It was running and i heard a pop noise, and the voltage meter just went all the way over

Radio died. Capacitors in the radio can make a popping noise. Usually once. If heard threw the speakers it could be one of many electronic parts in it.

There is something shorted in the power supply. See if you can get a schematic from their website. Most likely parts to check are the voltage regulators, protection diodes and capacitors. A shorted diode will go to ground too.

I would try an inline noise filter, the hum they are hearing is most likely vehicle electronic interference from alternator, etc. On my older Camaro I had the same hum in stereo and others heard it on CB, I installed noise filter and everything worked great. You can find them at truck stops, CB shops and some auto parts stores, they usually run in the $5-$10 range.

Turn up "MIC GAIN" also check and see if it keys up full scale 4 watts on output meter. If that doesn't do it change MICS. Go for a power mic by cobra that runs off say a double AA battery. It may be conditions also or your out of range of persons. check Antenna,Swr reads (should be 1.1 to 1.5)on a Radio Shack meter. Try it all.

Right, the meters will show a signal nomatter what posistion the knob is .... put it counterclockwise just about the noise level.. I leave it fully counterclockwise so i can hear further... BUT get a swr meter and check it asap before talking on it.. Any cb shop should check the swr's for FREE, we do...

Is the tone high pitch? if so he was too close to you (feedback).

If the tone was low then could be a voltage problem, or a microphone fault.

more like to be an incorrectly wired microphone if the radio is new?

is this a new radio? if so then the voltage change on the vco/pll will cause a squeak. kindda like a cobra 19dx does. also like the old golden eagle squeal .. all due to the voltage being unstable.. now is it that prob or do you have talkback and its loud/bad grounds causing a squeal. that could be the case too. if you have talk back let me know there's a cure for that. contact us..we can put the talkback just lil outtaphase to stop 99% of the squeals in cobra/uniden chassis radios.

You would be surprised how little people actually talk on CB radios these days. I went through similar struggles a few years ago. Unless you are in a major trucker area, the CB radio is basically silence.
Check out the weather channels (anything on the WX setting) to make sure that your radio is receiving frequencies correctly. If that doesn't work, then it is your box, but I bet that will work.
Good luck!

Replace the meter and speaker.

There is always a bump kind of noise when you unkey. If its popping, then the speaker is probably blown. Plug an external speaker into it and see if it is still a pop, instead of a bump.

Meters go. If tapping it while keying doesn't release it, then just replace it or just don't worry about it and get an external meter.

hook the power cord direct to the battery