A radio frequency receive coil arrangement for use in a magnetic resonance imaging scanner, comprising: - an RF coil or antenna (50, 50'; 52, 52') for receiving an RF signal, and - an electronics module as a unitary structure on or with the RF coil or antenna (50, 50'; 52, 52'), for generating a compressed digital RF output signal and a gain control signal which are transmitted via a cable or a wireless transmission path to an RF receiver, wherein the electronics module comprises: - a preamplifier having a preamplifier gain, the preamplifier configured to amplify the RF signal to a preamplified RF signal; - a second analog-to-digital-converter configured for converting the preamplified RF signal to the digitized value of the preamplified RF signal; - a compression circuitry for compressing the preamplified RF signal, the compression circuitry comprising a variable gain attenuator having a variable gain for providing a compressed analogue RF output signal to a first analog-to-digital converter,and - the first analog-to-digital converter for generating the compressed digital RF output signal by receiving and converting the compressed analogue RF output signal, and - a digital function module for receiving the digitized value of the preamplified RF signal and for generating the gain control signal for controlling the variable gain attenuator so that the compressed digital RF output signal is compressed in its dynamic range such that the dynamic range of the first analog-to-digital converter is not overloaded, wherein the digital function module is configured to provide the gain control signal so that the total gain, being the product of the preamplifier gain and the variable gain, does not overload the first analog-to-digital converter, wherein the unitary structure is provided by disposing the related circuitry of the electronics module directly on one or more components of the RF coil or antenna (50, 50'; 52, 52'), or by attaching them therewith via an additional support structure. - an RF coil or antenna (50, 50'; 52, 52') for receiving an RF signal, and - an electronics module as a unitary structure on or with the RF coil or antenna (50, 50'; 52, 52'), for generating a compressed digital RF output signal and a gain control signal which are transmitted via a cable or a wireless transmission path to an RF receiver, wherein the electronics module comprises: - a preamplifier having a preamplifier gain, the preamplifier configured to amplify the RF signal to a preamplified RF signal; - a second analog-to-digital-converter configured for converting the preamplified RF signal to the digitized value of the preamplified RF signal; - a compression circuitry for compressing the preamplified RF signal, the compression circuitry comprising a variable gain attenuator having a variable gain for providing a compressed analogue RF output signal to a first analog-to-digital converter,and - the first analog-to-digital converter for generating the compressed digital RF output signal by receiving and converting the compressed analogue RF output signal, and - a digital function module for receiving the digitized value of the preamplified RF signal and for generating the gain control signal for controlling the variable gain attenuator so that the compressed digital RF output signal is compressed in its dynamic range such that the dynamic range of the first analog-to-digital converter is not overloaded, wherein the digital function module is configured to provide the gain control signal so that the total gain, being the product of the preamplifier gain and the variable gain, does not overload the first analog-to-digital converter, wherein the unitary structure is provided by disposing the related circuitry of the electronics module directly on one or more components of the RF coil or antenna (50, 50'; 52, 52'), or by attaching them therewith via an additional support structure. - a preamplifier having a preamplifier gain, the preamplifier configured to amplify the RF signal to a preamplified RF signal; - a second analog-to-digital-converter configured for converting the preamplified RF signal to the digitized value of the preamplified RF signal; - a compression circuitry for compressing the preamplified RF signal, the compression circuitry comprising a variable gain attenuator having a variable gain for providing a compressed analogue RF output signal to a first analog-to-digital converter,and - the first analog-to-digital converter for generating the compressed digital RF output signal by receiving and converting the compressed analogue RF output signal, and - a digital function module for receiving the digitized value of the preamplified RF signal and for generating the gain control signal for controlling the variable gain attenuator so that the compressed digital RF output signal is compressed in its dynamic range such that the dynamic range of the first analog-to-digital converter is not overloaded, wherein the digital function module is configured to provide the gain control signal so that the total gain, being the product of the preamplifier gain and the variable gain, does not overload the first analog-to-digital converter,