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.


115: The date is the same all over the world at __________.


167: When the Moon's declination is maximum north, which of the following will occur?


192: The description "Racon" beside an illustration on a chart would mean a __________.


374: There are seven sources of error in the marine sextant. Of the four errors listed, which one is adjustable?

    Y a. Error of collimation
    N b. Prismatic error
    N c. Graduation error
    N d. Centering error

406: Your vessel is on course 135°T, speed 18 knots. From the appearance of the sea you estimate the speed of the true wind as 24.5 knots. The apparent wind is 40° on the starboard bow. Determine the speed of the apparent wind.

    N a. 24.2 knots
    N b. 28.4 knots
    N c. 32.2 knots
    Y d. 36.0 knots

482: Which statement about a gnomonic chart is correct?

    N a. A rhumb line appears as a straight line.
    N b. Distance is measured at the mid-latitude of the track line.
    N c. Meridians appear as curved lines converging toward the nearer pole.
    Y d. Parallels, except the equator, appear as curved lines.

513: You are radar scanning for a buoy fitted with a racon. Which radar screen represents the presentation you should expect on the PPI? (D017NG )

    N a. A
    Y b. B
    N c. C
    N d. D

542: The only cylindrical chart projection widely used for navigation is the __________.

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

612: Which statement is TRUE concerning a Mercator projection?

    N a. Degrees of longitude decrease in length as latitude increases.
    Y b. The length of the meridians is increased to provide for equal expansion in all directions.
    N c. The mileage between the meridians is increased as the latitude increases.
    N d. All of the above

801: You are entering an African port and see ahead of you a red can-shaped buoy. What action should you take?

    Y a. Alter course to leave the buoy to port
    N b. Alter course to leave the buoy to starboard
    N c. Pass the buoy close aboard on either side
    N d. Pass the buoy well clear on either side

832: What is the most important source of information to be used in correcting charts and keeping them up to date?

    N a. Fleet Guides
    Y b. Notice to Mariners
    N c. Sailing Directions
    N d. Pilot Charts

856: The flow of air around an anticyclone in the Southern Hemisphere is __________.

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

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

899: A latitude line will be obtained by observing a body __________.

    N a. on the prime vertical
    N b. on the celestial horizon
    Y c. at lower transit
    N d. on the Greenwich meridian

905: The Sun's center is coincident with the principal vertical circle when __________.

    Y a. in lower transit
    N b. the hour circle and prime vertical are coincident
    N c. the declination is zero degrees and the azimuth is exactly N 135°E
    N d. the declination is zero degrees and the azimuth is exactly N 135°W

925: Your vessel is at the equator at midnight on 1 January, and a star is observed rising. At what time will this same star rise on 1 February, assuming your vessel's location is still at the equator?

    N a. 2208
    N b. 2110
    Y c. 2158
    N d. 2317

969: The population of northern right whales, an endangered species, numbers approximately __________.

    Y a. 300
    N b. 5000
    N c. 100,000
    N d. 1,000,000

977: In the Sargasso Sea there are large quantities of seaweed and no well defined currents. This area is located in the __________.

    Y a. Central North Atlantic Ocean
    N b. Caribbean Sea
    N c. Western North Pacific Ocean
    N d. area off the west coast of South America

990: You plot a fix using three lines of position and find they intersect in a triangle. You should plot the position of the vessel __________.

    N a. outside of the triangle
    N b. anywhere in the triangle
    N c. on the line of position from the nearest object, between the other two lines of position
    Y d. in the geometric center of the triangle

1026: An air mass that has moved down from Canada would most likely have the symbols __________.

    N a. mPk
    Y b. cPk
    N c. cTk
    N d. cTw

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°

1104: Which condition(s) is(are) necessary for the formation of dew?

    N a. Clear skies
    N b. Calm air
    N c. Earth's surface cooler than the dew point of the air
    Y d. All of the above

1133: Which compensates for errors introduced when the vessel heels over?

    N a. The soft iron spheres on the arms of the binnacle
    N b. Magnets placed in trays inside the binnacle
    Y c. A single vertical magnet beneath the compass
    N d. The Flinders bar

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.

1259: General information on enroute weather and climate is found in __________.

    Y a. the Sailing Directions and the Coast Pilot
    N b. a weather fax
    N c. the Local Notice to Mariners
    N d. the Light List

1306: What type of clouds are associated with a cold front?

    N a. Altostratus and fracto-cumulus
    N b. Altostratus and cirrus
    N c. Cirrus and cirrostratus
    Y d. Cumulus and cumulonimbus

1348: Vessel required to have an Automatic Radar Plotting Aid must have a device to indicate the __________.

    Y a. speed of the vessel over the ground or through the water
    N b. distance to the next port
    N c. time of the next navigational satellite pass
    N d. None of the above

1361: The luminous range of a light takes into account the __________.

    N a. glare from background lighting
    Y b. existing visibility conditions
    N c. elevation of the light
    N d. observer's height of eye

1497: When drawing a weather map and an isobar crosses a front, the isobar is drawn __________.

    N a. perpendicular to the front
    Y b. kinked and pointing away from the low
    N c. kinked and pointing towards the low
    N d. kinked and pointing towards the high for a warm front only

1598: A slow, gradual fall of the barometer indicates approaching __________.

    N a. gale force winds within 12 hours
    N b. blizzard conditions
    Y c. deteriorating or unsettled weather
    N d. heavy, wind driven rain

1611: What indicates a dual purpose buoy?

    N a. Red buoy with a horizontal yellow band
    N b. Red and white vertically-striped buoy with a vertical yellow stripe
    N c. Red and white vertically-striped buoy with a red spherical topmark
    Y d. Green buoy with a yellow square

1615: The Illustration shows the symbols used on radio facsimile weather charts. Which symbol indicates snow? (D042NG )

    N a. G
    N b. H
    Y c. M
    N d. N

1624: A psychrometer has two thermometers that provide dry bulb and wet bulb temperatures. By comparing these two temperature readings with a set of tables you can determine the __________.

    N a. atmospheric pressure
    N b. wind speed
    Y c. relative humidity and dew point
    N d. wind chill factor

1671: Cirrus clouds are composed primarily of __________.

    Y a. ice crystals
    N b. water droplets
    N c. snow crystals
    N d. nitrogen

1750: Clearance gauges at bridges indicate __________.

    N a. the height of the tide
    N b. depth of water under the bridge
    N c. charted vertical clearance at mean low water
    Y d. distance from the water to low steel of the bridge

1758: The climate of the eastern Gulf coast __________.

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

1922: In the North Sea area, you sight a buoy showing a quick white light with 9 flashes every 15 seconds. Which of the four topmarks shown would be fitted to the buoy? (D030NG )

    N a. A
    N b. B
    Y c. C
    N d. D

2102: 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. 21214
    Y b. 11314
    N c. 14313
    N d. 14114

2178: The Flinders bar and the quadrantal spheres should be tested for permanent magnetism at what interval?

    N a. They are not subject to permanent magnetism; no check is necessary.
    N b. Semiannually
    Y c. Annually
    N d. Every five years

2186: You have completed the magnetic compass adjustments on magnetic east and magnetic south. The vessel is now steady on magnetic west but the compass reads 266°. What action should be taken?

    N a. Adjust the compass with the athwartships magnets until the compass reads 268°.
    N b. Adjust the compass with the fore-and-aft magnets until the compass reads 270°.
    N c. Adjust the compass with the quadrantal spheres until the compass reads 274°.
    Y d. Adjust the compass with the fore-and-aft magnets until the compass reads 268°.

2220: A dead reckoning (DR) plot __________.

    N a. must utilize magnetic courses
    N b. must take set and drift into account
    N c. should be replotted hourly
    Y d. should be started each time the vessel's position is fixed

2272: Mars will not be visible __________.

    N a. at elongation angles near 180°
    N b. from quadrature to opposition
    Y c. at conjunction
    N d. at opposition

2374: The largest of the navigational planets is __________.

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

2378: Which light signal indicates that you may approach the lock?

    N a. Flashing red
    Y b. Flashing amber
    N c. Steady amber
    N d. Steady green

2388: The reference point for determination of GMT is the passage of the mean sun over what line?

    N a. First point of Aries
    N b. Observer's meridian
    N c. 0° longitude
    Y d. 180° longitude

2439: Which statement about the time diagram in illustration D008NG is TRUE? (D008NG )

    Y a. You are in east longitude.
    N b. The Sun is setting for you.
    N c. Your date is different from the Greenwich date.
    N d. The GHA is approximately 160°.

2600: A parallel of latitude other than the equator is a __________.

    N a. great circle
    N b. loxodromic curve
    Y c. small circle
    N d. gnomonic curve

2634: Under the U.S. Aids to Navigation System on the Western Rivers, a preferred-channel buoy is __________.

    Y a. horizontally-banded red and green
    N b. vertically-striped red and white
    N c. solid red
    N d. solid green

2738: While navigating in fog off a coastline of steep cliffs, you hear the echo of the ship's fog horn 3 seconds after the signal was sounded. What is the distance to the shore?

    N a. 1100 yards
    N b. 872 yards
    Y c. 550 yards
    N d. 792 yards

2742: A white diamond daymark with an orange border is a(n) __________.

    N a. special mark
    Y b. information or regulatory mark
    N c. lateral aid on the intracoastal waterway
    N d. safe water mark

2800: Where is the pivot point of a towboat with a tow ahead?

    N a. One-third the length of the combined unit forward of the towboat
    Y b. One-third the length of the combined unit back from the head
    N c. At the head of the towboat
    N d. One-half the length of the combined unit

2866: Some locations maintain a zone time of -13. What are the zone time and date if the Greenwich time and date are 2152, 10 January?

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

2939: The buoy indicated by the letter D as shown is a __________. (D044NG )

    Y a. nun
    N b. can
    N c. spar
    N d. pillar

2981: The maritime radio system consisting of a series of coast stations transmitting coastal warnings is called __________.

    Y a. NAVTEX
    N b. HYDROLANT/HYDROPAC
    N c. NAVAREA
    N d. SAFESEA

3000: All aids to navigation listed in the Mississippi River System Light List are shown as miles from a reference point and on the __________.

    N a. east or west bank
    Y b. left or right descending bank
    N c. port or starboard side of the vessel
    N d. left or right ascending bank

3005: The agonic line on an isomagnetic chart indicates the __________.

    N a. magnetic equator
    N b. magnetic longitude reference line
    Y c. points where there is no variation
    N d. points where there is no annual change in variation

3052: The Sailing Directions contain information on __________.

    N a. required navigation lights
    N b. lifesaving equipment standards
    N c. casualty reporting procedures
    Y d. currents in various locations

3064: ECDIS units incorporate Digital Chart Data Formats, which include __________.

    N a. vector only
    N b. raster only
    Y c. vector and raster
    N d. imposed viewing

3070: The database information that should be shown when a chart is first displayed on ECDIS is the __________.

    N a. display base information
    Y b. standard display information
    N c. system electronic nautical chart
    N d. chart display information

3083: Which theoretical minimum number of measurements from satellites does a GPS receiver need in order to provide an exact three-dimensional position?

    N a. Five
    Y b. Four
    N c. Three
    N d. Two