Explanation: Tuning a shipboard VHF receiver to 162.550 MHz, 162.400 MHz, or 162.475 MHz allows you to listen for broadcasts from the NOAA Weather Radio (NWR). These frequencies are dedicated to continuous, local weather and hazard information broadcasts, which are widely available in U.S. coastal areas and many inland waterways. Hearing a clear, strong signal on these known, continuously transmitting channels provides a quick and practical field verification that the receiver section of your VHF radio is functioning properly. Option A is incorrect because 158.6 MHz is not a continuous broadcast frequency for the U.S. Coast Guard; you would have to wait for traffic, which is not a quick, reliable test. Option B tests the *transmitter* section of the radio, not the receiver, which is the focus of the question. Option D, connecting test equipment, is a more involved diagnostic procedure rather than a "quick field test" performed by an operator.