Aids to Navigation Flashcards
6 cards from real Coast Guard Test practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Aids to Navigation flashcards as text
What is the primary purpose of a lighthouse?
Answer: To mark navigational hazards and aid vessel positioning
Lighthouses serve as fixed aids to navigation, warning mariners of hazards and helping them determine their position along a coastline.
What does 'characteristic' mean when describing a light signal?
Answer: The pattern of flashes and the color that identifies a specific light
A light's characteristic is the unique combination of its flash pattern, color, and period that allows mariners to identify it from the Light List.
What is the 'nominal range' of a navigational light?
Answer: Distance the light can be seen in clear weather with standard atmospheric visibility
Nominal range is the maximum distance at which a light can be seen in clear weather, based on its luminous intensity and standard meteorological visibility of 10 nautical miles.
Which publication lists all US aids to navigation maintained by the Coast Guard?
Answer: Light List
The Light List, published by the Coast Guard, contains detailed information on all federal and private aids to navigation in US waters.
What does 'ATONIS' stand for in Coast Guard operations?
Answer: Aids to Navigation Information System
ATONIS (Aids to Navigation Information System) is the Coast Guard database that tracks the status, maintenance, and discrepancies of all aids to navigation.
What action should a mariner take upon discovering an uncharted obstruction near a navigational aid?
Answer: Report it immediately to the nearest Coast Guard Sector
Mariners who discover hazards to navigation must report them promptly to the nearest Coast Guard Sector so a Notice to Mariners can be issued and corrective action taken.