diff --git a/resources/share/shared/bootstrap/bootstrap.json b/resources/share/shared/bootstrap/bootstrap.json
index 3c24c6299..8975cd461 100644
--- a/resources/share/shared/bootstrap/bootstrap.json
+++ b/resources/share/shared/bootstrap/bootstrap.json
@@ -58,5 +58,8 @@
             "url": "https://status.vatsim.net"
         }]
     },
-    "wasLoaded": true
+    "wasLoaded": true,
+    "ncepGlobalForecastSystemUrl": {
+        "url": "http://nomads.ncep.noaa.gov/cgi-bin/filter_gfs_0p50.pl"
+    }
 }
diff --git a/samples/weatherdata/main.cpp b/samples/weatherdata/main.cpp
index 7e33845a5..95346ba78 100644
--- a/samples/weatherdata/main.cpp
+++ b/samples/weatherdata/main.cpp
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 //! \file
 //! \ingroup sampleweatherdata
 
+#include "blackcore/application.h"
 #include "blackmisc/directoryutils.h"
 #include "blackmisc/loghandler.h"
 #include "blackmisc/registermetadata.h"
@@ -23,11 +24,13 @@
 
 using namespace BlackMisc;
 using namespace BlackMisc::PhysicalQuantities;
+using namespace BlackCore;
 
 //! main
 int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 {
-    QCoreApplication a(argc, argv);
+    QCoreApplication qa(argc, argv);
+    CApplication a(CApplicationInfo::Sample);
     BlackMisc::registerMetadata();
     CLogHandler::instance()->install(true);
 //    CLogHandler::instance()->enableConsoleOutput(false); // default disable
diff --git a/samples/weatherdata/sampleweatherdata.pro b/samples/weatherdata/sampleweatherdata.pro
index 0bfe4dbb5..104cdf96e 100644
--- a/samples/weatherdata/sampleweatherdata.pro
+++ b/samples/weatherdata/sampleweatherdata.pro
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 load(common_pre)
 
-QT       += core dbus
+QT       += core dbus network
 
 TARGET = sampleweatherdata
 TEMPLATE = app
diff --git a/src/blackcore/data/globalsetup.cpp b/src/blackcore/data/globalsetup.cpp
index ea8699045..bef29c2c5 100644
--- a/src/blackcore/data/globalsetup.cpp
+++ b/src/blackcore/data/globalsetup.cpp
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ namespace BlackCore
             m_newsUrls = CUrlList({ "http://swift-project.org/" });
             m_onlineHelpUrls = CUrlList({ "help.swift-project.org/" });
             m_mapUrls = CUrlList({ "map.swift-project.org/" });
+            m_ncepGlobalForecastSystemUrl = CUrl("http://nomads.ncep.noaa.gov/cgi-bin/filter_gfs_0p50.pl");
         }
 
         CUrl CGlobalSetup::getDbIcaoReaderUrl() const
diff --git a/src/blackcore/data/globalsetup.h b/src/blackcore/data/globalsetup.h
index 33bf69550..536aef434 100644
--- a/src/blackcore/data/globalsetup.h
+++ b/src/blackcore/data/globalsetup.h
@@ -186,6 +186,9 @@ namespace BlackCore
             //! Productive settings?
             void setDevelopment(bool development) { m_development  = development; }
 
+            //! NCEP GFS Forecasts (0.50 degree grid) data url
+            BlackMisc::Network::CUrl getNcepGlobalForecastSystemUrl() const { return m_ncepGlobalForecastSystemUrl; }
+
             //! \copydoc BlackMisc::Mixin::String::toQString
             QString convertToQString(bool i18n = false) const;
 
@@ -227,6 +230,7 @@ namespace BlackCore
             BlackMisc::Network::CUrlList    m_onlineHelpUrls;        //!< online help URLs
             BlackMisc::Network::CUrlList    m_mapUrls;               //!< swift map URLs
             BlackMisc::Network::CServerList m_fsdTestServers;        //!< FSD test servers
+            BlackMisc::Network::CUrl        m_ncepGlobalForecastSystemUrl;     //!< NCEP GFS url
 
             // transient members, to be switched on/off via GUI or set from reader
             bool m_dbDebugFlag = false; //!< can trigger DEBUG on the server, so you need to know what you are doing
@@ -253,6 +257,7 @@ namespace BlackCore
                 BLACK_METAMEMBER(fsdTestServers),
                 BLACK_METAMEMBER(development),
                 BLACK_METAMEMBER(mappingMinimumVersion),
+                BLACK_METAMEMBER(ncepGlobalForecastSystemUrl),
                 BLACK_METAMEMBER(dbDebugFlag, BlackMisc::DisabledForJson)
             );
         };
diff --git a/src/plugins/weatherdata/gfs/weatherdatagfs.cpp b/src/plugins/weatherdata/gfs/weatherdatagfs.cpp
index d8f889669..1996b7b32 100644
--- a/src/plugins/weatherdata/gfs/weatherdatagfs.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/weatherdata/gfs/weatherdatagfs.cpp
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ using namespace BlackMisc::Geo;
 using namespace BlackMisc::PhysicalQuantities;
 using namespace BlackMisc::Weather;
 using namespace BlackMisc::Math;
+using namespace BlackMisc::Network;
 
 namespace BlackWxPlugin
 {
@@ -71,7 +72,7 @@ namespace BlackWxPlugin
                     return;
                 }
 
-                const QUrl url = getDownloadUrl();
+                const QUrl url = getDownloadUrl().toQUrl();
                 CLogMessage(this).debug() << "Started to download GFS data from" << url.toString();
                 QNetworkRequest request(url);
                 sApp->getFromNetwork(request, { this, &CWeatherDataGfs::ps_parseGfsFile });
@@ -114,9 +115,9 @@ namespace BlackWxPlugin
             m_parseGribFileWorker->then(this, &CWeatherDataGfs::ps_fetchingWeatherDataFinished);
         }
 
-        QUrl CWeatherDataGfs::getDownloadUrl() const
+        CUrl CWeatherDataGfs::getDownloadUrl() const
         {
-            QString baseurl = "http://nomads.ncep.noaa.gov/cgi-bin/filter_gfs_0p50.pl?";
+            CUrl downloadUrl = sApp->getGlobalSetup().getNcepGlobalForecastSystemUrl();
 
             static const QStringList grib2Levels =
             {
@@ -183,24 +184,21 @@ namespace BlackWxPlugin
             directory = directory.arg(cnow.toString("yyyyMMdd"));
             directory = directory.arg(hourLastPublishedCycle, 2, 10, QLatin1Char('0'));
 
-            QStringList params;
-            params.reserve(grib2Levels.size() + grib2Variables.size() + 6);
-            params.append("file=" + filename);
+            downloadUrl.appendQuery("file", filename);
             for (const auto &level : grib2Levels)
             {
-                params.append("lev_" + level + "=on");
+                downloadUrl.appendQuery("lev_" + level, "on");
             }
             for (const auto &variable : grib2Variables)
             {
-                params.append("var_" + variable + "=on");
+                downloadUrl.appendQuery("var_" + variable, "on");
             }
-            params.append("leftlon=0");
-            params.append("rightlon=360");
-            params.append("toplat=90");
-            params.append("bottomlat=-90");
-            params.append("dir=%2F" + directory);
-
-            return QUrl(baseurl + params.join('&'));
+            downloadUrl.appendQuery("leftlon", "0");
+            downloadUrl.appendQuery("rightlon", "360");
+            downloadUrl.appendQuery("toplat", "90");
+            downloadUrl.appendQuery("bottomlat", "-90");
+            downloadUrl.appendQuery("dir", "%2F" + directory);
+            return downloadUrl;
         }
 
         void CWeatherDataGfs::parseGfsFileImpl(const QByteArray &gribData)
diff --git a/src/plugins/weatherdata/gfs/weatherdatagfs.h b/src/plugins/weatherdata/gfs/weatherdatagfs.h
index 3fd8cb5f1..aec7e26f6 100644
--- a/src/plugins/weatherdata/gfs/weatherdatagfs.h
+++ b/src/plugins/weatherdata/gfs/weatherdatagfs.h
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 #define BLACKWXPLUGIN_GFS_H
 
 #include "g2clib/grib2.h"
+#include "blackmisc/network/url.h"
 #include "blackmisc/weather/gridpoint.h"
 #include "blackmisc/worker.h"
 #include "blackcore/weatherdata.h"
@@ -136,7 +137,7 @@ namespace BlackWxPlugin
                 double surfaceTemperature = 0;
             };
 
-            QUrl getDownloadUrl() const;
+            BlackMisc::Network::CUrl getDownloadUrl() const;
 
             void parseGfsFileImpl(const QByteArray &gribData);
             void findNextGribMessage(unsigned char *buffer, g2int size, g2int iseek, g2int *lskip, g2int *lgrib);