finally managed to install a serial port monitor software that captures data sent/received from the port and also an lx200 command set here
http://www.astronomy.hu/PulsarLX200commands_v2.3.pdf and here
http://www.mapug-astronomy.net/ragre...0Commands.html
http://soundstepper.sourceforge.net/..._Commands.html
Got stellarium telescope control connected to com1, and can see stellarium querying the current RA by sending #:GR# every few seconds.
I can get the picaxe mcu to send back co-ordinates, will see how it goes from there.