> So the 1st PIC's TX goes to the 2nd RX, then its TX to the 3rd
> RX and so on

That's not a bad idea, and also if you want to cut costs a little

I'll have to check in with the person who maintains the network and
is 50:50 with me on these remotes. It may be that distances are a bit
too far for a simple wired connection, although we're down at 9600.
RS485 is still attractive for its robustness. Basically I want to settle
on a system shortly so I can get on with the PCB, sourcing parts etc,
but I'll look into everything

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