Russell,
That sounds like a great endeavor. I can't help with advice but I do have a suggestion. With the gear you will need for exoplanets you could also do asteroid occultation timings. There is really a lot yet to learn about our own solar system and most asteroids have not had their sizes measured directly. This is an area where amateurs can really contribute and where you aren't in 'competition' with professionals. It's likely you will only have a candidate event every week or so, so the rest of the time you can get on with your exoplanet search.
http://www.occultations.org.nz/
http://www.lunar-occultations.com/iota/iotandx.htm
Some software you may want to look at
http://www.lunar-occultations.com/iota/occult4.htm
http://www.occultwatcher.net/