  We report the first quasioptical simulations of wave beams in a hot plasma
using the quasioptical code PARADE (PAraxial RAy DEscription) [Phys. Plasmas
26, 072112 (2019)]. This code is unique in that it accounts for inhomogeneity
of the dissipation-rate across the beam and mode conversion simultaneously. We
show that the dissipation-rate inhomogeneity shifts beams relative to their
trajectories in cold plasma and that the two electromagnetic modes are coupled
via this process, an effect that was ignored in the past. We also propose a
simplified approach to accounting for the dissipation-rate inhomogeneity. This
approach is computationally inexpensive and simplifies analysis of actual
experiments.
