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 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?
Y a. Venus will have a westerly meridian angle. N b. Mars will set about one hour after the Sun sets. N c. Mars, Venus, Jupiter, and Saturn will be above the horizon. N d. Sights of Saturn, Jupiter, and Venus will yield a good three-line-of-position fix. 43: A buoy with a composite group-flashing light indicates a(n) __________.
N a. anchorage area N b. fish net area Y c. bifurcation N d. dredging area 180: What is a lighted safe water mark fitted with to aid in its identification?
Y a. A spherical topmark N b. Red and white retroreflective material N c. A sequential number N d. A red and white octagon 287: The datum from which the predicted heights of tides are reckoned in the tide tables is the same as that used for the charts of the locality. The depression of the datum below mean sea level for Hampton Roads, Virginia is __________.
N a. between -.7 and +.5 feet N b. between 1.9 and 3.2 feet N c. 4.1 feet Y d. 1.2 feet 311: You are steaming southward along the west coast of the United States when you encounter a buoy showing a flashing red light. The buoy should be left on __________.
N a. the vessel's starboard side Y b. the vessel's port side N c. either side close aboard N d. either side well clear 316: According to Buys Ballot's law, when an observer in the Northern Hemisphere experiences a northwest wind, the center of low pressure is located to the __________.
Y a. northeast N b. west-southwest N c. northwest N d. south-southeast 345: A navigator fixing a vessel's position by radar __________.
N a. should never use radar bearings N b. should only use radar bearings when the range exceeds the distance to the horizon Y c. can use radar information from one object to fix the position N d. must use information from targets forward of the beam 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 369: You are underway on course 050°T and your maximum speed is 11 knots. The eye of a hurricane bears 070°T, 80 miles from your position. The hurricane is moving towards 270°T at 19 knots. What course should you steer at 11 knots to have the maximum CPA?
N a. 250° N b. 234° N c. 227° Y d. 215 ° 407: What would be the height of the tide at Crisfield, MD, at 0310 DST (ZD +4) on 6 May 1983?
N a. 0.1 foot Y b. 0.5 foot N c. 1.1 feet N d. 1.6 feet 735: The period of the Earth's revolution from perihelion to perihelion is the __________.
N a. astronomical year Y b. anomalistic year N c. solar year N d. sidereal year 740: A very light breeze that causes ripples on a small area of still water is a __________.
Y a. cat's paw N b. hog's breath N c. williwaw N d. chinook 747: The movement of water away from the shore or downstream is called a(n) __________.
N a. reversing current Y b. ebb current N c. flood current N d. slack current 827: The Benguela Current flows in a __________.
N a. SW'ly direction along the NW coast of Africa N b. S'ly direction off the East Coast of Australia Y c. NW'ly direction along the SW coast of Africa N d. SW'ly direction along the SE coast of Greenland 891: Under the IALA-A Buoyage System, a buoy indicating the preferred channel is to port would have __________.
N a. an even number N b. an odd number N c. a pillar shape Y d. horizontal bands 943: You should plot your dead reckoning position __________.
N a. when you obtain an estimated position N b. ONLY in piloting waters Y c. at every speed change N d. All of the above are correct. 951: In which country would you expect the channels to be marked with the IALA-B Buoyage System?
N a. Poland N b. Morocco Y c. Peru N d. Saudi Arabia 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 1087: The velocity of a rotary tidal current will increase when the Moon is __________.
N a. new N b. full N c. at perigee Y d. All of the above 1285: You are enroute to assist vessel A. Vessel A is underway at 5.5 knots on course 033°T, and bears 248°T at 64 miles from you. What is the time to intercept if you make 13 knots?
N a. 4h 55m N b. 4h 36m N c. 3h 59m Y d. 3h 44m 1320: You are enroute to Savannah, GA, from Recife, Brazil. There is a strong N'ly wind blowing. As you cross the axis of the Gulf Stream you would expect to encounter __________.
Y a. steeper waves, closer together N b. smoother seas and warmer water N c. cirrus clouds N d. long swells 1373: The reaction of a gyrocompass to an applied force is known as __________.
Y a. precession N b. earth rate N c. gyroscopic inertia N d. gravity effect 1375: The Moon rises earlier on succeeding days when the __________.
N a. retardation effect of the revolution of the Moon is greater than the effect due to change of declination Y b. effect due to change of declination is larger than that due to revolution N c. the revolution effect and the declination effect act in the same direction N d. the Moon is on the equator and the revolution effect is at a maximum 1417: Determine the first time after 1200 EST (ZD +5) when the velocity of the current will be 0.5 knot on 18 November 1983, at Marcus Hook, PA.
N a. 1221 N b. 1226 Y c. 1239 N d. 1312 1452: When is the rhumb line distance the same as the great circle distance?
N a. Course 090°T in high latitudes Y b. Course 180°T when you cross the equator N c. Course 045°T in low latitudes N d. The rhumb line distance is always longer than the great circle distance. 1603: 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 Y b. fix N c. running fix N d. dead-reckoning position 1607: When your barometer reading changes from 30.25 to 30.05 in a 12-hour period it indicates __________.
N a. rapidly changing weather N b. improving weather N c. high winds within the next six hours Y d. little or no immediate change 1745: When your vessel is on the storm track but behind the storm's center the __________.
N a. wind direction remains steady N b. wind speed decreases N c. barometer rises Y d. All of the above 1803: The difference between the DR position and a fix, both of which have the same time, is caused by __________.
N a. variation N b. deviation Y c. current N d. leeway 1826: 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 D in the illustration? (D036NG )
N a. One red light Y b. Two green lights N c. Three green lights N d. No light 1930: The phase correction should be applied to sights of Venus and Mars __________.
N a. during day time observations only Y b. during twilight observations only N c. at all times N d. when observed at altitudes of less than 25° 1952: 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 longitude Y b. Geocentric libration N c. Diurnal libration N d. Physical libration 1962: When outbound from a U.S. port, a buoy displaying a flashing red light indicates __________.
Y a. the port side of the channel N b. a sharp turn in the channel to the right N c. a junction with the preferred channel to the left N d. a wreck to be left on the vessel's starboard side 1964: The great circle on the celestial sphere that passes through the zenith and the north and south poles is the __________.
N a. hour circle N b. prime vertical Y c. principal vertical N d. ecliptic 2030: A vessel heading NE is on a course of __________.
N a. 022.5° Y b. 045.0° N c. 067.5° N d. 090.0° 2073: Chart legends printed in capital letters show that the associated landmark is __________.
N a. a radio transmitter N b. a government facility or station N c. inconspicuous Y d. conspicuous 2125: On charts of U.S. waters, a magenta marking is NOT used for marking a __________.
N a. radio beacon N b. lighted buoy Y c. 5-fathom curve N d. prohibited area 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 2389: The autumnal equinox is the point where the Sun is at __________.
N a. maximum declination north N b. maximum declination south N c. 0° declination going to northerly declinations Y d. 0° declination going to southerly declinations 2392: The point where the Sun is at maximum declination north or south is __________.
N a. aphelion N b. perihelion N c. an equinox Y d. a solstice 2494: You must construct a Mercator plotting sheet on a piece of paper measuring 24" by 30". The area includes latitude 28°N to 35°N and longitude 175°E to 178°W. Allow a three-quarter inch neat line on all sides. What is the maximum distance between each degree of longitude that will permit the area of the plotting sheet to be drawn within the stated limitation?
N a. 3.40 inches Y b. 3.22 inches N c. 3.03 inches N d. 2.91 inches 2570: A plane that cuts the Earth's surface and passes through the poles will always form __________.
N a. the equator N b. a loxodromic curve N c. a small circle Y d. a meridian 2588: You are approaching an open drawbridge and sound the proper signal. You receive no acknowledgment from the bridge. Which action should you take?
Y a. Approach with caution and proceed through the open draw. N b. Approach under full control to a position no closer than 400 yards from the bridge and await a signal from the bridge. N c. Hold in the channel as a vessel is closing the bridge from the other direction. N d. Resound the opening signal and do not pass through the bridge until signals have been exchanged. 2625: Stormy weather is usually associated with regions of __________.
N a. high barometric pressure N b. changing barometric pressure Y c. low barometric pressure N d. steady barometric pressure 2698: You must draw a plotting sheet covering latitudes 38°N to 41°N and longitudes 179°E to 178°W. If the distance between each degree of longitude is 4 inches, what is the distance between latitude 38°N and latitude 41°N?
N a. 15.00 inches Y b. 15.49 inches N c. 15.75 inches N d. 16.25 inches 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 2791: The letter B in illustration D006NG represents the __________.
N a. sensible horizon Y b. geoidal horizon N c. celestial horizon N d. visible horizon 2824: When you turn on the fast time constant (differentiator) control of a radar it will __________.
N a. enhance weak target echoes and brighten them on the PPI Y b. reduce clutter over the entire PPI by shortening the echoes N c. only suppress weak targets to a limited distance from the ship (sea clutter) N d. reduce the beam width to provide a map-like presentation for navigation 2899: You take a bearing of 043° and 169° of two objects. What bearing of a third object will give the best fix?
N a. 356° N b. 073° N c. 192° Y d. 309° 2978: Where do you find the semidiameter correction to be used to correct sextant observations of the stars?
N a. It is included in the altitude corrections inside the front cover of the Nautical Almanac. N b. Table 25 in Bowditch contains the correction. N c. A correction of -0.5' should be applied to all star sights. Y d. No semidiameter correction is used. 2979: You take a bearing of 356° of a lighthouse. What bearing of another object would give the best fix?
N a. 013° Y b. 082° N c. 176° N d. 201° 3002: The diurnal variation of pressure is most noticeable __________.
N a. above the polar circles N b. in a low pressure area N c. during periods of low temperatures Y d. in the doldrums 3020: A mooring buoy, if lighted, shows which color light?
N a. Yellow Y b. White N c. Blue N d. Any color except red or green 3026: A compass card without north-seeking capability that is used for relative bearings is a(n) __________.
N a. bearing circle Y b. pelorus N c. bearing bar N d. alidade 3028: The channel under a bridge is marked with aids from the lateral system. The centerline of the channel is marked on the bridge with __________.
N a. a yellow triangle N b. three white lights N c. a black-and-white diamond Y d. a red-and-white octagon 3029: On 13 November 1981 you observe a back sight of the upper limb of the Moon. The sextant altitude (hs) is 110°31.2'. The height of eye is 46 feet and the index error is 2.0' on the arc. The horizontal parallax is 61.3'. What is the observed altitude (Ho)?
N a. 70°11.8' Y b. 69°41.8' N c. 69°25.6' N d. 69°18.4' 3042: How long would a steady wind need to blow in order to create a wind driven current?
N a. 2 hours N b. 6 hours Y c. 12 hours N d. 18 hours 3067: Which of the following are data layer categories to be displayed on ECDIS?
N a. ECDIS warnings and messages N b. Hydrographic Office data N c. Notice to Mariners information Y d. All of the above 3095: ECDIS must have the capability to preserve the record of the track for the previous __________.
N a. 6 hours Y b. 12 hours N c. 18 hours N d. 24 hours