A mobile station (102) operating in a present serving cell (104) evaluates a candidate cell (108) for handover. The candidate cell is of a different air interface from the present serving cell, and thus the mobile station initially has no timing information regarding the candidate cell. To minimize measurement time away from the present serving cell, the mobile station first acquires timing information of the candidate cell (406). The timing information is used to generate a measurement gap profile (608). The measurement gap profile is used by the mobile station to configure a measurement pattern based on the timing of the serving cell to ensure reception of control information of the candidate cell.