Compensation for crosstalk between channels of an ink jet printer

A method of compensating for electrical crosstalk between adjacent charging electrodes (14) in a continuous ink jet printer having multiple printing jets (12) or channels, each with one charging electrode (14), said method comprising applying, in order to provide a desired drop charge in a specific channel X, to the corresponding charging electrode (14.sub.X) a charge potential V.sub.X which is compensated for any charge potentials V.sub.X-1 and V.sub.X+1 being applied to charging electrodes (14.sub.X-1, 14.sub.X+1) of the nearest channel X-1 and X+1, respectively, on each side of the specific channel X, and at least any charge potentials V.sub.X-2 and V.sub.X+2 applied to charging electrodes (14.sub.X-2, 14.sub.X+2) of the next nearest channel X-2 and X+2, respectively, on each side of the specific channel X, said channel X, said nearest channels X-1 and X+1 and said next nearest channels X-2 and X+2 jointly forming a channel group, said compensation being achieved by selecting, for a given charge situation I of said channel group, V.sub.X as equalling a value V(I) associated with the charge situation I and included in a matrix of compensated predetermined potential values ##EQU4## compiled by an iterative, or equivalent, technique according to which there is calculated, in each iteration step and for every possible charge situation I of said channel group, a new value of V(I) as a function of the value of V(I) calculated in the immediately preceding iteration step and a deviation of the desired charge in the charge situation I for the specific channel X from a charge Q.sub.X (I) which, for the charge situation I, is obtained in the specific channel X according to the formula ##EQU5## wherein C.sub.i is a capacitance between the printing jet (12.sub.X) for the specific channel X and the charging electrode for channel No. "i" of said channel group, and wherein V.sub.i (I) is a charge potential value which, for channel No. "i" of the said channel group, is determined by means of the values of V(I) calculated in the immediately preceding iteration step.