A system for transmitting or receiving signals, the system comprising: a dielectric substrate (154, 206) having a major face; a communication circuit including a transducer configured to convert between radio-frequency electrical signals and radio-frequency electromagnetic signals, the transducer being supported in a position spaced from the major face of the dielectric substrate operatively coupled to the transducer, the communication circuit containing at least one of a transmitter circuit that transforms a baseband signal into a radio-frequency electrical signal and conducts the radio-frequency electrical signal to the transducer for transmission as an electromagnetic signal and a receiver circuit that receives from the transducer a radio-frequency electrical signal received as an electromagnetic signal by the transducer and transforms the radio-frequency electrical signal into a baseband signal; and an electromagnetic-energy directing assembly supported by the dielectric substrate in spaced relationship from the transducer and configured to direct electromagnetic energy in a region including the transducer and along a line extending away from the transducer and transverse to a plane of the major face of the dielectric substrate; characterised in that the directing assembly includes a plurality of spaced-apart embedded conductive layers (208, 210, 212, 214, 276) disposed in the dielectric substrate, the plurality of embedded conductive layers each having a major surface having a first perimeter, wherein, proximate the transducer, the first perimeters include perimeter portions (226, 278) that are offset relative to each other as viewed from the transducer in a manner exposing each perimeter portion to the transducer. a dielectric substrate (154, 206) having a major face; a communication circuit including a transducer configured to convert between radio-frequency electrical signals and radio-frequency electromagnetic signals, the transducer being supported in a position spaced from the major face of the dielectric substrate operatively coupled to the transducer, the communication circuit containing at least one of a transmitter circuit that transforms a baseband signal into a radio-frequency electrical signal and conducts the radio-frequency electrical signal to the transducer for transmission as an electromagnetic signal and a receiver circuit that receives from the transducer a radio-frequency electrical signal received as an electromagnetic signal by the transducer and transforms the radio-frequency electrical signal into a baseband signal; and an electromagnetic-energy directing assembly supported by the dielectric substrate in spaced relationship from the transducer and configured to direct electromagnetic energy in a region including the transducer and along a line extending away from the transducer and transverse to a plane of the major face of the dielectric substrate; characterised in that the directing assembly includes a plurality of spaced-apart embedded conductive layers (208, 210, 212, 214, 276) disposed in the dielectric substrate, the plurality of embedded conductive layers each having a major surface having a first perimeter, wherein, proximate the transducer, the first perimeters include perimeter portions (226, 278) that are offset relative to each other as viewed from the transducer in a manner exposing each perimeter portion to the transducer.