THE RPTR'S PREFLT WAS DOMINATED WITH FIGURING OUT THE LORAN AND COM SYS. DURING THE PREFLT THE RPTR FAILED TO SET THE ALTIMETER. THE TFC PATTERN AT Y65 WAS THEREFORE FLOWN AT 500 FT DOWNWIND; 300 FT ON BASE AND 200 FT ON FINAL.

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I WAS FLYING AN ACFT (RENTAL) THAT I HAD ONLY 1.7 HRS EXPERIENCE IN THIS PARTICULAR ACFT. ITS PANEL LAYOUT WAS CONFUSING AND I HAD A BRIEF TELEPHONE DISCUSSION WITH THE OWNER ON HOW TO OPERATE THE LORAN IN THIS PLANE. I HAVE NO EXPERIENCE WITH LORAN. MY PREFLT WAS DOMINATED WITH FIGURING OUT THE LORAN AND THE COM SYS. DURING THIS PHASE I FAILED TO SET THE ALTIMETER. WE DEPARTED ACB WITHOUT INCIDENT AND CRUISED OVER A PARCEL OF LAND MY BROTHER OWNS; TAKING PICTURES ALONG THE WAY. WE THEN HEADED FOR Y65. WHILE FLYING A L-HAND PATTERN FOR RWY 10 WE ENCOUNTERED MODERATE AND HIGH XWINDS AND GUSTS AND TURB AND DECLARED A GAR ON THE FIRST ATTEMPT. THE SAME OCCURRED ON THE SECOND ATTEMPT AND WE THEN DEPARTED THE AREA AND MADE A TOUCH-AND-GO AT BFA THEN RETURNED TO ACB. THE PROB THAT I HAD FAILED TO SET THE ALTIMETER DID NOT REGISTER WITH ME UNTIL LNDG AT BFA. I BELIEVE I FLEW THE PATTERN AT Y65 AT LESS THAN STANDARD PATTERN ALT. I MAY HAVE BEEN AT 300 FT AGL ON BASE (200 FT TURNING FINAL) AND 500 FT ON DOWNWIND. THERE ARE COTTAGES AND HOMES BELOW THE PATTERN BUT I DO NOT KNOW WHETHER IT WOULD BE CONSIDERED A CONGESTED AREA OR NOT. THE WIND CONDITIONS AT ACB WERE FROM 160 DEGS AT 15 KTS GUSTING TO 20 KTS AND WOULD ASSUME THEM TO BE THE SAME AT Y65 IF NOT HIGHER AS AN AREA JUST S OF THERE IS NOTED ON FREEWAY SIGNS AS BEING A HIGH WIND AREA AND CAUTIONS MOTORISTS. TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN I MUST SET THE ALTIMETER AND CHK PATTERN AND FIELD ELEVATIONS AT ARPTS OF INTENDED LNDG AND THIS PROB WOULD NEVER HAVE OCCURRED. MY ACTIONS MAY HAVE CONSTITUTED A VIOLATION OF FAR 91.119 AND/OR 91.121.