: I didn't realize that the magnetic field was that small. Thanks for the tip.

In my previous life I worked as an electrical engineer specializing in low frequency electromagnetics and specifically how magnetic fields interfered with other equipment. The best way to reduce interference from magnetic field source is a little distance. Even with a very powerful source drops below the "noise" quite quickly in a few times the largest dimension of the source (I believe it becomes a 1/r^3 falloff). Since the "noise" is generally the earths magnetic field and that is what a compass is actually trying to detect, you need to give a little added distance. But it still ends up being not much separation required. A little test should show how much is required.

An ax or a radio will have more effect just due to the larger mass of permeable material involved, even if the actual field produced is lower. The permeable material in the item changes the direction of the field. Electronic equipment will also produce a magnetic field even if it contains very little permeable material.