Why this guide?

The first time I heard of zyGrib was from the Windows Live Live aboard Group at Yacht Marina and Netsel Marina in Marmaris, Turkey. They initially found the zyGrib web site and did all the research on the Zip- and zyGrib program. They also did the original 1s t guide about how to download and install the Zip- and zyGrib program. Though I understood most of what was in the guide I felt that theirs guide was a little bit difficult to follow and how to proceed with installing process of the Zip- and zyGrib program. Therefore I made some changes, enhancements, added three separate links, put in some new quotation marks, made an explanation what GRIB files are all about, how to use them and, hopefully, it is now a more user friendly 2nd edition guide. My goal was to make a simple (though nothing is simple with computersJ) user friendly, step by step, guide to download and install the Zip- and zyGrib program. I am not, in any way, a computer wizard (though my wife, Carin, is) but I just like things to be smooth, easy and understandable. Note: The installation is a little bit tricky and therefore, when following the guide, you must have some basic knowledge about file management, copying and pasting. Michael on S/Y Windjammer at Marmaris Yacht Marina, Turkey 25th of February 2010. What is GRIB? GRIB files are a special binary format of weather data. It is the same forecast as available on a weather forecast site, but as the files are highly compressed, and therefore small, it is ideal for downloading across wireless communication devices. The GRIB viewer allows you to zoom in and see a more detailed weather patterns. GRIB files can be displayed on your computer as well as on most popular navigation software. GRIB files can also be used for optimal weather routing. GRIB is an abbreviation for GRIdded information in Binary format. A GRIB file is a data file containing weather information. GRIB is a standardized file format used by meteorological institutes around the world. The format is used to store and exchange weather maps and weather information such as wind, temperature, wave height, air pressure. When you order or download a GRIB file, you can usually choose for how many days in the future you want weather forecasts, intervals between forecasts, as well as resolution and detailed wind information. In a GRIB file is the information stored in a compressed digital binary format that gives small files, allowing fast communication. Small files are important, because when on a boat you do not often have access to a fast Internet broadband connection. Instead you must download information via the limited data rate provided by a low speed Internet connection, mobile phone, satellite or SSB radio. Note: It is important to remember that the GRIB files are completely computer generated information and not been reviewed by a qualified meteorolog and should therefore be used with caution. Still, the sources (four, worldwide) are the same as for human made forecasts. The weather information in a computer generated GRIB file is better for open water than coastal. Therefore effects such as sea breeze and local weather patterns are not included. The first thing to review of a GRIB file or a weather site map is the date, so there is no old information. In the GRIB viewer, this often is with text VT (valid time) and set out with a date and time that the forecast is valid. Ok, enough talking. Lets get serious

A user friendly , step by step, guide to download and install zyGrib

Follow the steps below how to download and install the Zip- and zyGrib program and files on to a computer with Windows XP operating system This is the standard zyGrib version . (patch 3.8.3, updated 2010- 01- 31) with 25 Km, 5 Km and 1 Km resolution. Note: If you are downloading a later version, the figures in zyGrib_win- 3.8.3.tgz will be different. If you want higher resolution, 200 m and 100 m, please se the next chapter. Note: You must first install the standard zyGrib version before installing the high resolution version. Good luck with the installation and that you now, hopef ully, can get some nicer/betterJ weather forecasts in the future! Lets start the walk through 1. Go to www.7-Zip.org. Download and install the 7- Zip program file called 7z465.exe (32-bit) or 7z465.msi (x64), depending on your system, on to your computer. 2. Go to www.zygrib.org and select a suitable language. Scroll down the page to Version Windows. Download the file zyGrib_win- 3.8.3.tgz (20035 ko) to a new and empty folder, preferable called zyGrib, on to your computer. 3. Open My Computer and go to the newly created folder zyGrib where you have stored the zyGrib_win-3.8.3.tgz file. 4. Right click your mouse on the .tgz zyGrib file and go to 7- Zip and then select the row extract here. 5. You should see the same file name, but now with an extension .tar. 6. Right click on the .tar file and again go to 7- Zip and then select the row extract here once more. 7. Now you should see a newly created folder called zyGrib_win. 8. Open this folder and create a shortcut on your desktop by right clicking on the zyGrib.exe file and select Send to and the row Desktop (Create Shortcut). 9. On your desktop, double click on the file zyGrib.exe. 10. The standard version of zyGrib is now installed and will start in French. In the tool bar (upper left corner), under Options you can change to a suitable language and under Earth > Map Quality you can now select Resolution 1, 2 or 3. Follow steps below how to download and install to get a higher resolution, 200 m and 100 m, on the zyGrib charts. The file is 100 MB and will take some time to download. 1. Go to www.zygrib.org and select a suitable language. 2. At the bottom of the page there is a section called Worldmaps GSHSS and a file called zyGrib_maps2.tgz (103258 ko). 3. Download this file to a new and empty folder, preferable called Maps. 4. Once the file is downloaded, open My Computer and go the new folder called Maps and right click on zyGrib_maps2.tgz and go to 7- Zip and select the row extract here. 5. Again you should see the same file name, but now with an extension .tar 6. Right click on the .tar file and again go to 7- Zip and then select the row extract here once more. 7. Now you should see a newly created folder called maps. 8. Open this folder maps and youll see another folder called gshhs. 9. Copy the contents of gshhs into the folder with the same name gshhs inside of zyGrib_win > maps > gshhs. 10. Go to the desktop and double click on the file zyGrib.exe. In the tool bar (upper left corner), under Earth > Map Quality you can now select Resolution 4 or 5 Note: When downloading GRIB files with higher reso lution, it could take some time because the sizes of the files are much bigger and due to low speed connection.