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.
100: You are underway on course 050°T and your maximum speed is 12 knots. The eye of a hurricane bears 080°T, 100 miles from your position. The hurricane is moving towards 265°T at 22 knots. What course should you steer at 12 knots to have the maximum CPA?
N a. 219° Y b. 208° N c. 199° N d. 190° 161: How is a safe water mark, that can be passed close aboard on either side, painted and lighted?
N a. Black and white stripes with an interrupted quick flashing light N b. Black and red stripes with a Morse (A) light N c. Black and red stripes with an interrupted quick flashing light Y d. Red and white stripes with a Morse (A) light 280: Under the U.S. Aids to Navigation System, a lighted buoy with a spherical topmark marks __________.
N a. the port side of the channel Y b. safe water N c. a hazard to navigation N d. the position of underwater cables 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 333: Loran-C stations transmit groups of pulses at specific times. The time interval between transmissions from the master station is the __________.
N a. coding delay Y b. group repetition interval N c. pulse interval N d. phase code 438: Your longitude is 124°E, and your local mean time is 0520 on the 5th of the month. The mean time and date at Greenwich is __________.
N a. 1336 on the 4th N b. 1336 on the 5th Y c. 2104 on the 4th N d. 2104 on the 5th 464: Prior to reading an aneroid barometer, you should tap the face lightly with your finger to __________.
N a. expose any loose connections N b. demagnetize the metal elements Y c. bring the pointer to its true position N d. contract and expand the glass face 478: The velocity of the apparent wind can be more than the true wind, and come from the same direction, if certain conditions are present. One condition is that the __________.
N a. ship's speed must be less than the true wind velocity N b. true wind must be from dead astern N c. true wind velocity must be faster than the ship's speed Y d. true wind must be from dead ahead 523: A radar display in which North is always at the top of the screen is a(n) __________.
N a. unstabilized display Y b. stabilized display N c. composition display N d. relative display 550: The description "Racon" beside an illustration on a chart would mean a __________.
Y a. radar transponder beacon N b. radar conspicuous beacon N c. radar calibration beacon N d. circular radio beacon 581: The Captain of the Port has closed to navigation, and buoyed, a section of a harbor. These buoys would be painted __________.
N a. red or green to conform with the other lateral aids N b. red and green horizontally-striped N c. solid yellow Y d. white with orange markings 596: Which condition would NOT indicate the approach of a tropical storm?
N a. Long, high swells N b. Cirrus clouds N c. Halos about the Sun or Moon Y d. Decrease in wind velocity 724: Which statement concerning GPS is TRUE?
N a. It cannot be used in all parts of the world. N b. There are 12 functioning GPS satellites at present. Y c. It may be suspended without warning. N d. Two position lines are used to give a 2D fix. 731: Under the IALA Buoyage Systems, a vertically-striped buoy may be striped red and __________.
N a. green N b. black Y c. white N d. yellow 736: A line on a weather chart connecting places which have the same barometric pressure is called an __________.
N a. isotherm N b. isallobar Y c. isobar N d. isotope 764: Magnetic variation changes with a change in __________.
N a. the vessel's heading N b. sea conditions N c. seasons Y d. the vessel's position 849: The Light List shows that a navigational light has a nominal range of 12 miles and a height above water of 25 feet (7.6 meters). Your height of eye is 30 feet (9.1 meters) and the visibility is 0.5 mile. At what approximate range will you first sight the light?
N a. 0.5 mile Y b. 1.4 miles N c. 5.2 miles N d. 12.0 miles 938: If within 500 yards (460m) of a Northern Right Whale you are lawfully obligated to __________.
N a. turn away from the whale and leave at full speed Y b. turn away from the whale and leave at slow speed N c. slow to bare steerageway until the whale swims away N d. stop the vessel and sound repeated blasts on the ship's whistle to scare the whale away 939: That half of the hurricane to the right hand side of its track (as you face the same direction that the storm is moving) in the Northern Hemisphere is called the __________.
N a. windward side N b. leeward side N c. safe semicircle Y d. dangerous semicircle 941: While preparing to enter a Brazilian port, you see ahead a red and green horizontally-striped buoy. The upper band is red. What action should you take?
N a. Alter course to leave the buoy to port. Y 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. 944: High clouds, composed of small white flakes or scaly globular masses, and often banded together to form a "mackerel sky", would be classified as __________.
N a. cirrus Y b. cirrocumulus N c. altostratus N d. cumulonimbus 988: You are preparing a weather report form, WS Form B-80. One-half of the sky is covered with clouds, and the anemometer indicates that the apparent wind is from 340° relative at 14 knots. You are on course 307°T at 12.6 knots. How should you encode group Nddff? (D041NG )
N a. 53414 N b. 54013 Y c. 42205 N d. 43013 1007: When a current flows in the opposite direction to the waves, the wave __________.
N a. length is increased Y b. height is increased N c. velocity increases N d. length is unchanged 1171: A light that has a light period shorter than its dark period is described as __________.
Y a. flashing N b. pulsating N c. occulting N d. alternating 1172: Which position shown would likely have stratus or stratocumulus clouds, occasional light drizzle, steady southerlies around 10 knots, and steady temperatures? (D049NG )
N a. B N b. C N c. D Y d. E 1303: Compass deviation is caused by __________.
N a. magnetism from the earth's magnetic field N b. misalignment of the compass Y c. magnetism within the vessel N d. a dirty compass housing 1315: What is a lighted safe water mark fitted with to aid in its identification?
N a. Red and white retroreflective material N b. A sequential number Y c. A spherical topmark N d. A red and white octagon 1378: The latitude of the upper vertex of a great circle is 36°N. What is the latitude of the lower vertex?
N a. 36°N N b. 0° Y c. 36°S N d. Cannot be determined from the information given 1386: The FIRST indications a mariner will have of the approach of a warm front will be __________.
N a. large cumulonimbus clouds building up N b. low dark clouds with intermittent rain N c. fog caused by the warm air passing over the cooler water Y d. high clouds gradually followed by lower thicker clouds 1433: A system of reservoirs and connecting tubes in a gyro compass is called a __________.
N a. spider element Y b. mercury ballistic N c. gyrotron N d. rotor 1434: What is NOT a characteristic of cardinal marks?
N a. Yellow and black bands N b. White lights Y c. Square or triangular topmarks N d. Directional orientation to a hazard 1435: Inferior conjunction is possible for __________.
N a. Mars Y b. Venus N c. Saturn N d. Jupiter 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 1529: Widely spaced isobars on a weather map indicate __________.
N a. high winds Y b. gentle breezes N c. ice, snow or frozen rain N d. probability of tornados 1589: 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 __________.
N a. smoother seas and warmer water Y b. steeper waves, closer together N c. long swells N d. cirrus clouds 1783: You can follow the approach of a dangerous cyclonic storm by inspecting __________.
N a. the National Weather Service Observing Handbook No.1, Marine Surface Observations Y b. a weather fax N c. the Coast Pilot or Sailing Directions N d. the sky overhead 1793: Which weather element cannot be measured accurately while on board a moving vessel?
N a. relative humidity N b. temperature Y c. true wind speed N d. atmospheric pressure 1868: Illustration D036NG represents a fixed C of E lock and dam. What navigational light(s) is(are) exhibited at the position indicated by the letter A in the illustration? (D036NG )
Y a. One red light N b. Two red lights N c. Two green lights N d. Three green lights 1880: A vessel heading SSW is on a course of __________.
Y a. 202.5° N b. 225.0° N c. 247.5° N d. 270.0° 1919: The nadir is the point on the celestial sphere that is __________.
N a. 90° away from the zenith N b. over Greenwich N c. on the western horizon Y d. directly below the observer 2089: Permission to leave the riverward chamber of twin locks is given by the lockmaster and consists of which sound signal?
N a. One short blast Y b. Two short blasts N c. One long blast N d. Two long blasts 2222: By convention, the south pole of a magnet is painted __________.
N a. red Y b. blue N c. white N d. black 2238: A vessel is heading magnetic northwest and its magnetic compass indicates a heading of 312°. What action should be taken to remove this error during compass adjustment?
N a. If the quadrantal spheres are all of the way out replace them with larger spheres. N b. If the quadrantal spheres are all of the way in replace them with larger spheres. Y c. If the quadrantal spheres are all of the way in, move the spheres out. N d. If the quadrantal spheres are all of the way out, move the spheres in. 2250: The most important information to be obtained from a barometer is the __________.
N a. difference between the reading of the two pointers, which shows wind direction N b. last two figures of the reading of the pointer, such as .87, .76, or .92 Y c. present reading of the pressure, combined with the changes in pressure observed in the recent past N d. weather indications printed on the dial (such as "cold, wet, etc.") under the pointer 2292: The points on the earth's surface where the magnetic dip is 90° are __________.
N a. along the magnetic equator N b. connected by the isoclinal line N c. the isopors Y d. the magnetic poles 2379: The winter solstice is the point where the Sun is at __________.
N a. maximum declination north Y b. maximum declination south N c. 0° declination going to northerly declinations N 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 2409: You are approaching the first of two drawbridges that span a narrow channel. The second drawbridge is close to the first. Which signals should you sound?
N a. Sound the request-for-opening signal for the first bridge only, who will notify the second bridge of your approach N b. Sound the request-for-opening signal twice in succession to indicate you must pass through both bridges N c. Sound the request-for-opening signal, pause for about 10 seconds, then sound two prolonged blasts. Y d. Sound the request-for-opening signal and, after the bridge acknowledges it, sound the request-for-opening signal for the second bridge. 2458: In the U.S. Aids to Navigation System on the Western Rivers, the light characteristic of group flashing (2) is used for lights on __________.
N a. the right descending bank Y b. the left descending bank N c. preferred channel buoys N d. daymarks with no lateral significant 2612: The dividing meridian between zone descriptions -7 and -8 is __________.
Y a. 112°30'E N b. 118°30'E N c. 120°00'E N d. 116°30'W 2624: You must construct a Mercator plotting sheet on a piece of paper measuring 30" by 32". The area includes latitudes 31°10'S to 37°40'S and longitudes 007°00'W to 001°00'E. Allow a one-half 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?
Y a. 3.69 inches N b. 3.52 inches N c. 3.38 inches N d. 3.26 inches 2654: What is the equivalent of 5°54' in time units?
N a. 20 min. 16 sec. Y b. 23 min. 36 sec. N c. 25 min. 54 sec. N d. 30 min. 27 sec. 2814: In low latitudes the range of the diurnal variation of pressure is up to __________.
N a. 0.5 millibar Y b. 3.0 millibars N c. 6.0 millibars N d. 10.0 millibars 2841: You are required to enter a lock on your voyage. Information on the lock regulations, signals, and radio communications can be found in __________.
Y a. Coast Pilot N b. Corps of Engineer Information Bulletin N c. Bowditch N d. the publication "Key to the Locks" 2886: On mid-ocean waters, the height of a wind-generated wave is not affected by the __________.
Y a. water depth exceeding 100 feet N b. fetch N c. wind's velocity N d. duration of the wind 2924: You take a bearing of 264° of a lighthouse. What bearing of another object would give the best fix?
N a. 289° Y b. 350v N c. 081° N d. 120° 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 3105: An automatic identification system (AIS) transponder transmits and receives information broadcasts on _____?
N a. 10 cm, S-band radar N b. 3 cm, X-band radar N c. UHF L-band Y d. VHF maritime band 3108: Automatic identification systems (AIS) are expected to broadcast all of the following information EXCEPT __________.
N a. navigation status N b. ship's heading Y c. port of origin N d. time stamp 3112: With respect to automatic identification systems (AIS) which of the following information is broadcast every one to ten seconds?
N a. Vessel's draft N b. Air Draft Y c. Navigational status N d. Dimensions of vessel