Patrol guidance: I feel like I'm doing it wrong

[treblesum81]

I'm just curious about the tactics people use while not setting up shots, but just searching around for things to kill. I've tried everything from just cruising around, using the programmed search patterns, or even coming up with my own zig-zag patterns, but nothing really seems to stand out as being more effective for detecting enemy ships. What I have noticed is that some cover a lot more ground than others, but much less thoroughly, so I'm not sure which is the better way to go... less ground but more thorough, or more ground but less thorough, or something in between, maybe even something different altogether?

Thanks