Abstract: A communication system able to provide multiple path communication between a plurality of stations operating on a single channel. The stations are synchronized and a cyclically repeating series of time slots is defined. One time slot in each cycle is reserved for the transmission of synchronization information by a station designated the master station for reception by the other stations, designated slave stations, and maintaining synchronization therein. Another time slot is reserved for any slave station to transmit a message that it requires to communicate to another station, such indication preferably being by transmitting its own pre-assigned address code. The remaining time slots are used for transmitting address information and data. The slave stations operate in a low power condition except during one of the other time slots when they may receive their own address, or except when they need to transmit data.