Just a quick finish to the thread, the magnet I used was 1.25 inches away from the case of the "orange" reciever. Range testing showed no comparable differance in range with or without the magnet.
I did a little reading, it appears that a fluctuating magnetic field would have much more effect than a stationary one. So, if you need to mount a magnet in the viscinity of your reciever... 1) Not too close, like Tony says, and 2) make sure it is mounted SECURLY (not subject to vibration)!
I did both of the above and had no noticable effect. Your mileage may vary so ALWAYS test your equipment!
Thanks,
SGIS