Mr Angry

How long do you have to live in Shetland to be classed as local? I don’t agree with your argument, i know a lot o "sooth moothers" who live here and know this place like the back o their hand.

Read the question, I couldnt give a sh1t what your name is and where you live. I am a merchant navy deck officer. Are you a coastguard or MCA employee

Ah Mustaffa Donut your back, now where were we - The answer to the above question is?

Back track, you mean backpedal? You have been an expert up to now! Make up your mind?

Mustaffa Donut So, are HM Coastguard a blue light service or not? I am sure they are, do you as MCA management not know this?

Mustaffa Donut It sure looks like you are campaigning to shut Shetland, you do not answer any questions put to you, you seem to constantly belittle the staff at MRCC Shetland and, in my humble opinion, the only dead horse is the management who drew up these ill thought out proposals . How? By trying to save one of our lifesaving blue light services? AGAIN - Our MP and MSP, the ones we voted in, are quoted in the press as supporting the retention of Shetland Coastguard And where exactly are these statistics, prove them or they are unsubstantiated and worthless. Once again you have not been reading the posts – on page 1 it clearly states that there is a weak link to the mainland which would leave Orkney and Shetland without cover if there is a fault. Excellent, there is one brain cell there then These people, Shetland Coastguard Staff, continued to provide a service to US during the strike, I salute them. When are you coming back? I think you need to face the truth that Shetland will fight tooth and nail to Save Shetland Coastguard !

Are you trying to say, in a gratuitously patronising manner, might I add, that Shetland Coastguard are somehow failing to 'perform'? Not everything can be measured in simple economic terms. He’s tellin wis dat he got his knees weet on da lang girse da last time he cam across a yowe I doot hit wis a moorit hug LOL.

Are you jealous of our nice fresh air in Shetland? What have you based that statement on, your experience? Without knowing your background it is probably false information based on an obvious campaign against MRCC Shetland and Shetland as a whole! Only because he is spouting the same unsubstantiated clap trap you are! MRCC Stornoway have a big area so yip they do need to remain 24/7. If they do have better links (and how do you know that) would that not strengthen MRCC Shetlands case for retention 24 hours alongside MRCC Stornoway? What a good idea, MRCC Shetland and MRCC Stornoway as MOCs I think you will find little argument against that. Now this has pissed me off – how DARE YOU pull the piss out of my home, how dare you!!! Why the campaign by you and kiech to ensure MRCC Shetland closes it doors? Put up or Shut up

Should not all coastguards be fighting to save their stations? Why would that be. No stations are definitely being closed as it is just a proposal? Neither of the island stations should be closed. If you look around the news sites you will see that Stornoway and Shetland are working together as well as highlighting the need to retain each station in their individual campaigns! I believe both Stornoway and Shetland campaigns are to retain both stations 24/7. Has the Shetland campaign on facebook not been calling for a review of the proposals by a Transport Select Committee? Again in the press it was noted by both the MP and MSP that the management were unable to give any answers to questions asked at a meeting with staff they attended? Did the Staff not invite and meet with both their MP and MSP to put their case across. Where has all your information come from, it is useless without an explanation of how you came about it! My information comes from the internet and publications. I think it is time for you to put up or shut up

Oh Graeme I think you struck a raw nerve with this brainless coward. I am still trying to figure out if he has a grudge again the Shetland Coastguard staff, Shetlanders or Orcadians as a whole.

kiech 1 I believe MRCC Shetland remained open during industrial action to prevent death or serious injury to friends, family, colleagues and damn it protects the seafarers and coastal users around the Northern Isles!!! 2 I think if you take a little time to do some more home work you will see the LIB DEMS are supporting the retention of MRCC Shetland, and, exactly how do you know the voting behaviour of MRCC Shetland staff and supporters ? 3 OK possibly not the busiest station, but least busy? Exactly where did you get your figures from? MCA management? I believe all coastguard stations have not been keeping statistics due to their ongoing industrial action ? 4 Its not just 15 jobs, and with some basic skills you should have been able to find on the web just exactly how many people watch keep and manage the station! You are also forgetting about the companies that service the coastguard station! Lastly Because if we listen to idiots like you we will have little or no coastguard in the UK and people will lose their lives.

SP, you are correct - this is indeed a very serious matter. But in my humble opinion, it is not a matter that means too much to an islander. The people "in power" South will come and go, at a 5-yearly election, as is their want. The European Parliament will extrapolate. Meanwhile folk in Shetland will do what they have always done. Look after folk aff. Shutdown the coastguards (all coastguards) right now....and..we (the islanders) will manage fine...as we have always done and will continue to do. So Bug, how are we going to manage, if you, a friend or a member of your family are off in a boat and are overdue back? How are you going to "manage" as you always did. No coastguard to call, you have closed them all due to lack of support!! You or yours fall down a cliff, who’s going to rescue you then, ooops all the coastguard stations are closed. You need to waken up to the reality of the Government proposals! In my humble opinion

You have a point BUT if a cable is dug up in Thurso or Inverness, bobs your uncle, Shetland Coastguard lose everything (as at the end of the day it is via a privare wire routed "south") but MRCC Shetland then it has local relays via CROs at strategic positions and MF! Also cables can be "fouled" by vessels or fail? Yip, keep Shetland Coastguard I say.

Urabug, Have a read of this! Dear Mr Cameron, I am writing to voice my absolute rejection of the recently published proposals to "modernise" the Coastguard system in the UK. I write from the Shetland Islands as both a concerned citizen and as a Senior Engineer, with 22 years experience in the operation and maintenance of Broadcast and Public Safety Radio systems. Over the years I've been involved in the operation and maintenance of Greater Manchester Police radio, Scottish Ambulance (both their "Nokia Actionet" system - as used on the mainland - and the bespoke system used here in Shetland). For the last 2 years I've also been involved in the maintenance of the MCA's communications system at Shetland Coastguard. As you will understand therefore, I am not afraid of using technology to modernise and improve service but only where its use is warranted and will enhance safety. From this perspective I am perhaps qualified to speak of the great dangers contained in your proposed new system. Shetland is connected to the mainland of the UK by various microwave radio links, operated by BT. The Coastguard Remote Radio Sites are connected to Shetland MRCC by BT Kilostream, and the actual BT network configuration is such that the data carried by these kilostreams actually travels the the mainland before returning to Shetland for termination at the Shetland MRCC. The following is just one example of why it is dangerous to rely on telecommunications infrastructure to maintain a Safety of Life radio network. Very recently a failure of a single BT microwave link radio site on a remote island in Orkney caused a total loss of connectivity to ALL the Remote Radio Sites. BT were unable even to provide any diagnosis of where the fault was located for many hours, and their estimated repair times were grossly optimistic. Eventually, after almost 24 hours, BT were able to re-route the traffic for the Remote Radio Site kilostreams onto an unaffected second radio link. Had a fault occurred on this second radio link route then Shetland would have been isolated completely from the Mainland. Coastguard Volunteer Rescue teams were deployed to various strategic hill tops around Shetland's very large coastline to maintain a listening watch on VHF Channel 16. Had a distress call been heard they were able, via their VHF radios, to contact Shetland MRCC directly and, very importantly, without reliance on any 3rd party infrastructure. Shetland MRCC itself also had at its disposal their MF (long range) radio system co-located at the Rescue Centre, as well as their on-site MF and VHF DSC systems - all vital parts of GMDSS. This situation persisted for almost 24 hours, during which the whole of Shetland's vast area of sea and coastline were continuously guarded. This emergency response was only possible because of the existence of a fully staffed Rescue Co-ordination Centre in Shetland which could maintain VHF radio communications with the volunteers that had been deployed. Under your proposals the same event occurring would have seen the connections to Shetland cut completely, leaving huge areas of sea, and a very long and intricate coastline and the largest oil-terminal in Europe, totally unguarded. Shetland is so remote from the mainland that direct communication via VHF radio is impossible. There would have been no way for any distress call received by a local volunteer to have been passed to the co-ordination centre in Aberdeen. Are you also proposing that in these circumstances the responsibility for coordinating a rescue would also fall solely on these volunteers? This isn't a fanciful "worst case" scenario - these communication breakdowns between Shetland and the mainland are a frequent occurrence - perhaps not as prolonged as in this recent example - but you can be sure they happen several times yearly. Do you want to be responsible if lives are lost during such an event, as a result of your proposals? It is almost inevitable that this will happen. The available network capacity between Shetland and the mainland is severely limited, due to the fact that at present all the traffic (telephones, internet, private kilostreams etc etc) passes via BT's microwave radio links. These links are now probably fully utilized and there must be very little scope for extra traffic. Yet your proposals put greater and great reliance on "technology" and "networking". BT also, it must be recognised, are a commercial company and are driven by their own pressures. This means they can't be relied upon to be able to respond swiftly to faults that might occur on isolated island sites which don't normally have engineering staff based there. This is the modern world. You must design your Coastguard system to be resilient to the failings of 3rd party contractors and infrastructure providers such as BT. We need properly trained, experienced professional staff permanently available 24 hours a day. What happens if for some reason (not an outlandish prospect) that all the volunteers are otherwise engaged and unable to respond? Volunteers are a very useful resource to call up on when needed, but it is not acceptable to rely only on volunteer effort, yet this seems to be the thrust of your proposals. To remove a 24 hour per day professional presence in such a remote and heavily used area of the UK's seas and then to rely on technology and volunteer effort to maintain the integrity of the radio watch is very dangerous and exhibits a terrible naivety. The seas round Shetland are very busy, with oil-rigs and their supply boats and helicopter traffic, heavily used fishing grounds, pleasure craft and cruise ships as well as oil-tankers navigating the Fair Isle channel. Sullom Voe oil terminal is here too, which generates a large amount of shipping movement, Remember the Braer disaster? There are a large number of lives at risk in our seas and they deserve a properly resourced Coastguard to watch over them. Please re-consider this foolhardy proposal before it's too late and lives are lost as a consequence. Yours faithfully No, I, Mr Angry, did not write the letter but it does, i think show the error in you expectations of modern communications? Merry Christmas to one and all

What’s is making me angry about the Radio Shetland interview with the MCA Chief Exec - "Lots on watch with very little to do" he says "Far too many people with very little to do" he says Well – Are the phones answered and local professional, knowledgeable advice given, forecasts broadcast? Are the radios answered providing reassurance, advice and assistance to mariners and coastal users around both island groups? Is there not continuing coastguard proficiencies to study? Are there not courses and exams to study for? Is there not liaison and communication on a daily basis with local "resources� Taking and logging reports from traffic entering the Fair Isle TSS! I could go on!!!! Argggg. There is plenty to justify MRCC Shetlands staff continuing to provide the 1st class 24 hour service to the seafarers and coastal users in and around Orkney and Shetland.