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.


8: When you are steering on a pair of range lights and find the upper light is above the lower light you should __________.


66: What will a veering wind do?


83: All Loran-C transmitting stations are equipped with cesium frequency standards which permit __________.


272: What does the symbol shown indicate on a chart? (D033NG )

    N a. A sunken vessel marked by a buoy
    Y b. A safe water beacon
    N c. A red and white can buoy
    N d. A can buoy with a rotating white light

319: The Illustration shows the symbols used by radio facsimile weather charts. The symbol indicated at letter "F" represents a __________. (D042NG )

    N a. maritime air mass
    Y b. weather boundary
    N c. convergence zone
    N d. squall line

347: The illustration shows the symbols used on radio facsimile weather charts. Which of these symbols indicates rain? (D042NG )

    Y a. N
    N b. M
    N c. I
    N d. G

365: The Sun at a maximum declination north would be approximately at __________.

    Y a. aphelion
    N b. perihelion
    N c. autumnal equinox
    N d. first point of Aries

366: If an observer in the Northern Hemisphere faces the surface wind, the center of low pressure is to his______________.

    N a. left, slightly behind him
    Y b. right, slightly behind him
    N c. left, slightly in front of him
    N d. right, slightly in front of him

382: Which would you consult for information about the general current circulation in the North Atlantic Ocean?

    Y a. Pilot chart
    N b. Coast Pilot
    N c. Current Table
    N d. Climatological Atlas

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'

437: Your vessel will be docking at Chester, PA, during the evening of 22 April 1983. The chart shows a depth of 20 feet (6.1 meters) at the pier. What will be the depth of water available at 1856 EST (ZD +5)?

    N a. 22.4 feet (6.8 meters)
    Y b. 23.4 feet (7.2 meters)
    N c. 24.9 feet (7.6 meters)
    N d. 25.7 feet (7.8 meters)

502: A gnomonic projection is based on a(n) __________.

    Y a. plane tangent at one point
    N b. cylinder tangent at the equator
    N c. cone tangent at one parallel
    N d. infinite series of cones tangent at selected parallels

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

571: The Coast Guard Captain of the Port has excluded all traffic from a section of a port, while a regatta is taking place. The buoys marking this exclusion area will be __________.

    N a. nun- or can-shaped to conform to the overall direction of navigation
    N b. yellow
    Y c. orange and white
    N d. marked with a spherical topmark

590: On 16 January 1981, you take a sight of a star. The sextant altitude (hs) is 4°33.0'. The temperature is -10°C, and the barometer reads 992 millibars. The height of eye is 42 feet. The index error is 1.9' off the arc. What is the observed altitude (Ho)?

    N a. 4°10.2'
    N b. 4°14.3'
    Y c. 4°17.0'
    N d. 4°24.1'

625: The center of a circle of equal altitude, plotted on the surface of the Earth, is the __________.

    N a. dead reckoning position of the observer
    N b. assumed position of the observer
    Y c. geographical position of the body
    N d. assumed position of the body

664: Which ARPA data should you use in order to determine if a close quarters situation will develop with a target vessel?

    N a. Set and drift of the current
    Y b. Relative track information
    N c. Predicted time of CPA
    N d. Initial range of acquisition

727: What is an ebb current?

    N a. A current at minimum flow
    N b. A current coming in
    Y c. A current going out
    N d. A current at maximum flow

741: What is the light phase characteristic of a lighted isolated-danger mark?

    N a. Interrupted quick flashing
    N b. Very quick flashing
    N c. Long flashing
    Y d. Group flashing

843: The line which connects the points of zero magnetic dip is __________.

    N a. an agonic line
    Y b. the magnetic equator
    N c. a magnetic meridian
    N d. All of the above

896: The wind direction around a low pressure area in the Northern Hemisphere is __________.

    N a. clockwise and inward
    N b. clockwise and outward
    Y c. counterclockwise and inward
    N d. counterclockwise and outward

933: How many degrees are there on a compass card?

    Y a. 360°
    N b. 380°
    N c. 390°
    N d. 420°

956: Good weather is usually associated with a region of __________.

    N a. low barometric pressure
    Y b. high barometric pressure
    N c. falling barometric pressure
    N d. pumping barometric pressure

957: The Humboldt Current flows in which direction?

    Y a. North
    N b. South
    N c. East
    N d. West

963: To center a compass bowl in its binnacle, you should have the ship on an even keel, heading north or south, and adjust the screws until __________.

    N a. the compass heading is in line with the lubber's line
    N b. there is no lost motion in the gimbal rings
    Y c. no change of heading by compass is observed if you raise and lower the heeling magnet
    N d. the gimbal rings do not strike the compass frame when they are tilted

973: The heading of a vessel is indicated by what part of the compass?

    N a. Card
    N b. Needle
    Y c. Lubber's line
    N d. Gimbals

981: The characteristic of a lighted cardinal mark may be __________.

    Y a. very quick flashing
    N b. flashing
    N c. fixed
    N d. occulting

1021: You are underway in the North Sea on course 142°T when you sight a buoy bearing 105°T. The buoy's white light has a characteristic of continuous very-quick flashing. To ensure that your vessel remains in the best navigable water you would __________.

    N a. continue on course and ensure that the bearings change to the left
    N b. pass between the buoy and another buoy showing a fixed white light
    N c. alter course to port and pass the buoy close aboard to either side
    Y d. alter course to port and pass north of the buoy

1123: What are the only magnetic compass correctors that correct for both permanent and induced effects of magnetism?

    N a. Quadrantal spheres
    Y b. Heeling magnets
    N c. Athwartships magnets
    N d. Fore-and-aft magnets

1174: Your vessel is enroute from Japan to Seattle and is located at position I on the weather map. You should experience which weather condition? (D013NG )

    N a. Clear skies with warm temperatures
    N b. Steady precipitation
    N c. Overcast skies with rising temperature
    Y d. Thundershowers

1307: What will be the velocity of the tidal current southwest of Hunts Point, NY, at 0932 EST (ZD +5) on 16 March 1983?

    N a. 0.9 knot
    Y b. 1.5 knots
    N c. 1.8 knots
    N d. 2.3 knots

1385: What is the length of the lunar day?

    Y a. 24h 50m 00s
    N b. 24h 00m 00s
    N c. 23h 56m 04s
    N d. 23h 03m 56s

1400: Which type of cloud is among the most dependable for giving an indication of an approaching weather system?

    N a. Cumulus
    Y b. Altostratus
    N c. Cumulostratus
    N d. Nimbus

1468: What is NOT an advantage of the rhumb line track over a great circle track?

    N a. Easily plotted on a Mercator chart
    N b. Negligible increase in distance on east-west courses near the equator
    N c. Does not require constant course changes
    Y d. Plots as a straight line on Lambert conformal charts

1543: The distance between the surface of the water and the tidal datum is the __________.

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

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

1629: Air temperature varies with __________.

    N a. the altitude above sea level
    N b. the season of the year
    N c. the latitude or distance from the equator
    Y d. All of the above

1799: The letter D in illustration D006NG represents the __________.

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

1830: A vessel heading NNW is on a course of __________.

    N a. 274.5°
    N b. 292.0°
    N c. 315.5°
    Y d. 337.5°

1920: Because the actual center of some planets may differ from the observed center, the navigator applies a correction known as the __________.

    Y a. phase correction
    N b. refraction correction
    N c. semidiameter correction
    N d. augmentation correction

1941: 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. red can buoy
    N b. red conical buoy
    N c. green can buoy
    Y d. green conical buoy

2043: Stormy weather is usually associated with regions of __________.

    N a. changing barometric pressure
    N b. high barometric pressure
    N c. steady barometric pressure
    Y d. low barometric pressure

2078: If a towboat requires a double lockage it shall give which sound signal at a distance of not more than one mile from the lock?

    N a. One short blast followed by two long blasts
    N b. One long blast followed by one short blast
    N c. Two long blasts followed by one short blast
    Y d. One long blast followed by two short blasts

2120: If a chart indicates the depth of water to be 6 fathoms and your draft is 6.0 feet, what is the depth of the water under your keel? (Assume the actual depth and charted depth to be the same)

    N a. 6.0 feet
    N b. 26.5 feet
    Y c. 30.0 feet
    N d. 56.5 feet

2125: On charts of U.S. waters, a magenta marking is NOT used for marking a __________.

    N a. radio beacon
    N b. lighted buoy
    Y c. 5-fathom curve
    N d. prohibited area

2399: Which statement about the time diagram shown is TRUE? (D008NG )

    N a. The Greenwich date is one day later than your date.
    N b. The diagram is valid only if you are in the southern hemisphere.
    N c. The LHA of the Sun is approximately 40°.
    Y d. The diagram represents a morning Sun sight.

2436: Aphelion is the point where the Sun __________.

    N a. and Moon and Earth form a right angle
    N b. and Moon and Earth are in line
    N c. crosses the celestial equator
    Y d. is farthest from the Earth

2460: You are on course 344°T and take a relative bearing of a lighthouse of 270°. What is the true bearing to the lighthouse?

    N a. 016°
    N b. 074°
    N c. 090°
    Y d. 254°

2469: A tow that is properly aligned to pass through a narrow opening between two bridge piers is "________________".

    N a. on course
    N b. headed fair
    N c. holding on
    Y d. in shape

2499: The "head of the bend" is the __________.

    Y a. top or upstream beginning of a bend
    N b. bottom or downstream beginning of a bend
    N c. midpoint or center radius of a bend
    N d. center line or apex of a bend

2600: A parallel of latitude other than the equator is a __________.

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

2674: In the U.S. Aids to Navigation System on the Western Rivers, a preferred channel buoy to be left to port while proceeding downstream will __________.

    N a. have the upper band red
    N b. show a red light if lighted
    N c. have a characteristic of composite group flashing if lighted
    Y d. All of the above

2676: The place where a channel moves from along one bank of the river over to the other bank of the river is called a __________.

    N a. draft
    N b. cutoff
    N c. draw
    Y d. crossing

2824: When you turn on the fast time constant (differentiator) control of a radar it will __________.

    N a. enhance weak target echoes and brighten them on the PPI
    Y b. reduce clutter over the entire PPI by shortening the echoes
    N c. only suppress weak targets to a limited distance from the ship (sea clutter)
    N d. reduce the beam width to provide a map-like presentation for navigation

2895: A white buoy with an orange rectangle on it is a(n) __________.

    N a. junction buoy
    N b. safe water buoy
    Y c. informational buoy
    N d. All of the above

2936: Information on search and rescue procedures and special, local communications used in Mexican waters will be found in the __________.

    N a. World Port Index
    N b. International Code of Signals (Pub 102)
    Y c. Sailing Directions (Planning Guides)
    N d. International Aeronautical and Maritime Search and Rescue Manual

2959: Vessels required to have an Automatic Radar Plotting Aid must have a device to indicate the __________.

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

3069: The database resulting from (1) the transformation of the electronic navigational chart (ENC) by ECDIS for appropriate use, (2) the updates to the ENC by appropriate means, and (3) the additional data added by the mariner, is called the __________.

    N a. display base information
    N b. standard display information
    Y c. system electronic navigational chart
    N d. chart display information

3103: In general, on how many radio channels will an automatic identification system (AIS) operate?

    N a. 1
    Y b. 3
    N c. 4
    N d. 12

3124: Which of the following statements is TRUE regarding automatic identification systems (AIS)?

    Y a. AIS is a short-range VHF-FM system that automatically broadcasts a vessel's position, course, speed and other safety related information to all those with similar equipment in the area.
    N b. AIS is a one-way centrally managed system that requires the local VTS to send commands to instruct each vessel to broadcast position, course, speed and other safety related information to all those with similar equipment in the area.
    N c. AIS is a global tracking system that relies upon INMARSAT C service to communicate vessel position, course, speed and other safety related information to all those with similar equipment in the area.
    N d. AIS is a short-range 3 cm X-band radar system that automatically sends a vessel's position, course, speed and other safety related information to all those with similar equipment within the area.