High resolution headline sonar cable

A method for producing a load bearing data and/or energy cable (20, 120, 220, 320, 420), comprising the steps of:

• a) providing a first strength member (14);
• b) providing a conductor that is capable of data signal and/or electrical energy transmission and is capable of elongation;
• c) forming an elongatable internally located conductive structure by:
• (i) coupling said conductor to said first strength member (14) while ensuring that the conductor remains able to elongate;
• (ii) coupling the combination of the conductor and the first strength member (14) to thermoplastic material that is capable of reaching a molten phase and deforming during subsequent heating;
• d) braiding a strength-members jacket layer (52) of polymeric material so as to enclose the elongatable internally-located conductive structure while ensuring that the conductor remains elongatable during the steps of surrounding the elongatable internally-located conductive structure with the strength-member jacket layer (52) so that the conductor retains its ability to elongate during further desired processing steps and does not break upon stretching under heat and tension of the strength-member jacket layer (52), wherein the first strength member (14) and strength-member layer (52) are selected and formed so that said first strength member (14) has less breaking strength than the strength member jacket layer (52);
• and
• e) stretching under heat the strength-member jacket layer (52) and the elongatable internally-located conductive structure followed by cooling both the elongatable internally-located conductive structure as well as the strength member jacket layer (52), while maintaining a tension needed to retain the elongated load bearing data and/or energy cable at a determined amount of elongation from its initial length, thereby permanently lengthening the load bearing data and/or energy cable a predetermined amount while simultaneously not breaking or causing to become brittle the conductor.