PLT OF SMA AT UNFAMILIAR ARPT BECAME DISORIENTED AND ALIGNED WITH WRONG RWY. ENTERED ATA DIRECTLY OVER ARPT. MADE 2 LNDGS.

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ALMOST ALL OF MY 450 HRS OF FLT TIME IS IN THE SOUTHERN CA AREA. I RECEIVED A CHK OUT FROM THE LWM FBO WHICH INCLUDED 4 TOUCH AND GOES AND A QUICK LOOK AT MY LOGBOOK. THE PURPOSE OF MY FLT WAS TO MAKE 2 SCENIC FLTS IN WHICH MY WIFE AND MY IN-LAWS WHO WE WERE VISITING WOULD BE TREATED TO AN AERIAL VIEW OF THEIR COMMUNITY. THE PROBLEM AROSE ON THE RETURN TO THE ARPT. I TOLD THE TWR I WAS OVER PLUM ISLAND (2B2) WITH THE CURRENT ATIS AND THAT I WAS ALSO UNFAMILIAR WITH THE AREA. THEY TOLD ME TO RPT 2 MI R BASE 32. ON MY ENTRY INTO THE TFC PATTERN; ATC HAD QUESTIONED ME ON MY POS. THEY HAD SAID THAT THEY DIDN'T HAVE CONTACT. AT THIS POINT I HAD REALIZED THAT I WAS SETTING MYSELF UP FOR AN ENTRY FOR LNDG RWY 14. I HAD ANNOUNCED TO THE TWR MY POS AND HAD AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG. ON MY SECOND TRIP THE SAME SEQUENCE TOOK PLACE EXCEPT THIS TIME I HAD BETTER ORIENTATION; OR I HAD THOUGHT SO. DEPARTING PLUM ISLAND I TOOK A HDG OF 220 DEGS ABOUT 2 MI (N) OF THE ARPT. I ASKED THE TWR HOW THEY WANTED ME TO TRANSITION THE ARPT FOR LNDG 32. ONCE AGAIN I WAS SETTING UP FOR RWY 14 (UNINTENTIONALLY). AT THIS TIME THERE WERE ABOUT 3 OR 4 CALLS FROM OTHER ACFT AND SOMEONE WITH A STUCK MICROPHONE WAS ALSO XMITTING. SINCE I DIDN'T HEAR BACK FROM ATC I ELECTED TO STAY AT 2000 FT. IN THE MEANTIME; I THOUGHT THE PROBLEM MICROPHONE WAS POSSIBLY MINE. I HAD INVESTIGATED AND CONCLUDED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS NOT ORIGINATING FROM MY ACFT. AT THIS TIME I WAS DIRECTLY OVER THE ARPT AT 2000 FT. THIS TIME I WAS ABLE TO CONTACT THE TWR AND RPTED MY POS. WHEN I WAS DIRECTLY OVER THE ARPT I REALIZED MY MISTAKE. MY DECISION TO STAY AT 2000 FT WAS BASED ON THAT I WANTED TO ENTER THE PATTERN AT THE CORRECT ALT. THE TWR TOLD ME TO FOLLOW TFC AND THEN CLRED TO LAND. CORRECTIVE ACTION: THE USE OF PILOTAGE MAY WORK WELL FOR AN ARPT THAT I FLY OUT OF FREQUENTLY; BUT NOT FOR A STRANGE OR NEW ARPT ENVIRONMENT. I COULD HAVE USED THE COMPASS TO ORIENT MYSELF (I DIDN'T). MY THOUGHT PROCESS SHOULD HAVE BEEN -- I'M NE OF THE ARPT TRAVELING SW AND I WANT TO LAND NW. INSTEAD; I JUMBLE NUMBERS; MADE IT MORE DIFFICULT. IF I WOULD HAVE USED THIS LOGIC (EVERY TIME) I WOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN CONFUSED. I NEED TO THINK N; E; W; S; ETC.