A non-steel high strength data transmission cable is provided having a strength member (5) and a core (1), the high strength data transmission cable comprising a length of a core-cable (10), the length of core-cable (10) comprising core (1) as well as comprising at least one fiber-optic conductor (2) that is: (i) disposed in a helical shape; and (ii) completely encased in a solid, flexible material. Also provided is a process for making a high strength data transmission cable. The high strength data transmission cable is capable of being wound on a winch under tensions and surging shocks experienced by a fishing trawler and provides high quality data signal transmission and resolution so as to permit use for transmitting data from high-resolution sonars used to monitor fish caught in a fish trawl during operation.

The invention provides a cable for power distribution and/or data transmission, the cable comprising a core comprising one or more metallic conductors and a sheath surrounding the core. the sheath being formed from a polymer having a tensile modulus of at least 1.5 GPa, wherein the outside diameter of the sheath is no more than 13.5 mm and the stiffness of the cable is at least 0.01 Nm.sup.2. Advantageously, embodiments of the cable can be readily blown and pushed through a microduct without deforming.

A shield including: a plurality of insulating filaments that extend in an X direction; and a plurality of conductive filaments that extend in a Y direction intersecting the X direction and are interknitted with the plurality of insulating filaments, wherein the plurality of insulating filaments includes: a first pair of insulating filaments that are adjacent to each other in the Y direction at a first interval, and a second pair of insulating filaments that are adjacent to each other in the Y direction at a second interval that is larger than the first interval.

In some embodiments, a cable can include an electrically conductive inner core. A first insulation layer can be disposed about the inner core. An electrically conductive layer can be disposed about the first insulation layer. A second insulation layer can be disposed about the electrically conductive layer. A first polymer jacket can be disposed about the second insulation layer. The first polymer jacket can include a first layer of armor strength members disposed therein. A second polymer jacket can be disposed about the first polymer jacket. The second polymer jacket can include a second layer of armor strength members disposed therein. An outer polymer jacket can be disposed about the second polymer jacket. At least one of the first polymer jacket, the second polymer jacket, and the outer polymer jacket can be formed from an aliphatic polyketone polymer, an ethylene-propylene copolymer, a polyolefin elastomer, a polypropylene, or a cross-linkable polyethylene.

A conductor rail has at least one electrically conductive conductor rail element and an electrically insulating sheath. The electrically insulating sheath includes at least one first component and at least one second component. The at least one first component includes a material having an elastic modulus of greater than or equal to 800 N/mm.sup.2. The at least one second component includes a material having an elastic modulus of less than or equal to 300 N/mm.sup.2.