FCC Exam Question: 8-34D5

Which of the following statements about “true bearing” is correct?

A. The ship’s heading flasher is at the top of the screen.
B. True North is at the top of the screen and the heading flasher indicates the vessel’s course.
C. The true bearing of the nearest target is indicated.
D. The relative bearing of the nearest target is indicated.
Correct Answer: B

Explanation: A true bearing display, often found on radar or electronic chart systems, orientates the screen so that **True North is always at the top**. This provides a fixed, geographic reference for all measurements. Therefore, statement B is correct: "True North is at the top of the screen and the heading flasher indicates the vessel’s course." The heading flasher is a line extending from the center of the display, indicating your vessel's current bow direction relative to True North. * **A) The ship’s heading flasher is at the top of the screen.** This describes a "Head Up" display, where the vessel's bow is always pointing to the top, and the display rotates as the vessel turns. This is characteristic of *relative* bearing, not true bearing. * **C) The true bearing of the nearest target is indicated.** While a true bearing display *can* indicate the true bearing of a target, this statement describes a specific measurement rather than the fundamental orientation of the display itself. * **D) The relative bearing of the nearest target is indicated.** Relative bearings are measured relative to the ship's bow, which is not the defining characteristic of a true bearing display.

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Includes Elements 1, 3, 6, 7R, 8, and 9.