Abstract: A communication system and method is provided, in which synchronous (i.e., clocked) serial digital data may be sent and received from any given node to any other given node along a multinode loop of any desired mode quantity, with each node being capable of and maintained ready to assume the role and function of master node to provide the time-base or master clock for the loop. One node will serve as master node and all other nodes as slave nodes until the master becomes inoperable in its master clock function or until it is removed from the loop, at which time another node will assume the role of master node, and this status will continue as above-indicated. Small loop size is accommodated by adding a suitable delay to retransmitted data at the master node.