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.
9: When displayed under a single-span fixed bridge, red lights indicate __________.
Y a. the channel boundaries N b. that vessels must stop N c. the bridge is about to open N d. that traffic is approaching from the other side 58: You should plot your dead reckoning position __________.
N a. at every course change N b. hourly N c. at every speed change Y d. All of the above are correct. 122: 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?
Y a. 11250 N b. 18411 N c. 21228 N d. 17136 163: How many fixed objects are needed to plot a running fix?
N a. None Y b. One N c. Two N d. Three 282: The symbol which appears beside a light on a chart reads "Gp Fl R (2) 10 sec 160 ft 19M". Which characteristic describes the light?
N a. It is visible 10 miles. N b. Its distinguishing number is "19M". N c. It has a radar reflector. Y d. None of the above 285: The apparent wind is zero when the true wind is __________.
N a. zero N b. from ahead and equal to the ship's speed Y c. from astern and equal to the ship's speed N d. from astern and is twice the ship's speed 308: The wind at Frying Pan shoals has been west-northwesterly at an average velocity of 40 knots. The predicted set and drift of the rotary current are 323° at 0.6 knot. What current should you expect?
N a. 001° at 0.7 knot Y b. 018° at 0.4 knot N c. 052° at 0.6 knot N d. 089° at 0.9 knot 326: You are steaming west 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 low pressure lies to the __________.
Y a. north N b. south N c. east N d. west 372: You would find the variation on a polyconic projection chart __________.
Y a. on the compass rose N b. on the mileage scale N c. written on the chart title N d. at each line of longitude 391: When outbound from a U.S. port, a buoy displaying a flashing red light indicates __________.
N a. a junction with the preferred channel to the left N b. a sharp turn in the channel to the right Y c. the port side of the channel N d. a wreck to be left on the vessel's starboard side 437: Your vessel will be docking at Chester, PA, during the evening of 22 April 1983. The chart shows a depth of 20 feet (6.1 meters) at the pier. What will be the depth of water available at 1856 EST (ZD +5)?
N a. 22.4 feet (6.8 meters) Y b. 23.4 feet (7.2 meters) N c. 24.9 feet (7.6 meters) N d. 25.7 feet (7.8 meters) 515: The small circle of the celestial sphere parallel to the celestial equator, and transcribed by the daily motion of the body, is called the __________.
N a. hour circle of the body Y b. parallel of declination N c. vertical circle of the body N d. parallel of altitude 560: On 14 April 1981, a back sight is observed of the lower limb of the Sun. The height of eye is 45 feet. The index error is 2.5' on the arc. The sextant altitude (hs) is 117°14.6'. What is the observed altitude (Ho)?
N a. 63°01.9' N b. 63°03.4' N c. 63°07.4' Y d. 63°09.9' 578: At about GMT 1436, on 3 December 1981, the lower limb of the Moon is observed with a sextant having an index error of 2.5' on the arc. The height of eye is 32 feet. The sextant altitude (hs) is 3°38.8'. What is the observed altitude?
N a. Ho 4°18.6' Y b. Ho 4°29.1' N c. Ho 4°36.3' N d. Ho 4°42.2' 602: Between the equator and the 46th parallel of latitude, there are 3099 meridional parts. How many degrees of equatorial longitude does 3099 meridional parts represent?
N a. 35°52'45" Y b. 51°39'00" N c. 74°21'11" N d. 82°36'12" 630: What kind of weather would you expect to accompany the passage of a tropical wave?
Y a. Heavy rain and cloudiness N b. Good weather N c. A tropical storm N d. Dense fog 768: The wind velocity is higher in the dangerous semicircle of a tropical cyclone because of the __________.
Y a. wind circulation and forward motion of the storm N b. extension of the low pressure ridge N c. recurvature effect N d. direction of circulation and pressure gradient 792: Information about temporary, short term changes affecting the safety of navigation in U.S. waters is distributed to navigational interests by the __________.
N a. Daily Memorandum N b. HYDROLANT or HYDROPAC broadcasts Y c. Local Notice to Mariners N d. Summary of Corrections 818: Ocean swells originating from a typhoon can move ahead of it at speeds near __________.
N a. 10 knots N b. 20 knots N c. 30 knots Y d. 50 knots 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 839: When using a radar in an unstabilized mode, fixes are determined most easily from __________.
Y a. ranges N b. center bearings N c. tangent bearings N d. objects that are close aboard 870: Vessels should maintain a sharp lookout, especially during December through March, when navigating the right whale's only known calving grounds which lie off the coasts of __________.
N a. Nova Scotia N b. Maine and Massachusetts Y c. Georgia and NE Florida N d. California and Mexico 1056: The steepness of a cold front depends on __________.
N a. the direction of wind around the front Y b. its velocity N c. the temperature of the air behind the front N d. the precipitation generated by the front 1061: In waters where the cardinal system is used you would expect to find danger __________.
N a. lying to the south of an eastern quadrant buoy Y b. lying to the south of a northern quadrant buoy N c. lying to the east of an eastern quadrant buoy N d. beneath or directly adjacent to the buoy 1094: A light, feathery deposit of ice caused by the sublimation of water vapor directly into the crystalline form, on objects whose temperatures are below freezing, is called __________.
N a. dew Y b. frost N c. glaze N d. snow 1099: You are enroute to assist vessel A. Vessel A is underway at 6 knots on course 133°T, and bears 343°T at 92 miles from you. What is the course to steer at 9 knots to intercept vessel A?
N a. 356° Y b. 003° N c. 022° N d. 038° 1141: What is characteristic of an isophase light?
N a. 4 sec. flash, 2 sec. eclipse, 3 sec. flash, 2 sec. eclipse N b. 2 sec. flash, 5 sec. eclipse Y c. 1 sec. flash, 1 sec. eclipse N d. 6 sec. flash, 3 sec. eclipse 1161: What is characteristic of an occulting light?
N a. 1 sec. flash, 2 sec. eclipse, 1 sec. flash, 5 sec. eclipse N b. 5 sec. flash, 5 sec. eclipse Y c. 4 sec. flash, 2 sec. eclipse, 3 sec. flash, 2 sec. eclipse N d. 6 sec. flash, 6 sec. eclipse 1175: Solid green arrows on the main body of a pilot chart indicate __________.
N a. prevailing wind directions Y b. prevailing ocean current directions N c. probable surface current flow N d. shortest great circle routes 1206: Brief, violent showers frequently accompanied by thunder and lightning are usually associated with __________.
N a. passage of a warm front Y b. passage of a cold front N c. winds shifting counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere N d. stationary high pressure systems 1253: The horizontal angle between the magnetic meridian and the north-south line of the magnetic compass is __________.
Y a. deviation N b. variation N c. compass error N d. dip 1295: The best estimate of the wind direction at sea level can be obtained from observing the direction of the __________.
N a. cloud movement N b. vessel heading Y c. waves N d. swells 1331: When trying to sight a lighthouse you notice a glare from a town in the background. The range at which the light may be sighted due to this glare is __________.
Y a. considerably reduced N b. increased slightly due to extra lighting N c. unchanged N d. increased if the light is red or green due to contrast with the glare 1342: An occluded front on a weather map is colored __________.
N a. blue line Y b. purple line N c. dashed blue line N d. alternate red and blue line 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 1470: The Illustration shows the symbols used on radio facsimile weather charts. Which symbol indicates a hurricane? (D042NG )
N a. M N b. I N c. L Y d. K 1541: You are preparing a weather report form, WS Form B-80. Your position is LAT 49°35'N, LONG 162°49'E. How would this be encoded? (D041NG )
Y a. 99496, 11628 N b. 94935, 96249 N c. L4935, 16249 N d. L496N, 1628E 1574: Information about currents around Pacific Coast ports of the U.S. is found in the __________.
N a. Nautical Almanac N b. Tide Tables Y c. Tidal Current Tables N d. Ocean Current Tables 1633: To find a magnetic compass course from a true course you must apply __________.
Y a. deviation and variation N b. deviation N c. variation N d. magnetic anomalies (local disturbances) 1754: The dumping of refuse in a lock is permitted __________.
N a. when approved by the lockmaster N b. when locking downbound Y c. at no time N d. during high water only 1765: Which meteorological feature controls the climate of the Gulf and the Gulf Coast area during late spring and summer?
Y a. The Bermuda High N b. The doldrums N c. The horse latitudes N d. Tropical cyclones 1774: Restricted areas at locks and dams are indicated by __________.
N a. flashing red lights upstream and fixed red lights downstream N b. yellow unlighted buoys Y c. signs and/or flashing red lights N d. red daymarks upstream and green daymarks downstream 1787: What indicates that a tropical cyclone may be within 500 to 1,000 miles of your position?
Y a. A pumping of the barometer up and down a few millibars N b. A sudden wind shift from southwest to northwest followed by steadily increasing winds N c. The normal swell pattern becoming confused, with the length of the swell increasing N d. An overcast sky with steadily increasing rain from nimbostratus clouds 1797: A phenomenon where the atmospheric pressure is higher than that of other surrounding regions is called __________.
Y a. a high pressure area N b. a low front or an occluded front N c. the "trade winds" N d. the "doldrums" 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 2408: What is the equivalent of 42 min. 48 sec. in arc units?
N a. 21°24' N b. 18°16' N c. 11°19' Y d. 10°42' 2602: The lunar day is also known as the __________.
N a. lunitidal interval N b. vulgar establishment of the port N c. nodal day Y d. tidal day 2604: A sidereal day is approximately how much shorter than a solar day?
Y a. 4 minutes N b. 8 minutes N c. 12 minutes N d. 16 minutes 2778: A special daymark is a __________.
N a. red-and-white octagon N b. daymark with a yellow stripe on it N c. green square Y d. yellow diamond 2851: You determine your vessel's position by taking a range and bearing to a buoy. Your position will be plotted as a(n) __________.
N a. dead-reckoning position Y b. estimated position N c. running fix N d. fix 2929: On 29 June 1981 you observe a back sight of the lower limb of the Moon. The sextant altitude (hs) is 114°16.9'. The height of eye is 36 feet and the index error is 2.0' on the arc. The horizontal parallax is 60.5'. What is the observed altitude (Ho)?
Y a. 66°31.6' N b. 66°31.0' N c. 66°28.8' N d. 66°26.0' 2940: On the Corps of Engineer's Navigation Maps, the channel is __________.
N a. midway between the banks N b. indicated by depths (in feet) Y c. indicated by a broken line N d. not indicated 2962: While navigating in fog off a coastline of steep cliffs, you hear the echo of the ship's fog horn 4 1/2 seconds after the signal was sounded. What is the distance to the shore?
N a. 405 yards N b. 628 yards N c. 730 yards Y d. 825 yards 2994: You take a bearing of 313° and 076° of two objects. Which bearing of a third object will give the best fix?
Y a. 014° N b. 133° N c. 255° N d. 339° 3009: "Proceeding from seaward" for the purpose of the direction of buoying offshore, lateral system buoys would be proceeding __________.
N a. northerly on the Atlantic Coast N b. easterly on the Gulf Coast Y c. northerly on the Pacific Coast N d. None of the above 3079: With respect to failure warnings and status indications, GPS receivers should provide, at a minimum, __________.
N a. an indication within 5 seconds if the specified HDOP has been exceeded N b. a warning of loss of position N c. a differential GPS status indication of the receipt of DGPS signals Y d. All of the above 3082: Which type of GPS receiver has at least four channels to process information from several satellites simultaneously?
N a. Sequential Y b. Continuous N c. Multiplex N d. None of the above 3126: Which of the following statements is TRUE regarding automatic identification systems (AIS)?
N a. AIS will not provide information on another vessel if that vessel is indistinguishable in radar sea clutter. N b. AIS can be relied upon as the sole means to determine risk of collision and safe speed. N c. AIS is designed to replace ARPA, maneuvering boards, and visual bearings as a means to ascertain the risk of collision. Y d. AIS provides the other vessel's identity, dimensions and navigational status regardless of visibility.