[QUOTE=“MasterMike;96380”]Baltimore is another one I would recommend avoiding.[/QUOTE]
I tested there two months ago and took four tests on day one and the last test and a retake on day two. The lady was very nice and helpful as well. She had someone else cover for her during lunch so no problems there.
[QUOTE=Too bad steam is gone;96379]I finally took my chiefs motor sections of the chiefs test a year ago Dec in Boston. I took the bus down from ME and got in to the test room at 10 am. The test proctor was a crotchety old guy who gave me shit for showing up at 10. He looked like he might have been mate on the Mayflower. He said "I’m only staying til 2 pm I have to go up to Maine Maritime and give them their test next week. I said no problem and was finished and out the door by noon with both sections passed. These REC people need to realize that we are paying for service not for snide remarks.[/QUOTE]
That guy is pretty crotchety, but he’s actually an alright guy if you get talking to him. I’ve done my QMEDs and my 3E with him as the exam room moderator. He did get a little upset when I wanted to start my last test at quarter of 2 (I’d already finished the other 4 that day), but I told him I’d take 45 minutes and give it to him, if I failed, I’d come back the next day. I guess you probably have to figure the amount of people that he works with every day that try and cheat or take extra time and give him crap for it when he shuts them down.
I have had good experiences with him both times I tested there. Very fair and accommodating
I only have experience with the Baltimore REC and it could not have been any better. Lisa that runs the exam room is awesome!
I sat last week in Boston. The proctor announced when we were in there that he was there until 3, would not break for lunch and that we could take as many sections as we wanted.
I finally took my chiefs motor sections of the chiefs test a year ago Dec in Boston. I took the bus down from ME and got in to the test room at 10 am. The test proctor was a crotchety old guy who gave me shit for showing up at 10.
It was the old guy giving me a bunch of shit the first words from his mouth for arriving at 10 am that I didn’t like. I only had 2 sections to do and was out by noon. I had taken my last license test back in 1989 and always got mid eighties to low 90’s on all of them. He was nicer when he graded my tests 86 & 92. First impressions sometimes is all we remember.
The trick with Boston is to be there when the door opens, sign and sit. When i got my original z-card in 2002, went to NYC which was like walking in a ghetto, horrible service and just plain nasty people to deal with.
[QUOTE=seadog13;96300]Hoping someone can answer the following questions for me;
I believe the 1981 Nautical Almanac used in exam questions used to be on the http://www.uscg.mil/nmc/ website but I cannot locate it, any ideas?
Is there a list of publications that are available for use at the REC’s
Does it make any difference which REC you test at?
Many Thanks !!![/QUOTE]
It’s still the 1981 almanac. A few years ago we removed the date from the almanacs we use so it’s less obvious that some of the questions are older than some of the guys taking the test. But it’s still the 1981 almanac, and it’s celestial which hasn’t changed.
See page 19 of the NMC guide at. http://www.uscg.mil/nmc/training/pdfs/deck_and_engineering_guide.pdf
It doesn’t matter which REC you test at.
Also, when you schedule, you can pick what order you take the exam modules in, but you have to schedule them in advance, you can’t choose at the REC on the day you test.
[QUOTE=Too bad steam is gone;96373]In Boston… I also told him that the Coasties are in an new offiice by the Joe Moakley courthouse on the waterfront when the CG base used to do just fine. We need to eliminate all this excess spending. USCG gets it’s budget from homeland security now they rent in a very expensive building. Did I do any good, I doubt it, but get your torches lit and “storm your senator and congressional castles”.
Just venting some steam that all of us deal with at these bad attitude govt offices.[/QUOTE]
The Boston REC is still on the CG base.
[QUOTE=“jdcavo;96525”]Also, when you schedule, you can pick what order you take the exam modules in, but you have to schedule them in advance, you can’t choose at the REC on the day you test.[/QUOTE]
Not only have I never had to do that but there isn’t even a way to do it in the online scheduler. I have decided the order when I walked in the door both two months ago in Baltimore and two years ago in Charleston.
[QUOTE=jdcavo;96525] Also, when you schedule, you can pick what order you take the exam modules in, but you have to schedule them in advance, you can’t choose at the REC on the day you test.[/QUOTE]
The only stipulation, in my experience, is, if you plan on taking the ROTR test that must be the first one you take. Subsequent tests can be in what ever sequence that tickles your fancy, as long as you schedule ahead.
[QUOTE=Capt. Phoenix;96531]Not only have I never had to do that but there isn’t even a way to do it in the online scheduler. I have decided the order when I walked in the door both two months ago in Baltimore and two years ago in Charleston.[/QUOTE]
At some you can, but others were adamant about not getting any choice. So advance notice was the compromise they were told to deal with.
Great -Many Thanks for the response. Didn’t the almanac used to be on the USCG website? Presume it no longer is?
[QUOTE=jdcavo;96525]1. It’s still the 1981 almanac. A few years ago we removed the date from the almanacs we use so it’s less obvious that some of the questions are older than some of the guys taking the test. But it’s still the 1981 almanac, and it’s celestial which hasn’t changed.
See page 19 of the NMC guide at. http://www.uscg.mil/nmc/training/pdfs/deck_and_engineering_guide.pdf
It doesn’t matter which REC you test at.
Also, when you schedule, you can pick what order you take the exam modules in, but you have to schedule them in advance, you can’t choose at the REC on the day you test.[/QUOTE]
I just tried to find out where I downloaded it from, but can’t seem to find the link. However, I do have the file on my computer, but it’s 61 MB so it’s too big to email. Can I upload it to gCaptain somehow??
Never mind I found it! Give it time to load. Took a few minutes for me.
AWESOME !!
Many Thanks it’s Greatly Appreciated.
[QUOTE=New3M;96562]I just tried to find out where I downloaded it from, but can’t seem to find the link. However, I do have the file on my computer, but it’s 61 MB so it’s too big to email. Can I upload it to gCaptain somehow??
Never mind I found it! Give it time to load. Took a few minutes for me.
Buy a print copy. Can’t imagine a PDF being a good study material but that’s just me. Especially for celestial, I like to be super neat and methodical.
[QUOTE=“z-drive;96636”]Buy a print copy. Can’t imagine a PDF being a good study material but that’s just me. Especially for celestial, I like to be super neat and methodical.[/QUOTE]
Ditto. You really want to be familiar with how it will be in the exam room.
It’s an almanac. 90% of the pages are identical. If you want to spend the $30, then do it, or you can just print out the page that you need for the problem and save yourself the trouble. Or just read it off the screen and save the paper too. It’s all about the trees!
Gentlemen, Pistols at 10 paces to settle this argument. That’s right there are no gents reading this or ladies.
Its $30, and you can probably find it cheaper. Use it, then sell it. I just don’t see any reason to complicate matters. I’ll even loan mine to whoever needs it for a $30 deposit, why not? Its test taking 101 to replicate the conditions as accurately as possible.