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.
30: When taking an amplitude, the Sun's center should be observed on the visible horizon when __________.
Y a. in high latitudes N b. the Sun is near or at a solstice N c. the declination is of a different name from the latitude N d. the Sun's declination is at or near 0° 71: A preferred-channel buoy may be __________.
Y a. lettered N b. spherical N c. showing a white light N d. All of the above 110: A millibar is a unit of __________.
N a. humidity N b. precipitation Y c. pressure N d. temperature 167: When the Moon's declination is maximum north, which of the following will occur?
N a. Mixed-type tides N b. Higher high tides and lower low tides Y c. Tropic tides N d. Equatorial tides 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 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 270: You are entering port and have been instructed to anchor, as your berth is not yet available. You are on a SW'ly heading, preparing to drop anchor, when you observe the range lights as shown on your starboard beam. You should __________. (D047NG )
N a. drop the anchor immediately as the range lights mark an area free of obstructions N b. drop the anchor immediately as a change in the position of the range lights will be an indication of dragging anchor Y c. ensure your ship will NOT block the channel or obstruct the range while at anchor N d. NOT drop the anchor until the lights are in line 298: A great circle crosses the equator at 173°E. It will also cross the equator at what other longitude?
Y a. 7°W N b. 73°E N c. 73°W N d. 173°W 356: When facing into the wind in the Northern Hemisphere the center of low pressure lies __________.
N a. directly in front of you N b. directly behind you N c. to your left and behind you Y d. to your right and behind you 400: Information about the currents for the Pacific Coast of the U. S. are found in the __________.
N a. Ocean Current Tables N b. Nautical Almanac N c. Tide Tables Y d. Tidal Current Tables 416: A ship is on course 195° at a speed of 15 knots. The apparent wind is from 40° on the port bow, speed 30 knots. The direction and speed of the true wind are __________.
N a. 068°T, 30 knots Y b. 127°T, 21 knots N c. 263°T, 42 knots N d. 292°T, 42 knots 541: A yellow buoy may mark a(n) __________.
N a. wreck N b. shoal area Y c. anchorage area N d. middle ground 632: You must construct a Mercator projection for an area bounded by latitudes 40° - 47°N and longitudes 176°E to 176°W on a paper 28 X 36 inches. Allow a neat line of one inch. What will be the separation between meridians?
N a. 3.190 inches Y b. 3.249 inches N c. 3.529 inches N d. 3.714 inches 722: Which publication would describe the explosive anchorages in the ports on the east coast of the United States?
N a. Sailing Directions N b. Pilot Rules for Inland Waters Y c. Coast Pilot N d. Notice to Mariners 749: You are enroute to assist vessel A. Vessel A is underway at 4.5 knots on course 233°T, and bears 264°T at 68 miles from you. What is the course to steer at 13 knots to intercept vessel A?
N a. 249° Y b. 256° N c. 262° N d. 268° 787: You are on a voyage from New Orleans to Boston. When navigating off the Florida coast, you will get the greatest benefit from the Gulf Stream if you navigate __________.
Y a. about 45 miles east of Cape Canaveral N b. about 25 miles east of Daytona Beach N c. along the 50-fathom curve N d. close inshore between Fowey Rocks and Jupiter Inlet 789: The dangerous semicircle of a hurricane in the Northern Hemisphere is that area of the storm __________.
Y a. to the right of the storm's track N b. measured from true north clockwise to 180°T N c. measured from true north counterclockwise to 180°T N d. between the ship's heading and the bearing to the eye 814: Steam smoke will occur when __________.
Y a. extremely cold air from shore passes over warmer water N b. warm dry air from shore passes over cooler water N c. cold ocean water evaporates into warm air N d. cool rain passes through a warm air mass 834: In many areas "atoll" clouds (clouds of vertical development) are produced over small islands. These are the result of __________.
Y a. rising air currents produced by the warm islands N b. warm air from the sea rising over higher land areas N c. cool land air mixing with warm sea air N d. descending air over the islands 868: Your ship received a HYDROLANT advising of a special warning to mariners from the Department of State for ships in the Persian Gulf. You are 400 miles south of, and bound for, the Persian Gulf. What action should you take?
N a. Continue on course as the warning is advisory in nature only. Y b. Send an AMVER report and acknowledge receipt of the warning. N c. Remain a minimum of 500 miles outside the Persian Gulf and maintain radio silence. N d. Send a MERWARN message advising your position, course, speed and intentions. 870: Vessels should maintain a sharp lookout, especially during December through March, when navigating the right whale's only known calving grounds which lie off the coasts of __________.
N a. Nova Scotia N b. Maine and Massachusetts Y c. Georgia and NE Florida N d. California and Mexico 912: The Light List Does NOT contain information on __________.
N a. the Global Positioning System (GPS) Y b. aeronautical lights useful for marine navigation N c. radio beacon systems N d. radio direction finder calibration stations 936: A cyclone in its final stage of development is called a(n) __________.
N a. tornado N b. anticyclone Y c. occluded cyclone or occluded front N d. polar cyclone 1033: Deviation which is maximum on intercardinal compass headings may be removed by the __________.
N a. Flinders bar N b. transverse magnets N c. fore-and-aft magnets Y d. soft iron spheres on the sides of the compass 1034: The expression "the air is saturated" means __________.
Y a. the relative humidity is 100% N b. the vapor pressure is at its minimum for the prevailing temperature N c. precipitation has commenced N d. cloud cover is 100% 1043: You are about to go to sea and adjust the magnetic compass. To expedite the adjustment at sea, in what order should the following dockside adjustments be made?
N a. Flinders bar first, then the heeling magnet and spheres N b. Heeling magnet first, then the Flinders bar and spheres Y c. Flinders bar first, then the spheres and heeling magnet N d. Spheres first, then the Flinders bar and heeling magnet 1073: Chart legends printed in capital letters show that the associated landmark is __________.
N a. inconspicuous N b. a radio transmitter Y c. conspicuous N d. a government facility or station 1152: When using GPS without Selective Availability, you may expect your horizontal accuracy to be better than __________.
N a. 3 meters Y b. 20 meters N c. 100 meters N d. 200 meters 1251: A List of Lights entry (L Fl) is a single flashing light which shows a long flash of not less than __________.
N a. 1.0 second duration N b. 1.5 seconds duration Y c. 2.0 seconds duration N d. 3.0 seconds duration 1268: On a nautical chart, the inner ring of a compass rose indicates __________.
N a. true directions N b. compass error N c. deviation Y d. magnetic directions 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 1454: Atmospheric pressure may be measured with a(n) __________.
N a. barograph N b. aneroid barometer N c. mercurial barometer Y d. All of the above 1476: When warm moist air blows over a colder surface and is cooled below its dew point, the result is __________.
N a. radiation fog N b. ice fog Y c. advection fog N d. frost smoke 1533: Lighted information markers show __________.
Y a. white lights N b. green lights N c. yellow lights N d. red lights 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 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 1659: The type of fog that occurs on clear nights with very light breezes and forms when the earth cools rapidly by radiation is known as __________.
Y a. radiation fog N b. frontal fog N c. convection fog N d. advection fog 1785: Which factor(s) is/are used to develop the charted information of a lighthouse?
N a. Height of the light and the observer Y b. Height and brightness of the light N c. Brightness of the light and height of the observer N d. Height of the light only 1916: The prime vertical is the reference point from which the angle of which type of observation is measured?
N a. Sextant angle N b. Azimuth Y c. Amplitude N d. Local apparent noon 2076: You should plot your dead reckoning position __________.
Y a. from every fix or running fix N b. from every estimated position N c. every three minutes in pilotage waters N d. only in pilotage waters 2121: In plotting a running fix, how many fixed objects are needed to take your lines of position from?
N a. Three N b. Two Y c. One N d. None 2179: A vessel is heading magnetic northwest and its magnetic compass indicates a heading of 312°. The quadrantal spheres are arranged athwartships. What action should be taken to remove this error during compass adjustment?
N a. If the quadrantal spheres are all of the way in, replace them with larger ones. N b. If the quadrantal spheres are all of the way out, remove one of the spheres. N c. If the quadrantal spheres are all of the way out, move the spheres in. Y d. If the quadrantal spheres are all of the way out, replace them with smaller spheres. 2181: Diagram Number D037NG 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?
Y a. One red light N b. Two red lights N c. Three red lights N d. No lights 2264: The revision date of a chart is printed on which area of the chart?
N a. Top center Y b. Lower-left corner N c. Part of the chart title N d. Any clear area around the neat line 2278: Superior conjunction occurs when __________.
N a. the Sun is at maximum declination north or south N b. a planet crosses the external plane of the ecliptic Y c. the Sun is between the Earth and a planet N d. two planets are in line 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 2324: Deneb is found in what constellation?
Y a. Cygnus N b. Pegasus N c. Ursa Major N d. Andromeda 2544: At McAlpine L & D, normal upper pool elevation is 420.0 feet MSL, equal to 12.0 feet on the upper gage. The vertical clearance at the Clark Memorial Highway bridge is 72.6 feet above normal pool. What is the clearance if the gage reads 27.2 feet?
N a. 25.4 feet Y b. 57.4 feet N c. 60.6 feet N d. 72.6 feet 2602: The lunar day is also known as the __________.
N a. lunitidal interval N b. vulgar establishment of the port N c. nodal day Y d. tidal day 2642: Local sidereal time is equal to the __________.
N a. GHA of Aries minus 180° N b. SHA of Aries Y c. LHA of Aries N d. right ascension of Aries plus 180° 2660: In the celestial equator system of coordinates what is equivalent to the longitude of the Earth system of coordinates?
N a. Zenith distance N b. Azimuth angle N c. Declination Y d. Greenwich hour angle 2662: You must construct a Mercator plotting sheet on a piece of paper measuring 24" by 28". The area includes latitude 37°S to 42°S and longitude 175°E to 179°W. Allow a one 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 limitations?
N a. 3.33 inches N b. 3.41 inches Y c. 3.67 inches N d. 3.82 inches 2708: You are approaching a drawbridge and have sounded the proper whistle signal requesting it to open. You hear a signal of one prolonged and one short blast from the bridge. Which action should you take?
N a. Anchor or use an alternate route because the bridge is out of service for an extended period of time. N b. Approach to a point not closer than 400 yards (360 meters) from the bridge and await further signals. N c. Hold in the channel as the bridge will open within 15 minutes. Y d. Approach under full control to pass through the bridge. 2760: You are pushing a tow ahead, at high speed, near the right hand bank of a canal. The forces affecting your towboat and tow will tend to __________.
N a. push both the head of the tow and the stern of the towboat away from the right hand bank Y b. push the head of the tow away from, and pull the stern of the towboat into, the right hand bank N c. pull both the head of the tow and the stern of the towboat into the right hand bank N d. pull the head of the tow into, and push the stern of the towboat away from, the right hand bank 2849: You take a bearing of 086° of a lighthouse. What bearing of another object would give the best fix?
Y a. 000° N b. 066° N c. 112° N d. 271° 3011: The survey information upon which a chart is based is found __________.
N a. at the top center of the next line Y b. near the chart title N c. at the lower left corner N d. at any convenient location 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 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 3057: IN REGION A of the IALA Buoyage System, when entering from seaward, the starboard side of a channel would be marked by a __________.
Y a. green conical buoy N b. green can buoy N c. red can buoy N d. red conical buoy 3089: As a licensed Merchant Marine Officer you are expected to __________.
N a. obtain a weather forecast before setting out from port N b. listen to weather forecasts on the radio while enroute N c. understand all broadcast weather warning information Y d. All of the above