How do you patrol?

[G2B]

In TMO there is a map showing the shipping lanes which does help. I don't remember if vanilla has it. Using the map you can narrow down your search patterns a bit

Also don't always trust your crew to spot or hear anything, drop out of
TC once in a while and look around or use the hydra phone, Sonar guy usually has cotton in his ears and never see's the green indicator light blinking