An antenna for receiving and/or transmitting radio frequency signals in a predetermined frequency band, the antenna comprising: a first antenna portion comprising at least one conducting loop about a first material having an initial permeability of at least 4; and a second antenna portion embedded within a second material having a dielectric constant of at least 4; wherein the first and second antenna portions are electrically coupled together so as to form a compound antenna having a size such that the diameter of the smallest sphere which encloses all of the first and second antenna portions of the compound antenna is less than 1/30 of the wavelength of the radio frequency signals at the center of the predetermined frequency band.