Homebrew PCBs

A chem student tells me the pH of the solution outlined in:

http://www.dnai.com/~rexa/Projects/CuCl_ech.html

would be just as good an indicator of needed chemical additons as the
lengthy lab methods in the above article. A pH probe is more
convenient and much cheaper than the lab equipment the article says is
necessary. For example, Corning sells a pH probe for $40.

Does anyone know if the student is right? What pH level would be
optimum, and what would variations mean need to be added to the brew?

Grant