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.
169: You want to transit Hell Gate on 23 July 1983. What is the period of time around the AM (ZD +4) slack before ebb when the current will be less than 0.5 knot?
Y a. 0939 to 0957 N b. 0943 to 0953 N c. 0844 to 0852 N d. 0348 to 0356 189: While steering a course of 150°T, you wish to observe the Sun for a speed check. What would the azimuth have to be?
N a. 060°T N b. 090°T Y c. 150°T N d. 240°T 242: The difference between the heights of low and high tide is the __________.
Y a. range N b. period N c. depth N d. distance 273: Loran-C is which type of navigation system?
Y a. Hyperbolic, long-range navigation system N b. Short-range electronic N c. Long-range, high frequency navigation system N d. Long-range, with a frequency of 1950 kHz 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 324: Index error of a sextant is primarily caused by __________.
N a. improperly correcting the other errors in a sextant N b. the horizon glass not being parallel to the horizon mirror Y c. the horizon glass not being parallel to the index mirror N d. human error in taking a celestial observation 395: If the Sun's observed altitude is 27°12', the zenith distance is __________.
Y a. 62°48' N b. 27°12' N c. 152°48' N d. 43°12' 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 446: The usual sequence of directions in which a tropical cyclone moves in the Southern Hemisphere is __________.
N a. northwest, west, and south Y b. southwest, south, and southeast N c. north, northwest, and east N d. west, northwest, and north 452: When navigating in high latitudes and using a chart based on a Lambert conformal projection, __________.
Y a. a straight line drawn on the chart approximates a great circle N b. the chart should not be used outside of the standard parallels N c. the course angle is measured at the mid-longitude of the track line N d. distance cannot be measured directly from the chart 476: Tropical cyclones normally form within which of the following belts of latitude?
Y a. 5° to 15° N b. 15° to 30° N c. 30° to 45° N d. 45° to 60° 507: What will be the time after 1000 EST (ZD +5), on 4 March 1983, that the height of the tide at City Island, NY, will be 2.4 feet?
Y a. 1228 N b. 1240 N c. 1244 N d. 1248 529: In some river mouths and estuaries the incoming high-tide wave crest overtakes the preceding low-tide trough. This results in a wall of water proceeding upstream, and is called a __________.
N a. seiche Y b. bore N c. boundary wave N d. surge 568: The chart of a beach area shows a very steep slope to the underwater beach bottom. Which type of breakers can be expected when trying to land a boat on this beach?
Y a. Surging N b. Converging N c. Spilling N d. Plunging 630: What kind of weather would you expect to accompany the passage of a tropical wave?
Y a. Heavy rain and cloudiness N b. Good weather N c. A tropical storm N d. Dense fog 657: Current refers to the __________.
N a. vertical movement of the water Y b. horizontal movement of the water N c. density changes in the water N d. None of the above 729: The doldrums are characterized by __________.
N a. steady, light to moderate winds Y b. frequent calms N c. clear skies N d. low humidity 767: What describes a flood current?
N a. Horizontal movement of the water toward the land after high tide Y b. Horizontal movement of the water toward the land after low tide N c. Horizontal movement of the water away from the land following high tide N d. Horizontal movement of the water away from the land following low tide 832: What is the most important source of information to be used in correcting charts and keeping them up to date?
N a. Fleet Guides Y b. Notice to Mariners N c. Sailing Directions N d. Pilot Charts 845: During one synodic rotation, a body makes one complete turn relative to the __________.
N a. Earth Y b. Sun N c. stars N d. vernal equinox 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 877: Cold water flowing southward through the western part of the Bering Strait between Alaska and Siberia is joined by water circulating counterclockwise in the Bering Sea to form the __________.
N a. Alaska Current N b. Subarctic Current N c. Kuroshio Current Y d. Oyashio Current 884: Which cloud type is normally associated with thunderstorms?
N a. Cirrus N b. Stratus N c. Cumulus Y d. Cumulonimbus 884: Which cloud type is normally associated with thunderstorms?
N a. Cirrus N b. Stratus N c. Cumulus Y d. Cumulonimbus 1022: What is the approximate geographic range of Fenwick Island Light, Delaware, if your height of eye is 37 feet (11.6 meters)? Refer to "Reprints from the LIGHT LISTS AND COAST PILOTS" .
N a. 24.8 nm Y b. 17.8 nm N c. 15.9 nm N d. 10.3 nm 1030: You are preparing a weather report form, WS Form B-80. The dry bulb thermometer reads 78°F, and the wet bulb thermometer reads 75°F. How would you encode the air temperature groups in the report? (D041NG )
Y a. 10256, 2023/ N b. 10780, 2074/ N c. 00256, 0023/ N d. 10256, 2074/ 1051: Under the IALA Buoyage Systems, a cardinal mark may NOT be used to __________.
N a. indicate that the deepest water in an area is on the named side of the mark N b. indicate the safe side on which to pass a danger N c. draw attention to a feature in the channel such as a bend, junction, bifurcation, or end of a shoal Y d. indicate the port and starboard sides of well-defined channels 1113: A single vertical magnet placed underneath the compass in the binnacle is used to compensate for __________.
N a. the horizontal component of the permanent magnetism Y b. deviation caused by the vessel's inclination from the vertical N c. induced magnetism in the horizontal soft iron N d. induced magnetism in the vertical soft iron 1185: An orange and white buoy with a rectangle on it displays __________.
N a. directions N b. distances N c. locations Y d. All of the above 1213: If the magnetic heading is greater than the compass heading, the deviation is __________.
Y a. east N b. west N c. north N d. south 1276: Which weather change accompanies the passage of a cold front in the Northern Hemisphere?
N a. Wind shift from northeast, clockwise to southwest N b. Steady dropping of barometric pressure N c. Steady precipitation, gradually increasing in intensity Y d. A line of cumulonimbus clouds 1361: The luminous range of a light takes into account the __________.
N a. glare from background lighting Y b. existing visibility conditions N c. elevation of the light N d. observer's height of eye 1631: Which picture shows an occulting light? (D034NG )
N a. A Y b. B N c. C N d. D 1686: Which of the following statements concerning frontal movements is TRUE?
N a. The temperature rises after a cold front passes. N b. The barometric pressure rises when a warm front passes. Y c. A cold front generally passes faster than a warm front. N d. A warm front usually has more violent weather associated with it than a cold front. 1726: How can you estimate the position of a tropical storm's center?
N a. With a radio weather bulletin or weather fax N b. using shipboard radar N c. observe the wind direction and apply Buys Ballot's law Y d. All of the above 1842: What is the major problem with taking high altitude observations?
N a. Possible errors due to unusual refraction may exist. N b. The tables are not as accurate due to inherent errors in the spherical triangle at high altitudes. N c. Rapidly changing altitudes make it difficult to get an accurate altitude. Y d. It is difficult to establish the point where the sextant is vertical to the horizon. 1904: In the horizon system of coordinates what is equivalent to the parallels of declination of the celestial equator system?
N a. Vertical circles Y b. Parallels of altitude N c. Zenith distance N d. Azimuth angle 1940: The diameter of the Sun and Moon as seen from the Earth varies slightly but averages about __________.
N a. 1' N b. 52' Y c. 32' N d. 15.5' 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 2080: You are on course 030°T. The relative bearing of a lighthouse is 45°. What is the true bearing?
N a. 015° Y b. 075° N c. 255° N d. 345° 2143: What lights would you see on the Illinois water way when any wickets of the dam or bear traps are open, or partially open, which may cause a set in the current conditions in the upper lock approach?
Y a. Red over amber (yellow) N b. Green over amber (yellow) N c. Red over Green N d. Green over Red 2177: This diagram 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? (D037NG )
N a. One amber light N b. Three red lights N c. Two red lights Y d. One red light 2226: Upper limb observations of the Moon are used more frequently than those of the Sun because of the location of the Moon in the sky and the __________.
N a. lesser distance between the Earth and the Moon Y b. phase of the Moon N c. rapid change in declination of the Moon N d. effects of augmentation and horizontal parallax 2239: A flashing green light displayed at a single lock means that the lock is __________.
Y a. ready for entrance N b. ready for entrance, but gates cannot be closed completely N c. being made ready for entrance N d. not ready for entrance 2242: A vessel is heading magnetic north and its magnetic compass indicates a heading of 356°. Which action should be taken to remove this error during compass adjustment?
Y a. If the red ends of the magnets are to port you should lower the athwartships tray. N b. If the red ends of the magnets are aft you should raise the fore-and-aft tray. N c. If the blue ends of the magnets are to port, and the athwartships tray is at the top, you should remove some of the magnets. N d. If the blue ends of the magnets are aft you should raise the fore-and-aft tray. 2356: As observed from the Earth, the angle between lines from the Earth to the Sun and the Earth to an inferior planet is known as __________.
Y a. elongation N b. conjunction N c. opposition N d. quadrature 2382: What causes geocentric parallax?
N a. The varying distance between the Earth and Moon. Y b. The change in the Moon's position relative to the stars when viewed from the Earth's surface, as compared to the Earth's center. N c. The rapid change in declination of the Moon causes a rotational oscillation of its axis. N d. The nearness of the Moon causes an apparent increase in diameter as its altitude increases. 2400: You are in a channel in U.S. waters near an industrial plant with a load/discharge facility for barges. You see an emergency rotating flashing light on the facility light up. What does this indicate?
N a. A barge at the facility has commenced transferring a hazardous cargo. N b. A barge carrying a hazardous cargo is mooring or unmooring at the facility. N c. The facility is warning a barge to shut down transfer operations due to weather conditions (electrical storm, tornado, hurricane, etc.). Y d. There is danger at the facility due to a fire or cargo release. 2530: The distance between any two meridians measured along a parallel of latitude __________.
N a. increases in north latitude and decreases in south latitude N b. decreases as DLO increases N c. increases with increased latitude Y d. decreases with increased latitude 2539: Under the IALA cardinal system, a mark with quick white light showing 3 flashes every 10 seconds indicates that the safest water in the area is on the __________.
N a. north side of the mark N b. west side of the mark Y c. east side of the mark N d. south side of the mark 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. 2719: Under the U.S. Aids to Navigation System on the Western Rivers, passing daymarks on the right descending bank are __________.
N a. red diamond-shaped panels with red reflector borders N b. red triangular-shaped panels with red reflector borders Y c. green square-shaped panels with green reflector borders N d. green triangular-shaped panels with green reflector borders 2764: You are in a channel inbound from sea. A daymark used to mark a channel junction when the preferred channel is to port will have the shape indicated by what letter in illustration D045NG?
N a. A N b. B N c. C Y d. D 2788: The Light List indicates that a dayboard is a type KGW. You should __________.
N a. see a green and white diamond N b. leave it to port when southbound on the Atlantic Coast ICW N c. pass it close aboard on either side Y d. look for another daymark to form the range 2828: The daily recurring pattern of pressure changes most noticeable in low latitudes is the __________.
N a. daily lapse reading Y b. diurnal variation of pressure N c. pressure tendency N d. synoptic pressure 2852: A daymark warning of a danger will have the shape indicated by which letter? (D045NG )
N a. A Y b. B N c. C N d. D 3019: Where would you find information about the time of high tide at a specific location on a particular day of the year?
Y a. Tide Tables N b. Tidal Current Tables N c. Coast Pilot N d. Nautical Almanac 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 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 3107: Automatic identification systems (AIS) are expected to broadcast all of the following information EXCEPT __________.
Y a. Port of origin N b. Name of vessel N c. Course and speed over ground N d. Draft of vessel