• Always keep an eye on the directional scanner. Add a new tab to Overview window. Open your directional scanner, remove the other stuff in the overview window except the ships (right click an object in the scanner window and select remove in the context menu). So when you select the tab you set up, directional scanner will show only the ships in space in that moment. 

• Always check the Killboards. Here is a good site for it : zKillboards. Check the system for the last actions, last kills before jumping there. If there is a kill, check the killer, if he is a PKer add him to your contacts with bad standing so when he is online, there will be a notification. 

• I'm currently using a Retriever with two Modulated Strip Miner II's installed and mining crystal II's on them. Also I use a few mining drones. It suits me well right now.