Three-dimensional photonic-bandgap crystals are used to design and fabricate uniquely directional sources and receivers. By utilizing the resonances of a Fabry-Perot cavity formed with photonic-bandgap crystals, we were able to create exceptionally directional sources by placing the sources within such a cavity. Very good agreement between finite-difference time-domain calculations and the experiment is obtained. Radiation patterns with half-power beam widths of less than 12 degrees were obtained. (C) 2001 Optical Society of America.