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.


38: When navigating a vessel, you __________.


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


162: A chart with a scale of 1:80,000 would fall into the category of a __________.


210: The position labeled C is a(n) __________. (D051NG )

    N a. fix
    Y b. running fix
    N c. estimated position
    N d. dead reckoning position

229: The shoreline on charts generally represents the mean __________.

    Y a. high water line
    N b. low water line
    N c. low water spring line
    N d. tide level

243: The loran lines drawn on navigation charts represent __________.

    Y a. ground waves
    N b. skywaves
    N c. either ground waves or skywaves interchangeably
    N d. an average between ground wave and skywave positions

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

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

299: Steady precipitation is typical of __________.

    N a. coming cold weather conditions
    Y b. a warm front weather condition
    N c. high pressure conditions
    N d. scattered cumulus clouds

305: IN REGION A of the IALA Buoyage System, when entering from seaward, the port side of a channel would be marked by a __________.

    Y a. red can buoy
    N b. black can buoy
    N c. red conical buoy
    N d. black conical buoy

313: The Loran-C receiver __________.

    N a. is not affected by interference
    N b. can be used at any distance with accuracy
    Y c. can be affected by interference
    N d. is reliable only from sunrise to sunset

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

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

335: What is the geographic longitude of a body whose GHA is 232°27'?

    Y a. 127°33'E
    N b. 52°27'E
    N c. 61°52'W
    N d. 61°52'E

360: The Illustration shows the symbols used on radio facsimile weather charts. The symbol indicated at letter "M" represents __________. (D042NG )

    N a. rain
    Y b. snow
    N c. hail
    N d. ice

376: According to Buys Ballot's law, when an observer in the Northern Hemisphere experiences a northeast wind the center of low pressure is located to the __________.

    N a. northeast
    N b. west-southwest
    N c. northwest
    Y d. south-southeast

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

510: Which aid is NOT marked on a chart with a magenta circle?

    Y a. Aero light
    N b. Radar station
    N c. Radar transponder beacon
    N d. Radio beacon

552: A Mercator chart is a __________.

    Y a. cylindrical projection
    N b. simple conic projection
    N c. polyconic projection
    N d. rectangular projection

557: Your vessel has a draft of 23 feet. On 23 June 1983 you wish to pass over a temporary obstruction near Beaufort, SC, that has a charted depth of 22 feet. Allowing for a safety margin of 3 feet, what is the earliest time after 1600 DST (ZD +4) that this passage can be made?

    Y a. 1750
    N b. 1815
    N c. 1855
    N d. 1944

565: The letter B as shown represents the __________. (D006NG )

    Y a. geoidal horizon
    N b. celestial horizon
    N c. visible horizon
    N d. sensible horizon

585: What great circle is always needed to form the astronomical triangle?

    N a. Celestial Equator
    N b. Prime Meridian
    Y c. Celestial Meridian
    N d. Prime Vertical Circle

799: In Region A of the IALA Buoyage System, when entering from seaward, the starboard side of a channel would be marked by a __________.

    N a. green can buoy
    N b. red can buoy
    Y c. green conical buoy
    N d. red conical buoy

811: Under the IALA-A Buoyage System, a green spar buoy with a triangular topmark would indicate that the buoy __________.

    Y a. should be left to port when heading out to sea
    N b. may be left close aboard on either side
    N c. is on the north side of a point of interest
    N d. is marking the preferred channel

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

894: On a clear, warm day, you notice the approach of a tall cumulus cloud. The cloud top has hard well defined edges and rain is falling from the dark lower edge. Should this cloud pass directly overhead __________.

    Y a. it will be preceded by a sudden increase in wind speed
    N b. it will be preceded by a sudden decrease in wind speed
    N c. the wind speed will not change as it passes
    N d. the wind will back rapidly to left in a counterclockwise direction as it passes

911: Under the IALA-B Buoyage System, a buoy displaying a red light will __________.

    Y a. be left to starboard when entering from seaward
    N b. show a light characteristic of Morse Code "A"
    N c. be lettered
    N d. have a radar reflector

940: What is the length of a nautical mile?

    Y a. 6,076 feet
    N b. 5,280 feet
    N c. 2,000 yards
    N d. 1,850 meters

1039: While taking weather observations, you determine that the wind is coming from the west. In the weather log, you would record the wind direction as __________.

    N a. 000°
    N b. 090°
    N c. 180°
    Y d. 270°

1150: You are on course 312°T. To check the speed of your vessel you should observe a celestial body on which bearing?

    Y a. 312°
    N b. 000°
    N c. 090°
    N d. 222°

1151: Buoys are marked with reflective material to assist in their detection by searchlight. Which statement is TRUE?

    N a. A safe-water buoy will display red and white vertical stripes of reflective material.
    N b. All reflective material is white because it is the most visible at night.
    N c. A special-purpose mark will display either red or green reflective material to agree with its shape.
    Y d. A preferred-channel buoy displays either red or green reflective material to agree with the top band of color.

1167: The velocity of the current in large coastal harbors is __________.

    N a. unpredictable
    Y b. predicted in Tidal Current Tables
    N c. generally constant
    N d. generally too weak to be of concern

1243: Magnetic heading differs from compass heading by __________.

    N a. compass error
    N b. true heading
    N c. variation
    Y d. deviation

1318: You are to sail from Elizabethport, N.J., on 17 November 1983 with a maximum draft of 27 feet. You will pass over an obstruction in the channel near Sandy Hook that has a charted depth of 25.5 feet. The steaming time from Elizabethport to the obstruction is 1h 50m. What is the earliest time (ZD +5) you can sail on 17 November and pass over the obstruction with 2 feet of clearance?

    N a. 0059
    Y b. 0121
    N c. 0159
    N d. 0221

1334: The Illustration shows the symbols used on radio facsimile weather charts. The symbol indicated at letter "H" represents __________. (D042NG )

    N a. ice
    N b. snow
    N c. rain
    Y d. hail

1406: What will act to dissipate fog?

    N a. Upwelling cold water
    N b. Advection of warm air over a colder surface
    N c. Rain that is warmer than air
    Y d. Downslope motion of an air mass along a coast

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

1471: A mountain peak charted at 700 feet breaks the horizon, and your height of eye is 12 feet. What is your approximate distance off (choose closest answer)?

    Y a. 34.7 nm
    N b. 40.3 nm
    N c. 55.3 nm
    N d. 61.6 nm

1510: During daylight savings time the meridian used for determining the time is located farther __________.

    N a. west
    Y b. east
    N c. east in west longitude and west in east longitude
    N d. west in west longitude and east in east longitude

1584: A decrease in barometric pressure is associated with all of the following except __________.

    N a. rising warm air
    N b. proximity to a low pressure area
    N c. inward spiraling circulation
    Y d. clear dry weather

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

1741: The left half of the storm is called the navigable semicircle because __________.

    N a. the wind speed is decreased by the storm's forward motion
    N b. the wind tends to blow vessels away from the storms track
    Y c. Both A and B
    N d. Neither A nor B

1753: On a weather map, a large letter "H" means __________.

    Y a. a high pressure area with cool, dry air, and fair weather
    N b. a high pressure area with warm, moist air, and inclement weather
    N c. horse latitudes, with rough seas and strong winds
    N d. a heavy squall line near the "H"

1756: Where would you expect to find climatological and meteorological tables for the Gulf Coast area?

    N a. In the publication entitled Radio Aids to Navigation
    Y b. In the back of Coast Pilot #5
    N c. In any Coast Pilot volume
    N d. Only at the National Weather Service office

1838: The Light List shows a lighted aid to navigation on the left bank. This means that the light can be seen on the starboard side of a vessel __________.

    Y a. ascending the river
    N b. descending the river
    N c. crossing the river
    N d. proceeding towards sea

1871: A lighted buoy to be left to starboard, when entering a U.S. port from seaward, shall have a __________.

    N a. green light
    N b. white light
    Y c. red light
    N d. light characteristic of Morse (A)

1898: 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. 14312
    N b. 25134
    N c. 21105
    Y d. 11032

1924: The point on the celestial sphere that is directly below an observer is the __________.

    N a. pole
    Y b. nadir
    N c. node
    N d. zenith

2000: A vessel heading SE is on a course of __________.

    N a. 112.5°
    Y b. 135.0°
    N c. 157.5°
    N d. 180.0°

2261: 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. running fix
    N b. fix
    N c. dead-reckoning position
    Y d. estimated position

2308: The points where the Sun is at 0° declination are known as __________.

    N a. solstices
    Y b. equinoxes
    N c. perigee
    N d. apogee

2320: The type of current which will have the greatest effect on the course made good for your vessel is __________.

    N a. one flowing in the same direction as your course steered
    N b. one flowing in the opposite direction as your course steered
    Y c. one that flows at nearly right angles to your course steered
    N d. a rotary current in which the direction of current flow constantly changes

2418: While proceeding downriver, you sight a red triangular-shaped daymark on the left bank. Under the U.S. Aids to Navigation System on the Western Rivers this is a __________.

    N a. special purpose signal
    Y b. passing daymark
    N c. mark with no lateral significance
    N d. crossing daymark

2666: The following boats are approaching a lock. Which has priority for locking?

    N a. An 85-foot yacht
    Y b. Corps of Engineer towboat running empty-headed
    N c. "Delta Queen" (passenger vessel)
    N d. An integrated chemical tow

2690: Right ascension is primarily used by the navigator for __________.

    N a. calculating amplitudes
    N b. calculating great circle sailings by the Ageton method
    N c. entering the Air Navigation Tables (Selected Stars) Pub 249
    Y d. plotting on star finders

2762: You take a bearing of 176° of a lighthouse. Which bearing of another object would give the best fix?

    Y a. 079°
    N b. 151°
    N c. 176°
    N d. 292°

2819: The time interval between successive wave crests is called __________.

    Y a. wave period
    N b. wavelength
    N c. frequency
    N d. significant wave height

2961: Which position includes the effects of wind and current?

    N a. Dead reckoning positions
    Y b. Estimated positions
    N c. Leeway position
    N d. Set position

2964: The pictures shown represent the geographic location of a vessel and the radar presentation at the same time. Which statement is TRUE? (D011NG )

    N a. Ship No. 1 does not paint as an individual target due to the side lobe affect.
    N b. The small island is not detected due to the limitation caused by the pulse length.
    N c. A tangent bearing of the headland to the south-southeast is corrected by subtracting one-half of the beam width.
    Y d. Ship No. 2 is not detected due to the combined affects of beam width and pulse length.

3041: The letter H in illustration D006NG represents the __________.

    N a. refractive horizon
    N b. geoidal horizon
    N c. celestial horizon
    Y d. visible horizon

3068: Which of the following data layer categories is NOT displayed on ECDIS?

    N a. Notice to Mariners information
    N b. ECDIS warnings and messages
    Y c. Ship hydrodynamic information
    N d. Hydrographic Office data

3085: An ECDIS is required to display which information?

    N a. Water temperature
    N b. Climatology data
    N c. Speed of advance
    Y d. Depth contours