The optical variability is measurable by amateurs. I was paying attention to your “visual or CCD” request, honest!
See http://www.threehillsobservatory.co.uk/astro/astro_image_33.htm for instance, where Robin Leadbetter presents his images and http://www.threehillsobservatory.co.uk/astro/pulsar_detection_1.htm where the technique is described.