Rick,

I don't know what your flying background is. If you have never flown an
overhead pattern, I would suggest you go out to a practice area and do
several at altitude first. First do steep turns using outside references to
see if you can make level turns. I would start with 45 degrees of bank
working up 60 degree bank angles. Note power settings and resultant airspeed
decreases. Make adjustments as necessary.

At tower operated airports, just request an overhead pattern and do what the
tower operator request, i.e. report initial, break midfield, break after the
aircraft on downwind, unable report downwind etc.

At uncontrolled airports, I listen to determine the amount of traffic. If it
seems that things are congested I just enter a normal downwind. If traffic
permits I'll call that I am a 5 mile ( or whatever your distance happens to
be ) initial for whatever the runway is ( 19 for example ) and the direction
of the expected break ( turn ) to downwind. If it is a flight, then I
include the number of aircraft in the call.

Example: "Rome traffic, Lancair 23LF is on a 5 mile initial with a flight of
4 for a left break to enter downwind for runway 19 at Rome".

Depending on traffic I'll probably repeat the call at 1 to 2 miles and then
at the break. This is followed by downwind, base and final calls. If I plan
a low approach followed by a closed traffic pattern I will include "low
approach" in my base and final calls.

When I start the go around I make the call that I'm going around for  ( in
this case ) left closed traffic for runway 19.

Stay well within the limits of you and your aircraft.

Regards,

Lynn Farnsworth