

962: Chart legends which indicate a conspicuous landmark are printed in __________.

    N a. underlined letters
    N b. boldfaced print
    N c. italics
    Y d. capital letters

975: The change in the length of the day becomes greater as latitude increases because of the __________.

    N a. path of the ecliptic relative to the equator
    N b. decreasing distance between meridians
    N c. changing distance between the Earth and the Sun
    Y d. increased obliquity of the Sun's diurnal circle

984: The bases of middle clouds are located at altitudes of between __________.

    N a. 3,000 to 6,500 feet (914 to 1981 meters)
    Y b. 6,500 to 20,000 feet (1981 to 6096 meters)
    N c. 10,000 to 35,000 feet (3048 to 10,668 meters)
    N d. 20,000 to 60,000 feet (6096 to 18,288 meters)

1231: Some lights used as aids to marine navigation have a red sector to indicate a danger area. How are the limits of a colored sector of light listed in the Light List?

    N a. Geographical positions outlining the area of the sector
    N b. True bearings as observed from the light toward a vessel
    Y c. True bearings as observed from a vessel toward the light
    N d. Bearings given in the Light List are always magnetic

1256: A cold front moving in from the northwest can produce __________.

    Y a. thunderstorms, hail, and then rapid clearing
    N b. increasing cloud cover lasting for several days
    N c. lengthy wet weather
    N d. low ceilings with thick cirrus clouds

1304: The distance to the nearest vertex from any point on a great circle track cannot exceed __________.

    Y a. 5400 nautical miles
    N b. 5840 nautical miles
    N c. 6080 nautical miles
    N d. 10,800 nautical miles

1326: A cloud sequence of cirrus, cirrostratus, and altostratus clouds followed by rain usually signifies the approach of a(n) __________.

    N a. occluded front
    N b. stationary front
    Y c. warm front
    N d. cold front

1338: Which type of cloud is indicated by the number 6? (D039NG )

    N a. Altocumulus
    Y b. Stratocumulus
    N c. Altostratus
    N d. Cirrus

1351: Luminous range is the __________.

    N a. maximum distance at which a light may be seen in clear weather
    Y b. maximum distance at which a light may be seen under existing visibility conditions
    N c. maximum distance at which a light may be seen considering the height of the light and the height of the observer
    N d. average distance of visibility of the light

1362: Which type of cloud is indicated by the number 7 in illustration D039NG? (D039NG )

    N a. Cirrostratus
    N b. Altocumulus
    Y c. Cumulus
    N d. Cumulonimbus

1422: Cumulus clouds are indicated by what number in illustration D039NG? (D039NG )

    N a. 3
    N b. 5
    N c. 6
    Y d. 7

1423: Quadrantal error in a gyrocompass has its GREATEST effect __________.

    N a. in high latitudes
    N b. near the equator
    N c. on north or south headings
    Y d. on intercardinal headings

1643: Cumulus clouds that have undergone vertical development and have become cumulonimbus in form, indicate __________.

    N a. clearing weather
    N b. that a warm front has passed
    Y c. probable thunderstorm activity
    N d. an approaching hurricane or typhoon

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

1804: Magnetic information on a chart may be __________.

    N a. found in the center(s) of the compass rose(s)
    N b. indicated by isogonic lines
    N c. found in a note on the chart
    Y d. All of the above

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

1866: What term is used to describe a tank barge constructed with the structural framing inside the cargo tank and the side shell plating containing the cargo?

    Y a. Single hull
    N b. Shell plated
    N c. Hopper type
    N d. Independent tank

1932: The zenith is the point on the celestial sphere that is __________.

    N a. 90° away from the poles
    Y b. directly over the observer
    N c. on the eastern horizon
    N d. over Greenwich

2053: When outbound from a U.S. port, a buoy displaying a flashing red light indicates __________.

    N a. a sharp turn in the channel to the right
    Y b. the port side of the channel
    N c. a junction with the preferred channel to the left
    N d. a wreck to be left on the vessel's starboard side

2060: What is the relative bearing of an object broad on the starboard quarter?

    N a. 045°
    N b. 090°
    Y c. 135°
    N d. 225°

2069: Illustration D037NG represents a moveable dam. If a bear trap is open what will be displayed at the lock to indicate this condition? (D037NG )

    N a. A flashing amber light
    Y b. A white circular disc
    N c. A red diamond
    N d. Two amber lights

2116: Vessels regularly navigating rivers above Cairo, Illinois, shall at all times have on board a copy of the __________.

    N a. Nautical Almanac for the year
    Y b. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Regulations (Blue Book)
    N c. Sailing Directions
    N d. All of the above

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

2176: The illustration 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 D if the lock walls and piers are not awash? (D037NG )

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

2203: You get underway from the shipyard in Chester, PA, at 1515 DST (ZD +4) on 6 August 1983, enroute to sea. You will be turning for eight knots. What current can you expect at Fourteen Foot Bank Light?

    N a. Slack
    Y b. 1.3 knots ebbing
    N c. 1.7 knots ebbing
    N d. 0.5 knot ebbing

2207: Yesterday your chronometer read 11h 59m 58s at the 1200 GMT time tick. Today your chronometer reads 12h 00m 00s at the 1200 time tick. What is the chronometer rate?

    N a. Nil
    N b. 12h
    Y c. +2s
    N d. -2s

2274: A vessel is heading magnetic east and its magnetic compass indicates a heading of 086°. What action should be taken to remove this error during compass adjustment?

    N a. If the red ends of the magnets are to port you should lower the athwartships tray.
    N b. If the blue ends of the magnets are to port, and the athwartships tray is at the top, you should reverse the magnets.
    N c. If the red ends of the magnet are aft, and the fore-and-aft tray is at the top, you should add some more magnets.
    Y d. If the red ends of the magnets are aft you should lower the fore-and-aft tray.

2277: The Light List indicates that a light has a nominal range of 20 miles and is 52 feet high. If the visibility is 12.0 miles and your height of eye is 20 feet, at what approximate distance will you sight the light?

    N a. 21.5 miles
    N b. 20.0 miles
    Y c. 13.7 miles
    N d. 12.0 miles

2540: The distance between any two meridians measured along a parallel of latitude and expressed in miles is the __________.

    N a. difference in longitude
    N b. mid-longitude
    Y c. departure
    N d. meridian angle

2702: You must draw a plotting sheet covering latitudes 46°N to 48°N and longitudes 179°E to 178°W. If the distance between each degree of longitude is 2 7/8 inches, what is the distance between latitude 46°N and 48°N?

    Y a. 8.4 inches
    N b. 8.1 inches
    N c. 7.9 inches
    N d. 7.7 inches

2712: A bold reef is a reef __________.

    N a. with part of it extending above the water
    Y b. that can be detected by water turbulence
    N c. that drops off sharply
    N d. perpendicular to the current

2776: For a well made and well maintained sextant, the maximum value of which correction is usually so small that it can be ignored?

    N a. Personal correction
    Y b. Instrument correction
    N c. Phase
    N d. Dip correction

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

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

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

2986: Some places maintain a zone time of -13. What are the time and date at Greenwich if the zone time and date are 2152, 10 January?

    N a. 1052, 9 January
    Y b. 0852, 10 January
    N c. 1052, 10 January
    N d. 1052, 11 January