  We detect the likely optical counterpart to previously reported X-ray QPOs in
spectrophotometry of the intermediate polar GK Persei during the 1996 dwarf
nova outburst. The characteristic timescales range between 4000--6000 s.
Although the QPOs are an order of magnitude longer than those detected in the
other dwarf novae we show that a new QPO model is not required to explain the
long timescale observed. We demonstrate that the observations are consistent
with oscillations being the result of normal-timescale QPOs beating with the
spin period of the white dwarf. We determine the spectral class of the
companion to be consistent with its quiescent classification and find no
significant evidence for irradiation over its inner face. We detect the white
dwarf spin period in line fluxes, V/R ratios and Doppler-broadened emission
profiles.
