I am a very inexperienced pilot and last week end did my first O/H join. Fortunately I had a more experienced right seat buddy. My comments are that first I tracked to cross O/H as per the diagrams from the live side for a right hand circuit. In a PA28 I lost sight of the airfield completely for a minute or more before crossing O/H I would have needed to be well downwind to have maintained visual with the field. Fortunately i picked another feature to provide clue for starting descent. descent went well searching for the student doing circuits. Turned out he was on bomber circuit and dilemma arose over if we should cut inside and be accused of poor airmanship. Chose to extend upwind a little and fall in behind. Now following miles downwind I found that during turms towards final I lost the field completely. Passenger still had sight and took over to position us but on my own I would perhaps have had to go away and start again ( should mention this was into a grass field known to be hard to spot)
Any comment? My own feelings were that L/H circuits only for O/H join to keep field in sight. Also I think we should have asked for join on downleg as we had the only other known traffic in sight on finals as we approached.