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.


58: You should plot your dead reckoning position __________.


72: The datum from which the predicted heights of tides are reckoned in the tide tables is __________.


108: A position that is obtained by using two or more intersecting lines of position taken at nearly the same time, is a(n) __________.


130: The distance between the surface of the water and the tidal datum is the __________.

    N a. range of tide
    Y b. height of tide
    N c. charted depth
    N d. actual water depth

134: The recording fathometer produces a graphic record of the __________.

    N a. bottom contour only up to depths of 100 fathoms
    Y b. depth underneath the keel against a time base
    N c. contour of the bottom against a distance base
    N d. depth of water against a distance base

188: Off Barnegat, NJ, with the wind coming out of the east, the wind-driven current will be flowing approximately __________.

    N a. 286°
    Y b. 254°
    N c. 106°
    N d. 016°

214: A sextant having an index error that is "on the arc" has a __________.

    N a. positive correction
    N b. dip error
    Y c. negative correction
    N d. semidiameter error

308: The wind at Frying Pan shoals has been west-northwesterly at an average velocity of 40 knots. The predicted set and drift of the rotary current are 323° at 0.6 knot. What current should you expect?

    N a. 001° at 0.7 knot
    Y b. 018° at 0.4 knot
    N c. 052° at 0.6 knot
    N d. 089° at 0.9 knot

329: The symbols shown are used on radio facsimile weather charts. Which symbol indicates a weather boundary? (D042NG )

    N a. I
    N b. H
    N c. G
    Y d. F

344: A marine sextant has the index arm set at zero and the reflected image of the horizon forms a continuous line with the actual image. When the sextant is rotated about the line of sight the images separate. The sextant has __________.

    N a. error of perpendicularity
    Y b. side error
    N c. prismatic error
    N d. centering error

362: Which statement about a simple conic chart projection is TRUE?

    N a. It is an equal-area projection.
    N b. It is a conformal projection.
    N c. Meridians appear as curved lines.
    Y d. The scale is correct along any meridian.

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

429: A great circle crosses the equator at 127°W. It will also cross the equator at what other longitude?

    N a. 127°E
    Y b. 53°E
    N c. 27°E
    N d. 27°W

468: Which of the symbols shown represents a cold front? (D018NG )

    N a. A
    Y b. B
    N c. C
    N d. D

555: The letter D shown represents the __________. (D006NG )

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

721: Under the IALA Buoyage System, a red and white vertically-striped buoy would NOT indicate __________.

    N a. a landfall
    Y b. the extreme end of an islet
    N c. a mid-channel
    N d. a center line

779: Which sextant shown has an index error of 0'20" on the arc? (D050NG )

    N a. A
    N b. B
    Y c. C
    N d. D

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

863: The compass heading of a vessel differs from the true heading by __________.

    Y a. compass error
    N b. variation
    N c. magnetic dip
    N d. deviation

917: As the South Equatorial Current approaches the east coast of Africa, it divides with the main part flowing south to form the warm __________.

    Y a. Agulhas Current
    N b. Canary Current
    N c. Benguela Current
    N d. Madagascar Current

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.

1038: You are preparing a weather report form, WS Form B-80. The dry bulb thermometer reads 54°F, and the wet bulb thermometer reads 50°F. How would you encode the air temperature groups in the report? (D041NG )

    N a. 1054/, 2050/
    Y b. 10122, 2008/
    N c. 1054/, 2047/
    N d. 054//, 047//

1041: You are steaming along the coast of Ireland in the Irish Sea. You sight a lighted buoy with a white flashing light showing a group of two flashes. The buoy indicates you __________.

    N a. must pass south of the buoy
    N b. must pass north of the buoy
    Y c. should pass well clear on either side of the buoy
    N d. must pass the buoy close to starboard

1179: Which type of cloud is indicated by the number 3? (DO39NG )

    Y a. Cirrocumulus
    N b. Altocumulus
    N c. Nimbostratus
    N d. Cumulus

1199: The Sailing Directions (Enroute) contain information on __________.

    N a. well-charted inner dangers
    N b. port facilities
    Y c. coastal anchorages
    N d. offshore traffic separation schemes

1205: How is the annual rate of change for magnetic variation shown on a pilot chart?

    Y a. Gray lines on the uppermost inset chart
    N b. Red lines on the main body of the chart
    N c. In parenthesis on the lines of equal magnetic variation
    N d. Annual rate of change is not shown.

1233: Deviation is the angle between the __________.

    N a. true meridian and the axis of the compass card
    N b. true meridian and the magnetic meridian
    Y c. magnetic meridian and the axis of the compass card
    N d. axis of the compass card and the degaussing meridian

1278: The difference between the heights of low and high tide is the __________.

    N a. depth
    N b. distance
    Y c. range
    N d. period

1354: A ship is in longitude 54°00'W on a true course of 090°. The ship's clocks are on the proper time zone. At what longitude should the clocks be changed to maintain the proper zone time?

    N a. 45°00'W
    Y b. 52°30'W
    N c. 60°00'W
    N d. 67°30'W

1488: What defines a great circle?

    N a. A curved line drawn on a Mercator Chart
    N b. A course line that inscribes a loxodromic curve
    Y c. The shortest distance between any two points on the earth
    N d. The smallest circle that can be drawn on the face of a sphere

1519: You are preparing a weather report form, WS Form B-80. Your position is LAT 10°38'S, LONG 00°14'E. How would this be encoded? (D041NG )

    N a. LAT 10.6°S, LONG 00.2°E
    N b. L106S, 30002
    N c. 10385, 0014E
    Y d. 99106, 30002

1583: The angle measured from the observer's meridian, clockwise or counterclockwise up to 180°, to the vertical circle of the body is the __________.

    N a. local hour angle
    Y b. azimuth angle
    N c. meridian angle
    N d. observer's longitude

1587: In general, the most effective period for observing stars and planets occurs during the darker limit of __________.

    N a. sunset
    Y b. civil twilight
    N c. nautical twilight
    N d. astronomical twilight

1653: In a weather report, the term "visibility" expresses __________.

    N a. how far you can see with the "naked eye"
    N b. how far you can see with a telescope or binoculars
    N c. how well you can identify an object at night
    Y d. the distance in miles at which prominent objects are identifiable

1720: In the Southern Hemisphere winds in a low pressure system rotate in a __________.

    Y a. clockwise direction
    N b. northeasterly direction
    N c. northerly direction
    N d. counterclockwise direction

1721: A storm's track is characterized by all of the following except __________.

    N a. the direction the storm has come from
    N b. the direction in which the storm is moving
    Y c. the speed at which the storm is moving
    N d. the path taken by the storm

1746: Swells that have outrun the storm are produced in the __________.

    N a. left front quadrant
    Y b. right front quadrant
    N c. rear
    N d. directly ahead on the storms projected track

1824: 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 C in the illustration? (DO36NG )

    N a. One red light
    N b. Two green lights
    Y c. Three green lights
    N d. No light

1883: Pressure gradient is a measure of __________.

    N a. a high-pressure area
    Y b. pressure difference over horizontal distance
    N c. pressure difference over time
    N d. vertical pressure variation

1899: What is the relative bearing of an object broad on the starboard beam?

    N a. 045°
    N b. 060°
    N c. 075°
    Y d. 090°

1909: In the horizon system of coordinates what is equivalent to the equator on the Earth?

    N a. Prime vertical circle
    N b. Principal vertical circle
    N c. Parallels of altitude
    Y d. Horizon

1970: The azimuth angle of a sun sight is always measured from the __________.

    N a. Greenwich meridian
    N b. prime vertical circle
    Y c. principal vertical circle
    N d. first point of Aries

2021: While on watch, you notice that the air temperature is dropping and is approaching the dew point. Which type of weather should be forecasted?

    N a. Hail
    N b. Heavy rain
    N c. Sleet
    Y d. Fog

2103: The description "Racon" beside an illustration on a chart would mean a __________.

    N a. radar calibration beacon
    N b. circular radio beacon
    N c. radar conspicuous beacon
    Y d. radar transponder beacon

2160: Information for updating nautical charts is primarily found in the __________.

    Y a. Notice to Mariners
    N b. Coast Pilots
    N c. nautical chart catalogs
    N d. Sailing Directions

2165: 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 B if the lock walls and piers are not awash? (D037NG )

    Y a. Three red lights
    N b. Two red lights
    N c. One red light
    N d. One amber light

2262: The Milky Way is an example of a __________.

    N a. cluster
    Y b. galaxy
    N c. nova
    N d. nebula

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

2289: The constellation that contains the pointer stars is __________.

    N a. Orion
    Y b. Ursa Major
    N c. the Southern Cross
    N d. Pegasus

2589: Under the IALA cardinal system, a mark with a quick white light showing 6 flashes followed by one long flash indicates that the safest water is on the __________.

    N a. north side of the mark
    N b. west side of the mark
    N c. east side of the mark
    Y d. south side of the mark

2610: A line on the Earth parallel to the equator is a __________.

    N a. gnomonic curve
    Y b. small circle
    N c. meridian
    N d. great circle

2679: Under the U.S. Aids to Navigation System on the Western Rivers, a daymark on the right descending bank will __________.

    Y a. be green
    N b. have an odd number
    N c. indicate the gage reading
    N d. have yellow retroreflective markings

2686: The standard time meridian for description +12 is __________.

    N a. 172.5°E
    Y b. 180.0°
    N c. 172.5°W
    N d. 165.0°W

2802: 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 effect of pulse length.
    Y b. The small island is not detected due to shadow effect of the mountain.
    N c. A target bearing of the headland to the south-southeast is corrected by adding one-half of the beam width.
    N d. Ship No. 2 is not detected due to the reflective mass of the mountain overpowering the ship's reflective signals.

2889: On 29 June 1981 you observe a back sight of the upper limb of the Moon. The sextant altitude (hs) is 114°16.9'. The height of eye is 36 feet, and the index error is 2.0' off the arc. The horizontal parallax is 60.5'. What is the observed altitude (Ho)?

    N a. 66°23.8'
    N b. 66°04.4'
    N c. 66°00.4'
    Y d. 65°53.8'

2900: Who should be consulted for changing conditions of controlling depths in major channels?

    N a. U.S. Coast Guard
    N b. National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
    N c. National Ocean Service
    Y d. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

2923: You should plot your dead reckoning position __________.

    N a. from every estimated position
    Y b. from every fix or running fix
    N c. every three minutes in pilotage waters
    N d. only in pilotage waters

2988: The buoy indicated by the letter A is a __________. (D044NG )

    N a. nun
    Y b. can
    N c. spar
    N d. pillar

3009: "Proceeding from seaward" for the purpose of the direction of buoying offshore, lateral system buoys would be proceeding __________.

    N a. northerly on the Atlantic Coast
    N b. easterly on the Gulf Coast
    Y c. northerly on the Pacific Coast
    N d. None of the above

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