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Deck · 2,138 questions

General Navigation - USCG Exam Questions

Chart reading, the U.S. Aids to Navigation System, compass error, tides and currents, and the standard navigation publications.

Every question below is a real U.S. Coast Guard exam question with four choices. Answer one and the correct choice is revealed instantly, with the USCG reference and illustration where the question uses one.

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All General Navigation questions

Questions 901–1,000 of 2,138 · page 10 of 22

  1. #977 If a sound signal is emitted from the oscillator of a fathometer, and two seconds elapse before the returning signal is picked up, what depth of water...
  2. #979 What is the first visible indication of the presence of a tropical cyclone or hurricane?
  3. #980 What does not contribute to the commercial GPS receiver position error?
  4. #981 Hurricanes may move in any direction. However, it is rare and generally of short duration when a hurricane in the Northern Hemisphere moves toward the...
  5. #982 When using a recording depth finder in the open ocean, what phenomena is most likely to produce a continuous trace that may not be from the actual oce...
  6. #983 A vessel entering the eye of a hurricane should expect __________.
  7. #984 What should you apply to a fathometer reading to determine the depth of water?
  8. #985 An electronic depth finder operates on the principle that __________.
  9. #986 The recording fathometer produces a graphic record of the __________.
  10. #987 Widely spaced isobars on a weather map indicate __________.
  11. #988 Where is the dangerous semicircle located on a hurricane in the Southern Hemisphere?
  12. #989 In the Northern Hemisphere, your vessel is believed to be in the direct path of a hurricane, and plenty of sea room is available. The best course of a...
  13. #990 In modern fathometers the sonic or ultrasonic sound waves are produced electrically by means of a(n) __________.
  14. #991 The speed at which an ocean wave system advances is called __________.
  15. #992 When navigating using GPS, what is an indicator of the geometry of the satellites that your receiver is locked onto?
  16. #993 Which feature, when set to zero, might allow a GPS unit to have an accuracy equivalent to Precise Positioning Service receiver capability?
  17. #994 The highest level of commercial navigational accuracy is provided by __________.
  18. #995 When a tornado moves over the water from land it is called a __________.
  19. #996 Which statement concerning GPS is TRUE?
  20. #997 Which type of GPS receiver has at least four channels to process information from several satellites simultaneously?
  21. #998 At what angle to the isobars do surface winds blow over the open sea?
  22. #999 You have been observing your radar screen and notice that a contact on the screen has remained in the same position, relative to you, for several minu...
  23. #1000 What do the numbers on isobars indicate?
  24. #1001 Using the surface analysis in illustration D049NG below, what weather conditions would you expect to find at position A? illustration
  25. #1002 Illustration D011NG below represents the geographic location of a vessel and the radar presentation at the same time. Which statement is TRUE? illustration
  26. #1003 You are radar scanning for a buoy fitted with a racon. In illustration D017NG below, which radar screen represents the presentation you should expect... illustration
  27. #1004 Illustration D011NG below represents the geographic location of a vessel and the radar presentation at the same time. Which statement is TRUE? illustration
  28. #1005 You are approaching a light fitted with a RACON. The light may be identified on the radar by __________.
  29. #1006 You are anchored in the Aleutian Island chain and receive word that a tsunami is expected to strike the islands in six hours. What is the safest actio...
  30. #1007 The radar control used to reduce sea return at close ranges is the __________.
  31. #1008 The signal from a ramark will show on the PPI as a __________.
  32. #1009 When navigating coastwise and hurricane warnings are received, you should __________.
  33. #1010 NOAA VHF weather reports are continuously broadcast on VHF channels WX-1, WX-2 and WX-3 on a frequency of __________.
  34. #1012 Your vessel is participating in the Voluntary Observing Ship Program, you are preparing WS Form B-80 as seen in illustration D041NG below. Your positi... illustration
  35. #1014 The length of a wave is the length __________.
  36. #1016 You can determine if your vessel's position is in the dangerous or navigable semicircle of a hurricane by __________.
  37. #1018 The usual sequence of directions in which a tropical cyclone moves in the Southern Hemisphere is __________.
  38. #1019 You are using a radar in which your own ship is shown at the center, and the heading flash always points to 0°. If bearings are measured in relation t...
  39. #1020 Swells that have outrun the storm are produced in the __________.
  40. #1022 Which condition would NOT indicate the approach of a tropical storm?
  41. #1023 Your vessel is participating in the Voluntary Observing Ship Program, you are preparing WS Form B-80 as seen in illustration D041NG below. One-half of... illustration
  42. #1024 The beam width of your radar is 2°. The left tangent bearing of a small island, as observed on the PPI scope, is 056°pgc. If the gyro error is 2°E, wh...
  43. #1025 When you turn on the fast time constant (differentiator) control of a radar it will __________.
  44. #1026 You are underway on course 050°T and your maximum speed is 11 knots. The eye of a hurricane bears 070°T, 80 miles from your position. The hurricane is...
  45. #1027 The radar control that shortens all echoes on the display and reduces clutter caused by rain or snow is the __________.
  46. #1028 The radar control that reduces weak echoes out to a limited distance from the ship is the __________.
  47. #1029 Radar makes the most accurate determination of the __________.
  48. #1030 What is the approximate wave length of an X Band Radar operating on a frequency of approximately 9500 MHz?
  49. #1031 You have another ship overtaking you close aboard to starboard. You have 3 radar targets bearing 090° relative at ranges of .5 mile, 1 mile, and 1.5 m...
  50. #1032 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 i...
  51. #1033 An indirect radar echo is caused by a reflection of the main lobe of the radar beam off the observer's vessel. Which of the following is NOT a charact...
  52. #1034 Your radar indicates a target; however, there is no visible object at the point indicated. A large mountain, approximately 50 miles away on the same b...
  53. #1036 You are attempting to locate your position relative to a hurricane in the Northern Hemisphere. If the wind direction remains steady, but with diminish...
  54. #1037 A Doppler speed log indicates speed over ground __________.
  55. #1038 A Doppler log in the bottom return mode indicates the __________.
  56. #1039 The wind velocity is higher in the dangerous semicircle of a tropical cyclone because of the __________.
  57. #1040 While navigating in fog off a coastline of steep cliffs, you hear the echo of the ships fog horn 5.5 seconds after the signal was sounded. What is the...
  58. #1041 While navigating in fog off a coastline of steep cliffs, you hear the echo of the ship's fog horn 3 seconds after the signal was sounded. What is the...
  59. #1042 While navigating in fog off a coastline of steep cliffs, you hear the echo of the ships fog horn 2 1/2 seconds after the signal was sounded. What is t...
  60. #1043 A hand held instrument used to measure distances between objects and the ship is a __________.
  61. #1044 Mechanical lifting of air by the upslope slant of the terrain is called __________.
  62. #1045 The region containing 3/4 of the mass of the atmosphere and the region to which are confined such phenomena as clouds, storms, precipitation and chang...
  63. #1046 What is the primary source of the earth's weather?
  64. #1047 Weather patterns in the Gulf area of the United States are _____.
  65. #1048 What natural feature is responsible for the rather even climate found on the Florida peninsula throughout the year?
  66. #1049 In reading a weather map, closely spaced pressure gradient lines would indicate __________.
  67. #1050 Isobars on a weather map are useful in predicting __________.
  68. #1051 An isotherm is __________.
  69. #1052 A line on a weather chart connecting places which have the same barometric pressure is called an __________.
  70. #1053 Lines drawn through points on the Earth having the same atmospheric pressure are known as __________.
  71. #1054 Using the surface analysis in illustration D049NG below, what wind speed is reported in position C? illustration
  72. #1055 The largest waves (heaviest chop) will usually develop where the wind blows __________.
  73. #1056 You can follow the approach of a dangerous cyclonic storm by inspecting __________.
  74. #1057 While in port, you can follow the approach of a dangerous cyclonic storm by inspecting __________.
  75. #1058 In a weather report, the term "visibility" expresses __________.
  76. #1059 It is desirable that a vessel encountering hurricane or typhoon conditions sends weather reports to the closest meteorological service at least every...
  77. #1060 When within 300 miles of a named tropical storm or hurricane, it is standard practice to send weather reports every __________.
  78. #1061 Weather observations provided by each weather station include all of the following except __________.
  79. #1062 Your vessel is participating in the Voluntary Observing Ship Program, at 1800 ZT on 31 October your position is LAT 24°50'N, LONG 92°37'W. You are pre... illustration
  80. #1063 Your vessel is participating in the Voluntary Observing Ship Program, at 0600 ZT on 31 January your position is LAT 00°49'S, LONG 84°27'E. You are pre... illustration
  81. #1064 Your vessel is participating in the Voluntary Observing Ship Program, you are preparing WS Form B-80 as seen in illustration D041NG below. The dry bul... illustration
  82. #1065 Your vessel is participating in the Voluntary Observing Ship Program, you are preparing WS Form B-80 as seen in illustration D041NG below. The dry bul... illustration
  83. #1066 Your vessel is participating in the Voluntary Observing Ship Program, you are preparing WS Form B-80 as seen in illustration D041NG below. The dry bul... illustration
  84. #1067 Your vessel is participating in the Voluntary Observing Ship Program, you are preparing WS Form B-80 as seen in illustration D041NG below. You are hov... illustration
  85. #1068 Your vessel is participating in the Voluntary Observing Ship Program, at 1200 ZT on 31 August, your position is LAT 43°14'S, LONG 175°44'E. You are pr... illustration
  86. #1069 What kind of weather would you expect to accompany the passage of a tropical wave?
  87. #1070 If the current and wind are in opposite directions, the sea surface represents __________.
  88. #1071 You are steaming in the open ocean of the North Pacific between the Aleutian Chain and Hawaii. A warning broadcast indicates that an earthquake has oc...
  89. #1072 The height of a wave is the vertical distance __________.
  90. #1073 What is the distance from the bottom of a wave trough to the top of a wave crest?
  91. #1074 On mid-ocean waters, the height of a wind-generated wave is not affected by the __________.
  92. #1075 Fetch is the __________.
  93. #1076 The velocity of the wind, its steady direction, and the amount of time it has blown determines a wind driven current's __________.
  94. #1077 The rise and fall of the ocean's surface due to a distant storm is known as __________.
  95. #1078 Swell is the rise and fall of the ocean's surface due to __________.
  96. #1079 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 o...
  97. #1080 The ocean bottom that extends from the shoreline out to an area where there is a marked change in slope to a greater depth is the __________.
  98. #1081 The chart of a beach area shows a very flat slope to the underwater beach bottom. What type of breakers can be expected when trying to land a boat on...
  99. #1082 Freezing salt water spray should be anticipated when the air temperature drops below what temperature?
  100. #1083 The National Weather Service differentiates between small craft, gale, whole gale, and hurricane warnings by the __________.

General Navigation questions: what to expect

Q How many General Navigation questions are in the Deck pool?

There are 2,138 General Navigation questions on this site, every one released by the U.S. Coast Guard or taken from the National Maritime Center's sample examinations, with its correct answer. The exam draws its General Navigation module from the same pool.

Q What score do I need to pass the General Navigation module?

Most USCG exam modules, including General Navigation, require 70 percent to pass. Rules of the Road modules require 90 percent.

Q Are these the real USCG General Navigation exam questions?

Yes. They are the published U.S. Coast Guard questions, matched to the National Maritime Center's 2026 sample examinations. Answer any question to see the correct choice, the USCG reference and the illustration where the question uses one.

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About the Deck question pool

The Deck pool holds the current U.S. Coast Guard questions for every deck credential, from Able Seaman and the OUPV six-pack up to unlimited Master. Each question is multiple choice with four options, graded instantly, with the USCG reference shown where one exists.