Question 199 Deck General

The correct answer is B) set the null band or dead zone signal before actuating the rudder. The "weather adjustment" control on an autopilot steering stand is used to set the null band or dead zone signal before the autopilot actuates the rudder. This allows the autopilot to ignore minor course deviations and prevent the rudder from constantly hunting back and forth, which could be caused by weather conditions like wind and waves. By adjusting the null band, the autopilot will only activate the rudder when the course error exceeds a certain threshold, improving the stability and responsiveness of the system. The other options are incorrect because they do not accurately describe the function of the "weather adjustment" control. It is not used to set the speed of the rudder response (A), allow for leeway (C), or proportionally set the rudder response per course error (D).