I use 256x-512x TC on my way to the patrol area... 128x, if I think there might be targets in the area. At 128x, my rig doesn't do that *pause, hesitate, skip* bit when I'm near a sizeable target. I consider that a bit of cheat for myself (couldn't care less if the rest of y'all do it).
Once I'm in the area, I generally look for a choke point, and crisscross it, at 128x-256x TC. If there's no choke point, then I'll look for semi-obvious trade routes. If there aren't any, I'll just zigzag my way across the patrol area, hoping to run into anything.
I'm always on the surface, 10 knots. I don't see much benefit to diving every so often, since it'll be pure dumb luck for me to run into something my sonarman can hear but my lookouts can't see.
I'm more of the "my sub is a torp boat that can sink itself to stay out of trouble" crowd. If I'm not trying to be sneaky, I'm on the surface.
Radar? Oh, man... I can't wait 'til radar. I keep playing these early war careers, and either get sunk, or somebody opens up a mod, or I realize I've been playing with the RFB airstrike.cfg with RSRDC... you get the point. Something happens, that makes me think I might as well just restart a career. I hear RFB 2 will take a while, though, so I might actually be able to finish my current career
