A method for scanning for neighbor base stations in a time synchronous wireless communication system may be implemented by a mobile station. The method may include detecting a serving base station preamble index that is transmitted by a serving base station in a subcarrier subset during a frame. The method may also include using the detected serving base station preamble index to determine a signal quality measurement for the serving base station. The method may also include detecting at least one neighbor base station preamble index that is transmitted by a neighbor base station in another subcarrier subset transmitted during the same frame. The method may further include using the detected neighbor base station preamble index to determine a signal quality measurement for the neighbor base station.