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.
56: A strong, often violent, northerly wind occurring on the Pacific coast of Mexico, particularly during the colder months, is called __________.
Y a. Tehuantepecer N b. Papagayo N c. Norther N d. Pampero 76: In the Northern Hemisphere, a wind that shifts counterclockwise is a __________.
N a. veering wind Y b. backing wind N c. reverse wind N d. chinook wind 84: When using an echo sounder in deep water, it is NOT unusual to __________.
Y a. receive a strong return at about 200 fathoms (366 meters) during the day, and one nearer the surface at night N b. receive a first return near the surface during the day, and a strong return at about 200 fathoms (366 meters) at night N c. receive false echoes at a constant depth day and night N d. have to recalibrate every couple of days due to inaccurate readings 105: If the GMT is 1500, the time at 75°E longitude is __________.
N a. 1000 N b. 1500 N c. 1700 Y d. 2000 153: The line extending beyond the stations at A and B is referred to as the __________. (D004NG )
N a. slave line N b. zero line Y c. baseline extension N d. centerline 193: In using Loran-C, skywave reception gives greater range but is __________.
N a. only accurate during daylight hours Y b. much less accurate N c. only accurate at twilight N d. more accurate than using ground waves 193: In using Loran-C, skywave reception gives greater range but is __________.
N a. only accurate during daylight hours Y b. much less accurate N c. only accurate at twilight N d. more accurate than using ground waves 226: What winds blow towards the equator from the area about 30° north?
N a. Prevailing westerlies N b. Roaring thirties N c. Equatorial flow Y d. Northeast trades 264: Which of the four adjustable errors in the sextant is the principle cause of index error?
N a. Telescope not being parallel to the frame Y b. Index mirror and horizon glass not being parallel N c. Index mirror not being perpendicular to the frame N d. Horizon glass not being perpendicular to the frame 381: A nun buoy will __________.
N a. be green in color Y b. have an even number N c. be left to port when entering from seaward N d. be cylindrical in shape 404: An aneroid barometer is an instrument __________.
N a. used to measure the speed of wind Y b. in which the pressure of the air is measured N c. that tells which direction a storm is coming from N d. used to measure the height of waves 496: Severe tropical cyclones (hurricanes, typhoons) occur in all warm-water oceans except the __________.
N a. Indian Ocean N b. North Pacific Ocean N c. South Pacific Ocean Y d. South Atlantic Ocean 540: A white buoy with an orange rectangle on it is used to indicate __________.
N a. danger N b. a controlled area N c. an exclusion area Y d. general information 563: Your radar has a beam width of 2°. The radar gyro bearing of the right tangent of an island is 316°. The gyro error is 1°E. Which true bearing should be plotted on the chart?
N a. 313° N b. 314° Y c. 316° N d. 317° 582: Distance along a track line is measured on a Mercator chart by using the __________.
Y a. latitude scale near the middle of the track line N b. longitude scale near the middle of the track line N c. latitude scale at the mid-latitude of the chart N d. latitude or longitude scale at the middle of the scale 625: The center of a circle of equal altitude, plotted on the surface of the Earth, is the __________.
N a. dead reckoning position of the observer N b. assumed position of the observer Y c. geographical position of the body N d. assumed position of the body 629: The rise and fall of the ocean's surface due to a distant storm is known as __________.
N a. sea N b. waves N c. fetch Y d. swell 817: Which current would you encounter on a direct passage from London, England, to Cape Town, South Africa?
N a. Falkland Current N b. Brazil Current N c. Norway Current Y d. Benguela Current 828: The true wind has been determined to be from 210°T, speed 12 knots. You desire the apparent wind to be 30 knots from 10° on the port bow. What course must you steer, and what speed must you make for this to occur?
Y a. 235°T, 18.6 knots N b. 245°T, 20.0 knots N c. 325°T, 22.4 knots N d. 335°T, 23.6 knots 960: The Light List shows that a navigational light has a nominal range of 15 miles and a height above water of 29 feet (8.8 meters). Your height of eye is 52 feet (15.8 meters) and visibility is 6.0 miles. At which approximate range will you first sight the light?
N a. 8.0 miles Y b. 11.0 miles N c. 14.5 miles N d. 16.0 miles 997: A coastal current __________.
N a. is generated by waves striking the beach Y b. flows outside the surf zone N c. flows in a circular pattern N d. is also known as a longshore current 1037: Generally speaking, a ship steaming across the North Pacific from Japan to Seattle is likely to experience __________.
N a. adverse currents for practically the entire crossing Y b. favorable currents for practically the entire crossing N c. favorable currents in the summer months and adverse currents in the winter months N d. variable currents having no significant effect on the total steaming time 1071: A cardinal mark showing an uninterrupted quick-flashing white light indicates the deepest water in the area is on the __________.
Y a. north side of the mark N b. west side of the mark N c. east side of the mark N d. south side of the mark 1112: Considering the general circulation of the atmosphere, the wind system between latitudes 30°N and 60°N is commonly called the __________.
Y a. prevailing westerlies N b. horse latitudes N c. trade winds N d. subpolar low pressure belts 1146: What is true about a front?
N a. A front is a boundary between two air masses. N b. There are abrupt temperature differences on opposite sides of a front. N c. The pressure tendencies are different on opposite sides of a front. Y d. All of the above 1221: On a chart, the characteristic of the light on a lighthouse is shown as flashing white with a red sector. The red sector __________.
N a. indicates the limits of the navigable channel Y b. indicates a danger area N c. is used to identify the characteristics of the light N d. serves no significant purpose 1252: Port side daymarks may be __________.
Y a. numbered N b. octagonal N c. black and white N d. of any shape 1279: For 3 November 1983, at 0830 EST (ZD +5) at Catskill, NY, what is the predicted height of tide?
N a. +0.1 foot (+0.0 m) Y b. -0.6 foot (-0.2 m) N c. +0.9 foot (+0.3 m) N d. -1.3 feet (-0.4 m) 1321: A lighthouse can be identified by its __________.
N a. painted color N b. light color and phase characteristic N c. type of structure Y d. All of the above 1345: A large automated navigational buoy, such as those that have replaced some lightships, would be shown on a chart by which symbol in illustration D015NG?
N a. D N b. C Y c. B N d. A 1395: The lunar day is __________.
Y a. longer than a solar day N b. shorter than a solar day N c. the same length as the solar day N d. longer than a solar day during the summer months and shorter in winter months 1479: A microbarograph is a precision instrument that provides a __________.
N a. charted record of atmospheric temperature over time Y b. charted record of atmospheric pressure over time N c. graphic record of combustible gases measured in an atmosphere N d. graphic record of vapor pressure from a flammable/combustible liquid 1644: Which scale is used to estimate wind speed by observing sea conditions __________.
N a. Metric scale N b. Wind scale N c. Coriolis scale Y d. Beaufort scale 1694: In the Southern Hemisphere the wind circulation in a high pressure system rotates __________.
N a. clockwise and inward N b. clockwise and outward Y c. counterclockwise and outward N d. counterclockwise and inward 1708: What generally occurs when the land is cooler than the nearby water?
Y a. A land breeze N b. A sea breeze N c. A norther N d. A prevailing westerly 1729: The first cloud formations you can use to indicate the bearing of the center of a hurricane or tropical storm are __________.
Y a. the point of convergence of the cirrus clouds N b. the direction of movement of thunderstorms on radar N c. the darkest point of the clouds in the "bar" of the storm N d. the point of origin of the altostratus clouds 1799: The letter D in illustration D006NG represents the __________.
N a. celestial horizon N b. visible horizon Y c. geometrical horizon N d. geoidal horizon 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 1859: While proceeding downriver (descending) you sight a red diamond-shaped panel with small, red reflector squares in each corner on the left bank. Under the U.S. Aids to Navigation System on the Western Rivers this is a __________.
N a. special purpose signal N b. passing daymark Y c. crossing daymark N d. cable crossing 1925: Above-normal tides near the center of a hurricane may be caused by the __________.
N a. high barometric pressure N b. jet stream Y c. storm surge N d. torrential rains 1936: The parallel of latitude at 66°33'N is the __________.
N a. Tropic of Cancer N b. Tropic of Capricorn Y c. Arctic Circle N d. ecliptic 2028: Which stock number indicates an NGA (NIMA) chart designed for navigation and anchorage in a small waterway?
N a. WOAZC17 N b. LCORR5876 Y c. 15XHA15883 N d. PILOT55 2144: Yesterday your chronometer read 02h 59m 58s at the 1500 GMT time tick. Today the chronometer reads 03h 00m 02s at the 1500 GMT time tick. What is the chronometer error?
Y a. 02s fast N b. 03h 00m 02s fast N c. +3s N d. -3s 2162: The new Moon cannot be seen because the Moon is __________.
N a. in the opposite direction of the Sun N b. below the horizon Y c. between the Earth and the Sun N d. at quadrature 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 2229: A vessel is heading magnetic north and its magnetic compass indicates a heading of 003°. What action should be taken to remove this error during compass adjustment?
Y a. If the red ends are to port the athwartships magnets should be raised. N b. If the blue ends are to port the athwartships magnets should be raised. N c. If the red ends are forward the fore-and-aft magnets should be lowered. N d. If the blue ends are forward the fore-and-aft magnets should be raised. 2284: Bellatrix is found in what constellation?
N a. Canis Minor N b. Gemini N c. Taurus Y d. Orion 2322: You have completed the magnetic compass adjustments on magnetic east and magnetic south. The vessel is now steady on magnetic north but the compass reads 356°. Which action should be taken?
N a. Use the fore-and-aft magnets and adjust the compass until it reads 358°. Y b. Use the athwartships magnets and adjust the compass until it reads 358°. N c. Use the fore-and-aft magnets and adjust the compass until it reads 000°. N d. Use the quadrantal spheres and adjust the compass until it reads 000°. 2435: What is a lighted safe water mark fitted with to aid in its identification?
N a. A red and white octagon N b. Red and white retroreflective material N c. A sequential number Y d. A spherical topmark 2504: Under the IALA-A Buoyage System, when entering from seaward a lateral system buoy to be left to starboard may display which topmark shown? (D046NG )
N a. A N b. B Y c. C N d. D 2539: Under the IALA cardinal system, a mark with quick white light showing 3 flashes every 10 seconds indicates that the safest water in the area is on the __________.
N a. north side of the mark N b. west side of the mark Y c. east side of the mark N d. south side of the mark 2729: While navigating in fog off a coastline of steep cliffs, you hear the echo of the ships fog horn 5.5 seconds after the signal was sounded. What is the distance to the shore?
N a. 3825 ft (1166 meters) N b. 3450 ft (1052 meters) Y c. 3072 ft (936 meters) N d. 2475 ft (754 meters) 2741: A general chart could have a scale of __________.
Y a. 1:200,000 N b. 1:1,000,000 N c. 1:50,000 N d. not more than 1:25,000 2796: The correction tables in the Nautical Almanac for use with Moon sights do NOT include the effects of __________.
Y a. instrument error N b. augmentation N c. semidiameter N d. parallax 2894: Fetch is the __________.
N a. distance a wave travels between formation and decay Y b. stretch of water over which a wave-forming wind blows N c. time in seconds required for two crests to pass a given point N d. measurement of a wave's steepness 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 3054: In illustration D051NG, the position labeled C was plotted because __________.
Y a. running fixes are better estimates of true position than dead-reckoning positions are N b. the vessel's course changed from due North to due East N c. the vessel's speed changed N d. All of the above are correct 3055: A single line of position combined with a dead-reckoning position results in a(n) __________.
N a. running fix N b. fix Y c. estimated position N d. assumed position 3060: What information is NOT found in the chart title?
N a. Survey information N b. Scale Y c. Date of first edition N d. Projection 3129: Which of the following statements is TRUE regarding automatic identification systems (AIS) ?
Y a. The master may, at his/her discretion, turn off the AIS if he/she believes that it may compromise the safety or security of the vessel. N b. Under no circumstances shall AIS be turned off while underway as this could endanger the vessel and those around her. N c. AIS is always required to be operating if the vessel is in or in the vicinity of a VTS area. N d. AIS is always required to be operating if the vessel is within 100 nautical miles of the coastline.